CHILDREN will be no worse off when a base for pupils with learning difficulties shuts, a councillor has claimed.

Laurence Haines School, in Vicarage Road, Watford, is losing its Special Educational Needs provision after Hertfordshire County Council approved £775,000 worth of cuts.

It means children will have to travel to Apsley for care instead, or be supported by teachers.

But despite the level of opposition from parents who responded with an overwhelming ‘no’ to a consultation, Cllr Mark Watkin has defended the plans.

The Liberal Democrat Councillor said: “The idea there will not be any disturbance is naïve, but this will only be short term. They will be no worse off.

“If the staff are prepared to be professional and adjust to new management systems, in theory there should be no obvious change to the schools and the service they are getting.

“The service will continue very much as now with teachers supporting pupils by visiting their schools.

“In the long run it will be better, not worse. I am familiar with the wonderful work these teachers do.”

Cllr Watkin was on the board of governors at the school when the SEN base opened and says he is passionate about the work it does.

Specific learning difficulties (SLDs) include a range of conditions, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, discalculia and ADHD.

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) believes that the changes would save £775,000, which could be re-directed to meet high level and complex needs.

It initially proposed cutting the number of special needs teachers, but this was later withdrawn as a result of the consultation.

The ten ‘bases’ were initially intended to provide temporary placements for a small number of pupils with specific learning difficulties.

However no pupils have been based at them for a number of years and they have instead been used to store equipment.

The vast majority of teachers, headteachers and parents who responded to the public consultation were against the plans.

Of the 700 people who responded, 657, or 93.9 per cent, were against the plans. Just one of the 11 headteachers responding agreed.

Responses highlighted the value of the expertise of staff and concerns about the impact on pupils; the strong relationships because of the proximity of the current bases to local schools; and concerns that free and affordable training would cease.

Cllr Watkin did, however, say the county did not “work hard enough” in planning these changes and engaging with the schools and staff involved.

“If they had, they would have had a far more positive response,” he said.

“The County must work much harder to listen to the concerns of heads, teachers, SEN co-ordinators and parents before announcing further changes.

“Failing to do so will make a massive rod for its own back.

“With all the public anger and political fighting that would follow, the losers would be the children with Special Needs who desperately need supporting.

“The last thing we would want is a repeat of the dreadful Nascot Lawn experience.”

What do you think of the plans? Is your child an SEN pupil at Laurence Haines Primary? E-mail Nathan.louis@london.newsquest.co.uk.