Plans to axe specialist speech and language classes in Fife represent a backward step for pupils, it has been claimed.
Councillor Tom Adams, chair of the Levenmouth area committee, said that putting youngsters with speech difficulties solely into mainstream education could make them targets for bullies and undermine their confidence
He was speaking ahead of a planned protest outside of Mountfleurie Primary School in Leven on Friday morning, one of two Fife schools where the sessions have been taking place.
“We want to keep the pressure up on the education service,” he said.
“These kids are just going to be put back into mainstream education and that is going back the way and potentially opens them up to being bullied.
“The youngsters that have been going through these classes over the last few years are leaving with a lot of confidence.
“But these kids are now at risk of being put to the back of the class and that is going back the way in my opinion.”
The service, run by Fife Council and NHS Fife, involves a small number of children who spend two or three days a week at a specialist class at Mountfleurie or Crossgates primary schools.
The rest of their time is spent at their own local primary school.
The plan is to retain the specialist staff to support children in their own schools throughout the week.
Fife Council’s Labour administration has insisted the move is not a budget cut but has come directly from the service.
Head of service Shelagh McLean said it had been agreed to develop an outreach approach to better support pupils and schools.
“The children will spend more time supported in their own classes and less time out of their own school,” she said.
“The specialist staff will all remain in post and we will be ensuring they provide support in schools across Fife where there are children who would benefit.”
Mr Adams has arranged for a protest to take place outside of Mountfleurie Primary School at 8.45am on Friday.
He said: “We’re getting more and more people all the time.
“At first I was going to be happy with ten people but I think we’ve at least doubled that and we’re hearing of more and more people thinking of bringing their kids with them.”
