A BIRMIMGHAM city councillor has created a petition for an inquiry into the closure of a special school in Bromsgrove.

Hunters Hill College, which is based in Blackwell but maintained by Birmingham City Council, is set to close on August 31 after a series of damning Ofsted reports and a £5 million bill to make school buildings fit for use.

After a two part consultation process, the council decided on February 8 to close the school, leaving over 100 children with special needs to transfer to other schools.

In the latest Ofsted report, dated June 21, it states "around two thirds of pupils currently receive their education in temporary placements at other schools across the West Midlands. Just over one tenth of pupils receive home tuition. Just under one quarter of pupils are learning remotely."

Councillor Alex Yip, shadow cabinet member for children's wellbeing, is demanding answers into how the decision to close the school was quickly reached.

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He said: "There are questions that many feel need answering around how a school with a significant record of providing outstanding provision and was regularly rated outstanding, quickly went from inadequate October 2019 to a decision to close January 2021.

"We want an inquiry to get to the bottom of how this came about, what support there was from the local authority, what steps were taken by the senior leadership team at the school, and an analysis of the reasons repeatedly given to substantiate the decision to close.

"We want to question how long its taken for pupils to be transitioned to other schools.

"The closure of the school has caused considerable upheaval to students, families and staff with the attainment and support for students affected during the consultation period and since January.

"I want to voice the frustration of parents."

Ofsted inspectors found the quality of education to be poor, pupils' literacy and numeracy skills to be weak and attendance low in October 2019.

A follow-up inspection in January 2020 raised further concerns about teachers using "excessive physical force", safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, but did note some improvements and praised the impact of the new interim head.

NASUWT teachers' union said they were disappointed by the council's decision to close the school rather then investing its future.

A union spokesman said: "There are numerous examples of Birmingham City Council’s neglect of the school.

"This is most evident in the Acivico 2019 report into the state of the buildings, which found high levels of deterioration in the fabric of the school, caused by a lack of both routine maintenance and ongoing investment in the college.

"The poor state of the buildings is one of the reasons put forward by Birmingham Council for closure of the school, yet this is the direct fault of the local authority, in its neglect of the school.

"A further reason for the closure is the falling numbers of pupils. Again, this is in the direct gift of Birmingham City Council, who decided to pause placements to the school."

The Advertiser has contacted Birmingham City Council for a response.