THE Meadow School is at odds with Whitedown School in Alton over the way in which the two schools should be merged.
The county councilÕs education review committee is due to examine on Tuesday the proposals to merge the two special schools.
In a report to the committee councillors are told that there is widespread support from both schools for the merger plans.
However, the report says that both schools are at opposite ends of the scale in terms of the practicalities of how the merger will take place.
The report says that the Meadow School wants to remain open and for the school to absorb the extra staff and pupils into an enlarged version of the school.
But Whitedown wants both schools to ÔcloseÕ and for a temporary governing body to be set up until all staff have been interviewed for posts at the new school.
The report says: ÒThe principle arguments advanced by Meadow School is in favour of their enlargement and the closure of Whitedown centre on MeadowÕs relative size, its very good OFSTED and the tribute inspectors pay to the schoolÕs headteacher, senior management team and governors.
ÒClosure of both schools, in the view of Meadow, would produce greater destabilisation and a greater number of staff anxious about jobs.
ÒAt Meadow arguments in favour of closing Whitedown include the fact that a smaller educational community (staff, parents, governors and pupils) will be affected and anxious about the future.
ÒThe senior management team at the Meadow would continue to operate and be at the core of the ÔnewÕ schoolÕs future structure. There would also be less likelihood of Meadow staff drifting away.
ÒWhitedownÕs argumentÕs centre upon equal opportunities for staff and, through them for the children. ÒBeing smaller in number on roll terms should not lead to marginalization in an extended Meadow. Closure of both was the only way appropriate to generate an appropriate skills mix amongst staff.Ó
The committee is urged to support the merger plans and recommend to the the Donald Allen, the councilÕs cabinet member for education, that it goes ahead.
However, the report says that the committee has got to make up its own mind about how the restructuring takes place and recommend either the MeadowÕs suggestion or WhitedownÕs suggestion to Mr Allen.