I WRITE with reference to your front page article regarding Rose Hill School. I am very annoyed that people in the vicinity of the new Rose Hill Senior School not wanting to have the school in the area. Do these people realise the kind of pupil that will be attending the day school.

The children do have a statement, but then again a lot of children in main stream school have statements. The children at Rose Hill have difficulties with their education and need individual help. This is given to them at the special school, due to the fact that there are smaller numbers within the school classes and more staff. The children come from caring backgrounds, and it is just unfortunate for some parents that their children need extra help with the national curriculum.

The perimeter fencing is being erected mainly to try and stop vandalism when the school is closed. If the people of Tyldesley look at other schools they all have a form fencing. The lay-by is for the children to arrive and return home safely by taxi. The children come from the very vast area that Wigan Local Education Authority covers, and public transport does not always allow a child to make the journey to the school.

The school is NOT a borstal or prison for young offenders, and a visit to the school would prove this. These children have carried out many different aspects of voluntary work from helping with conservation work, developing local areas to an area of beauty, carrying out work experience and also attending Wigan and Leigh colleges.

The main aim of Rose Hill School is to help children with learning difficulties, and to return them back in to a main stream school as soon as possible.

I am a governor and voluntary helper within Rose Hill School, and am very pleased with all the dedicated hard work that the staff put in to the school. The children achieve many awards during their stay at Rose Hill, and carry out many interesting activities during their short stay. Rose Hill has just received a good Ofsted report with the inspectors praising the children for their work around the school and surrounding area.

I say to the people of Tyldesley, try looking at the children and school that these children are at, then give me your opinion. Don't just dismiss us before you know what you are talking about. Then again ask yourselves if you had a child with learning difficulties how would you feel with the front page news that Rose Hill has received.

Very Annoyed Parent Governor

(Name and address supplied)

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