A SECONDARY school will reduce the extra classes it provides for children with special educational needs from September.

The Kielder Intervention Provision was set up in 1994 as part of the Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School to allow students to be withdrawn from classes and taught separately.

The school announced on Tuesday that due to falling pupil numbers needing the provision they will be running three classes next year, a reduction from five classes two years ago.

The autism unit at Bishop's – named 'The Bridge' – will be continuing as normal.

Headteacher Sara Catlow-Hawkins said: "The Kielder Intervention Provision was set up by the governors in response to a national initiative many years ago, when generous funding was available from central government.

"Over the last five years, education funding has reduced in some areas and increased in others; a situation facing thousands of state schools, not just Bishop's.

"Bishop’s has also been in receipt of £200,000 as a grant from the council in recognition of the higher than average numbers of students with special educational needs and disability (SEND). These numbers have decreased so the grant has been withdrawn.

"The governors and school have prepared for this as much as practically possible prior to April, but could not make an announcement until it knew what money would be available for all areas across the school, not just for SEND.

"In addition we needed to finalise the next steps to be taken to allow us to work with parents/carers during the transition.

"We are not stopping our Kielder work, but rather changing how we do it with reduced funding.

"The school and governors greatly appreciate it is a worrying time for parents and carers but we continue to do our best for all 1,100 students, including those with SEND, providing high quality education."

This news has concerned some parents including Wendy James from Kington. She said her daughter thrived during lessons taught at the Kielder provision.

She added: "After five years she obtained entry level qualifications in English, maths and science and is now studying for her City and Guilds qualifications in horticulture at the Robert Owen Academy.

"Her career at primary school had been pretty disastrous. The Kielder has a team of highly skilled, talented and empathetic staff who offer a well balanced curriculum tailored to their vulnerable students’ needs.

"Many of the Kielder students and their parents choose the Kielder Unit over their local offer as its reputation is so fine.

"I understand that special educational facilities are more costly. From my exposure to the special needs educational system, however, I feel that the extra funds are well spent.

"There are precious few educational opportunities post 16 for special needs students in Herefordshire. To tinker without open and informed consultation with the education provided by the Kielder Intervention Provision would be to kick away an important plank in pre-16 provision."