PARENTS of children with special needs have cautiously welcomed plans to involve them in Darlington's new education village.

The education village will involve pupils from Haughton Community College, Springfield Primary and Beaumont Special School learning under the same roof.

It is hoped the super-school will lead to more integration between able-bodied and special needs children, and this has been welcomed by parents.

Parent and Beaumont school governor Stella Bowden said: "If it is done sensitively, it will work.

"The youngsters will only be able to integrate where it is appropriate and many will not be able to integrate fully.

"I am not in favour of integration for its own sake, but hopefully this will allow pupils to be together where it is appropriate and to benefit all the children."

Mrs Bowden was concerned that youngsters who suffer from autism, including her 11-year-old daughter, Charlotte, may find the move distressing, even though council-funded buses, which transport the majority of the special-needs children to Beaumont Hill School, will continue to run.

She said: "These children need continuity and it may upset them because they like routine. But they will have the same teachers and friends around them.

"It may cause a bit of upset, but in the long run they will benefit from the best facilities in a purpose-built school. It is a marvellous idea."

The education village will be the first of its kind in the country to be funded by the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). A private company will come in to build the super-school and will run some services for a period of 25 years but educational control will remain with the local authority.

Teachers and governors at all three schools were consulted on the move before it was announc-ed and all headteachers have written letters of support which were included in the council's bid for Government PFT status.

Open evenings have been organised in each school, on Thursday, December 12, and Monday, December 16, for parents to find out more about the plans.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: "It is important to us to keep everyone informed and to hear what people think of the idea. People's comments will be taken on board and we hope pupils will also get involved in the process over time.