A parent fighting to save a Hunter class for children with intellectual disabilities says he is "devastated, shocked and really at a loss for what to do" for his son.
The Department of Education has placed the 'IM' class at Islington Public School "on review" this year due to declining numbers, with the risk of it being "moved to an area of greater need" next year.
The class, which is for children with mild intellectual disabilities, caters for up to 18 students. Last year the class had nine enrolments, this year it will have four.
"Declining numbers at the Islington PS IM class for the last three years show it is not being used to its fullest capacity," a department spokesperson said.
"The four students will be fully supported in their learning and wellbeing needs, but such a small class does not provide the best social or emotional opportunities for them, nor the best preparation for high school. Therefore the class was placed on review for 2022 - there has been no decision to close it."
Parents were called into meetings at the end of last year and informed that because the class had dipped below 50 per cent capacity, they may need to find other arrangements for their kids next year.
"We were devastated, shocked and really at a loss for what to do," parent Nick Pringle said.
Another parent Shirlah French said she and her husband were "not happy", and felt "thrown into the deep end" by the decision.
Mr Pringle says they were offered alternatives, but they were not "genuine alternatives".
"One was to mainstream the kids with a bit of extra support, or go to other schools which have other support classes," he said.
"With mainstreaming with support, in the case of our son his diagnoses put together make for a kid who cannot be mainstreamed. His individual conditions also don't attract support funding.
"The two other IM classes within 10km of us can't guarantee placements."
Mr Pringle said his son had learned about the situation from other students and was quite upset.
"There have been behavioural outcomes that have been really terrible, his sleep has been ruined," he said. "It's a very uncertain place for someone who is looking at losing his social group and his local group."
This is a stark contrast to how Mr Pringle said his son has previously responded to the alternative learning style.
"Our son has flourished in the class, he's come leaps and bounds that we would have never dreamt," Mr Pringle said.
"He will most likely be sufficiently prepared for high school now. He would have been out of his depth in mainstream class."
Ms French said she was in the process of transitioning her daughter to Irrawang Public.
"We wanted her to stay there [at Islington]," she said. "She loved it there."
Mr Pringle said the Islington school has a great reputation for being accepting of all people.
"This class is a bedrock piece of that reputation," he said. "The kids in that class get to play with other mates, so they're not isolated. It has been lifechanging."
The department says if numbers increase sufficiently, the class will be "removed from review next year, but otherwise it could be moved to an area of greater need".
However Mr Pringle said numbers had dropped since the announcement as parents looked for more surety by moving their children elsewhere and other parents he spoke to who had thought about enrolling their kids into the class had decided not to due to the uncertainty.
Mr Pringle has started a change.org petition, written to the department and approached his local MPs about the matter in a bid to save the class.
"Specifically what we want is for the department to reverse the decision, and promote and be proactive in recruiting to the class," he said.
"Early intervention is vital for these kids to reach full, happy, healthy lives."
