THE Governors of a special school threatened with closure in an education shake-up are appealing to residents to join the battle to keep it open.

Colin Mickleburgh, chairman of the board at Two Porches in Atherton, is hoping an upsurge in public opinion will make Wigan LEA grant a reprieve for the 49-place school which faces shutdown in August 2006.

He said: "We as Governors, the parents and staff feel that moving into mainstream schools is not an option for our pupils.

"Although the government's policy for inclusion is very admirable, the reality is that without the appropriate funding and genuine identification for individual pupils' needs, then inclusion will not work for our particular pupils.

"Many require very special and specific support and many of our parents fear that for their children to be placed in mainstream education without the appropriate support can only have a damaging effect.

"Two Porches School is fully committed to inclusion for all of its pupils, but with our school acting as a base and place of excellence that can support each individual child along with their parents.

"We also feel that this places us in a strong position as a centre of excellence to share best practice with our mainstream colleagues.

"We are very concerned that the loss of our school to the LEA's new structure as well as to the local community will have a damaging effect for all our pupils.

"Anyone who has visited our school will know that although we are a small school, our teaching and non-teaching staff have the highest dedication and commitment towards all their pupils.

"We have strived over the past few years to develop the school through local and national grants. All targets set in our last Ofsted report have been achieved along with two successful reassessments for the Investors in People standard.

"We trust that public opinion will make the Wigan LEA look upon our plight favourably and keep the school open."

Objections to the closure should be sent in writing to the Director of Education Mr Ged Rowney at Wigan Town Hall before the end of the two months consultation period which began on January 22.