WORRIED parents of children with learning difficulties have been promised that no special schools in the borough will be closed without full consultation.

Blackburn with Darwen Council education bosses have been reviewing education in three of the special schools in the borough since April, 1998.

And last night they said they would like to see improvements made in the "expertise and resources" of mainstream schools in dealing with children who have learning difficulties with the number of special schools cut back.

That is likely to mean that one or more of Blackamoor, Dame Evelyn Fox or Crosshill Schools will have to close.

But a full and formal consultation process will have to take place under law before any final decision is reached and closures would not occur until September next year at the earliest.

Education committee vice chairman Kathy Stephenson said: "We are very proud of the special school provision we have in the borough and the glowing Ofsted reports they have been given. "This is not a cost cutting measure and there will be no children forced to go in to mainstream schools. Parental choice will be maintained, which is why the total inclusion of special schools into mainstream education is not the option we want to pursue.

"No change at all is not viable because of falling rolls so our preferred option is rationalisation of special school provision. Officers will now go and consult widely with all of the people involved."

Members of the majority Labour group on the council's education committee indicated that their favoured options for the future of special school provision would be one all age complex difficulties school with either a secondary or all age moderate learning difficulties school.

Liberal Democrat education spokesman Councillor Davis Foster backed the proposed changes.

He said: "The figures clearly show that we can't keep the status quo."

Broadlands Nursery looks likely to be unaffected by changes and the futures of Tullyallen and Bank Hey Schools, which cater for children with behavioural and emotional problems, will be considered separately.

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