CHILDREN with hearing impairments could be left with nowhere suitable to go to school, as Wokingham's only option looks set to close. 

Emmbrook Infant and Junior School has been the only school in the borough providing specialist care for children with hearing difficulties for 14 years but its unit is facing closure in just three months.

The closure was meant to be put off until current students had finished but one specialist teacher's retirement and the other leaving the school could see it closed as early as next September.

Rhys Gilbert, six, has been at the infant school for two years and is a member of the school council but may now have to take on a 46-mile round trip to Newbury to go to school each day.

His mother, Faye, said Rhys is profoundly deaf and had to undergo invasive surgery to have cochlear implants.

"Now he can hear he has learnt to speak, something I only dreamed of," she said. "Hearing him say 'Mummy' was the proudest moment of my life.

"Rhys has taught us so much and loves going to his school and has made true friends and is an established part of his community.

"I wholeheartedly disagree with their proposals for a number of reasons.

"First I think there should be a bridge between mainstream and specialist schools and the unit does provide an opportunity to stay in a mainstream school with a deaf culture.

"They are looking to outsource this and hire in specialist help to mainstream schools but it won't have the specialisation and deaf culture.

"It's not just Rhys, the school is part of the community. Rhys is very happy and he's made friends at the school."

She said the nearest alternative is in Newbury but with two other children, Joshua, eight, and Max, three months, along with a full time job, travelling there would be a challenge.

Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for children’s services, said: "Following fewer referrals of hearing-impaired pupils to Emmbrook Infant and Junior Schools, and the retirement of one of the specialist teachers, we were talking to staff about proposals to close the unit once its current pupils had moved to secondary.

"But the remaining specialist teacher has now resigned. 

"Hearing impaired teachers are highly specialised and very rare, so it’s unlikely we can recruit in time for the autumn term.

"We’ve advertised the vacancy and looked across Berkshire for hearing impaired teachers who could help.

"We’re working with parents and have brought forward annual reviews of those pupils due to stay at Emmbrook, so we can make the best plans for them.

"Consultation on our original proposals is now on hold because you need specialist staff for a phased closure.

"Our primary focus at this moment is meeting the needs of pupils affected by this resignation."

Mrs Gilbert has set up a petition against the closure of the unit which has gained more than 1,290 signatures. 

Visit www.change.org/p/linda-orr-wokingham-gov-uk-closure-of-hearing-impaired-unit-in-wokingham-no-provision-for-our-children to find out more.