THE future education of deaf children at one of the region's special schools is under threat from proposed changes by the local authority.

Discussions about Beverley School in Saltersgill Avenue, Middlesbrough, will begin at a council meeting on Tuesday and are expected to continue until the end of the year.

The school caters for four to 19-year-olds and currently has 48 deaf pupils and 44 with autism.

In recent years there have been an increased number of autistic children at the school but fewer deaf youngsters, and Middlesbrough Borough Council has decided to make changes to the way the school is run.

A number of options are being considered but the council's preferred idea is to develop two resource bases for deaf and hearing impaired pupils at other mainstream schools while focusing Beverley School on autism.

Other options include closing the school and transferring all pupils to a special unit at mainstream schools or opening a new school for either autistic or deaf children.

Barbara Comiskey, director of education for Middlesbrough council, said: "The needs of pupils at Beverley School are changing and we feel its important we consider the impact of those changes sooner rather than later.

"There are a number of options being discussed at the moment to ensure we get the very best provision for deaf children and pupils with hearing impairments.

"It's very early days and full consultation on the proposals won't begin formally until September, but we want to give as many people in the school community a chance to make their views known."

But the proposals have angered some parents who claim their children have tried life in a mainstream school, but got the best education at Beverley School.