“Grave concerns” were raised about students with special needs being separated from mainstream pupils, the consultation report has revealed.

Anonymous submissions were recently made public in the Parish Primary School Decisions report.

“There is grave concern that separating children with special needs will cause more issues, such as bullying,” one submission said.

“There is concern with the separation of students with exceptionalities and students attending parish schools.”

The Parish Primary School Decisions report said that most students with special needs “would continue to be educated within their regular primary school in special education programmes” but that they would also benefit from therapeutic services and support at a dedicated site.

The Government has committed to creating an alternative education signature school and an exceptionalities signature school in Devonshire.

The alternative education signature school will be at the current site of the K Margaret Carter Centre to serve children with social-emotional and educational needs.

“There are currently specialised programmes and services for students with social-emotional and educational needs who require intensive therapeutic and other educational supports that cannot be provided in a regular classroom or school setting,” the report said.

“There continues to be a growing need for these programmes and services.”

The submission said: “Children with exceptionalities need to be able to survive and thrive in mainstream society once they emerge from their public education process.

“It is felt that catered learning for students with exceptional abilities should be provided in all parish schools to ensure they are able to thrive in society.”

The report said that the first intake of students for the exceptionalities signature school was for students presently educated at Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.

It added: “There is support with a school for exceptionalities. It is agreed that students, for which the exceptionalities signature school would be established, require additional space specifically designed to support their educational and therapeutic needs.

“The ministry is committed to the least restrictive environment, which means that students are placed in the learning environment that is least restrictive to meet their needs.

“There is no intention to automatically group together based on their disabilities and special and/or additional needs.”

Grave concerns” were raised about students with special needs being separated from mainstream pupils, a government consultation report has revealed.

Anonymous submissions were recently made public in the Parish Primary School Decisions report.

“There is grave concern that separating children with special needs will cause more issues, such as bullying,” one submission said.

“There is concern with the separation of students with exceptionalities and students attending parish schools.”

The Parish Primary School Decision Report said that most students with special needs “would continue to be educated within their regular primary school in special education programmes” but that they would also benefit from therapeutic services and support at a dedicated site.

The government has committed to creating an alternative education signature school and an exceptionalities signature school in Devonshire.

The alternative education signature school will be located at the current site of K Margaret Carter Centre to serve children with social-emotional and educational needs.

“There are currently specialised programmes and services for students with social-emotional and educational needs who require intensive therapeutic and other educational supports that cannot be provided in a regular classroom or school setting,” the report said.

“There continues to be a growing need for these programmes and services.”

The submission said: “Children with exceptionalities need to be able to survive and thrive in mainstream society once they emerge from their public education process.

“It is felt that catered learning for students with exceptional abilities should be provided in all parish schools to ensure they are able to thrive in society.”

The report said that the first intake of students for the exceptionalities signature school is for students presently educated at Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.

It added: “There is support with a school for exceptionalities. It is agreed that students, for which the exceptionalities signature school would be established, require additional space specifically designed to support their educational and therapeutic needs.

“The ministry is committed to the least restrictive environment, which means that students are placed in the learning environment that is least restrictive to meet their needs.

“There is no intention to automatically group together based on their disabilities and special and/or additional needs.