PARENTS of children at special schools in Trowbridge, Chippenham and Rowde have just five days left to make their views known.

The latest statutory consultation to help shape the future of special schools in the north of the county draws to a close next Monday .

Parents are fighting Wiltshire Council plans to axe Larkrise in Trowbridge, St Nicholas in Chippenham and Rowdeford in Rowde and build a new super-school for children with special education needs.

The county proposes to invest £32 million in special education needs and disabilities by bringing the three schools in northern Wiltshire together under a single integrated leadership team by 2021, and building up to 400 additional and remodelled places on the Rowdeford site by 2023.

While the build is happening, all three sites at Larkrise, St Nicholas and Rowdeford special schools will stay open.

When most of the new places are available, further consideration will be given to the number of sites required in light of the need for places at that future time.

Cllr Pauline Church, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Skills said: “We have been busy talking to parents, carers and stakeholders on the developing proposals for special school provision and I’d like to thank all of those who have contributed to the latest consultation.

"There are still some days left so we want people to make their views known as we move onto the next stage in ensuring we have the right provision for all our children into the future.”

There has been a series of meetings to ensure parents, carers and stakeholders have an opportunity to have their say.

The Wiltshire Parent Carer Council (WPCC) has also organised a webinar for today from 6pm.

This webinar is for parent carers who may have been unable to attend earlier meetings.

The session will be recorded and made available as soon as possible afterwards. To sign up to join the online session people can register here.

The WPCC is also running a session in Devizes so any parent carer who may have been unable to attend other sessions, has an opportunity to participate in a face to face session.

This session takes place at 1.30pm on Monday, at Devizes Fire Station. Booking is essential.

People can book their place here, telephone the WPCC on 01225 764647 (option 1), or email admin@wiltspcc.co.uk. Bookings must be received by Saturday.

The statutory consultation runs until Monday. Once complete, it will go to Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet to consider and decide upon, before being presented to the schools’ adjudicator for a final decision.

The consultation is available online for people to make their views known.