Parents at a Swanley special needs school are fighting for its future amidst sweeping changes proposed by its council owners.

Parkwood Hall School caters for 76 pupils, aged seven to 19, with moderate and severe learning difficulties, some of whom have autism and trouble with speech and communication.

The school, situated in a red brick former Victorian convalescence hospital in Beechenlea Lane, is owned and run by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The council took over the 70-acre site in 1990 when the former Inner London Education Authority was dissolved and its assets distributed.

Kensington and Chelsea, which only has three students at Parkwood, wants to phase out boarders and have the school cater exclusively for children with serious learning difficulties.

Seyi Clement fears for his son Enitan, 13, who is an SLD pupil with autism.

The solicitor, who lives in Genesta Road in Shooters Hill, Greenwich, told News Shopper: "It is as serious as a fight for the future of the school.

"One of the reasons we chose Parkwood is that it is essential for Enitan’s development to interact with people who aren’t as seriously disabled as he is.

News Shopper:

The school is run by Kensington and Chelsea Council. 

"If that is removed then it loses some of its appeal."

Kensington and Chelsea is keen for the school to become an academy, which would save the authority from paying for building maintenance costs it estimates at more than £2.6 million in the next decade.

Mr Clement said: "It’s like death by a thousand cuts.

"They want to remove the liabilities from their books but rather than come out and say that, they claim the school’s proposal to become a foundation trust is not properly costed, which is not correct."

Parkwood takes pupils from Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham and as far afield as Croydon, Hammersmith and Chiswick.

A Kensington and Chelsea spokesman said: “No decision has been reached on the future provision that Parkwood Hall will offer and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is consulting on its proposals until September 30.

“The council considers that the school’s proposals to convert to foundation status may not serve the long-term interest of the school or pupils in the best way, and the council’s proposal for a re-designation should be explored further.”