THE closure of three residential special schools, to be replaced by two, has been proposed by education officials on Teesside.

Following a public consultation on the future of Bishopsmills School, Saltergill School and Westlands School, Stockton Borough Council education officers have proposed that they should close in September, and be replaced by two new residential schools.

Primary and secondary age pupils, from a variety of education authorities, attend the schools, which cater for youngsters with behavioural and learning difficulties, but council officers are keen to see the age groups split up.

A council spokesman said: "Concerns had been expressed, particularly by Bishopsmill and Saltergill schools, about their growing difficulty in effectively meeting the educational and social needs of older pupils with an all-age school.

"They have also expressed concern about the influence these very disaffected, older students can have on the younger pupils."

Currently 45 day pupils and 12 residential pupils attend Bishopsmill School, 23 day pupils and 17 residential pupils attend Saltergill and 83 day pupils and 26 residential pupils attend Westlands School.

There is not enough demand for a residential primary special school in the area, so the council hopes to create a middle school for 119 eight to 14-year-olds on the Westlands School site and an upper school on one of the other sites for 61 pupils aged 15 and 16.

It is proposed that, apart from exceptional cases, pupils under the age of eight will go into mainstream education.

A council spokesman said: "It is acknowledged that, ideally, children should be educated in separate primary and secondary schools.

"However, analysis of current and future placement requirements, coupled with the physical capacity of the existing schools sites, has shown that this cannot be achieved in the short to medium term, but remains a goal for the future."

The spokesman reassured parents about disruption.

"When any pupil has to change school sites, they will not be moving on their own.

"Pupils from their age group will move with them and it is highly likely that many of their teachers, support staff and residential social workers will move to the new school as well."

The public has until January 21 to comment on the proposal