MUMS of children at a special school have started a petition in their fight to maintain the quality of the education.

Chalet School parents have so far collected aound 2,500 signatures in support of keeping the school as it is.

Swindon Council's education department is considering the school's future because it says it is too expensive to operate with so few pupils only 25 out of the 42 places are filled.

But parents want the school, which caters for children with complex learning difficulties including autism, to be left exactly as it is.

One of the parents who has been collecting signatures is Sharon Ward whose four-year-old Richie is on the autistic spectrum disorder.

She says that she will do everything she can to make sure his school stays open. The 29-year-old, from Cheney Manor, said: "It is really important for everybody to give their opinion on the school not just the parents.

"It is better to do something rather than sit at home and worry about it.

"The school has been absolutely fantastic for Richie. He's only been there a year but he has come on leaps and bounds."

Karen Turner's son Allen, seven, has autism but she thinks his development since he started school has been fantastic.

She said: "When he started at the school he was non-verbal and now he is reading.

"I never expected that in a million years.

"The support I have had from Chalet has been amazing and not just in school time.

"We will fight to keep it as it is.

"We have had lots of support from people.

"I am sure some people think it doesn't affect them but it does.

"If our children got to mainstream schools they will only end up disrupting other children's education and not get the specialist support they need."

The school moved to a £1.3m revamped building on the same campus as Liden Primary School two years ago.

Parents were outraged when the council announced proposals to shut it down.

After a storm of protest, which was featured in the Adver, the council lifted the threat of complete closure.

But is still considering two other options.

The first would be to turn it into a special resource attached to a mainstream school.

The second would be an assessment centre for children with learning disabilities.

Parents are currently being consulted on the other options but they are adamant they want the school to continue as it is and are enlisting public support.

Karen added: "The two other options mean Chalet would not remain a school and all that expertise and knowledge would be lost.''

The parents have so far collected signatures at supermarkets around the town. Next week they will be outside Safeway.

The fate of the Chalet School will be discussed at a meeting of the Education Partnership Board in October.

Bhavani Vadde