RADCLIFFE High School's Pupil Support Centre is to close just five years after it was established to help children with special educational needs.
The centre, which opened in 1997, was designed to reintegrate 11 to 15-year-olds with emotional or behavioural difficulties (EBD) back into mainstream education.
But education chiefs have admitted that, in the majority of cases, it has been unsuccessful and its continuation cannot be justified.
From September 2003, youngsters will be taught at a newly-established Pupil Referral Unit at New Summerseat House, which is deemed more cost efficient.
The centre at Radcliffe can cater for 15 pupils, although at the moment there are 12 on the roll. The school receives £200,000 per year for it and although this funding will disappear with the closure of the centre, headteacher Mr Graham Rollinson said the school will not suffer financially.
He said: "The closure of the centre will free more classrooms which will help accommodate the school's growing numbers."
It has been decided that no Year 7 pupils will be admitted to the Pupil Support Centre from this September and the centre will close in July 2003 with all staff and any remaining pupils transferred to New Summerseat House.
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