Parents fear for SEND children's futures as Selby school announces closure

• Video report by Martin Fisher

Parents at a school in North Yorkshire say they fear for the future of their SEND children's education after the school announced it would close - just weeks into the new term.

Holy Family Catholic High, in Selby, said it will have to shut next year due to dwindling pupil numbers.

The shock announcement has caused anger among parents of children with special educational needs - who make up around a third of the pupils at the school.

Ann-Marie Nicholson's 11-year-old son Stephen Rogers has just started at Holy Family. He has dwarfism and learning difficulties.

She told ITV News: "We all wanted him to go there because it's a small, community-based school that suits his needs. It was just perfect.

"I'm frightened if he goes to another school he'll be pushed into just one room and that's it - he won't have any communication with any other children."

Stephen added: "I'm very sad because I don't want it to close."

11-year-old Eliana Cartwright has also recently started at Holy Family. She's currently waiting for an autism diagnosis.

She said: "I'd rather stay where I am because I'm used to the people around me and in other schools I'm not."

Eliana's mother Catherine Flynn-Cartwright continued: "All myself and my husband have done, like any parent of a SEN child, is fight - fight for your child's rights.

"That's all we're doing. Just give us a break, please."

School leaders claim the removal of funding for transport to and from the school, which is in a relatively remote location, has contributed to the low pupil numbers.

Kieron Flood, director of Education Leeds Catholic Diocese, said: "The challenges we've had in the removal of funding and services for transport has made a real impact."

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