Two parents who have a son in a support class at Islington Public School have launched a petition after news the class could be axed.
The I-M support class is in place for kids with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities, but the Department of Education says it will be cut if numbers don’t improve.
It’s the only class in the inner-city and petitioner and parent Nick Pringle says the need for schools with appropriate disability-supports in the area is growing, not diminishing.
Mr Pringle also says uncertainty over the future of the class has made matters worse as parents preemptively pull their kids out.
“The Department says the class is “on review”, yet in separate meetings parents were encouraged to enrol elsewhere as soon as possible or miss out on a placement elsewhere. Naturally this has ensured that class numbers are already falling as uncertainty and anxiety set in,” he said.
At the time of publication, 544 people have backed the petition which is calling for 1000 signatures.
You can find more information on the petition’s page.