THE closure of a residential facility for vulnerable children has been called “institutional discrimination” by one councillor.

For two decades, students at Fosse Way School in Westfield who have autism and need the opportunity to develop social skills and independence outside of school hours, have stayed at Fosse Way House four days a week.

It has been praised by Ofsted but now, after Bath and North East Somerset Council said no children required residential stays, it is set to close at the end of the school year.

A council report which went before the council’s children, adults, health and wellbeing scrutiny panel on Monday May 12 said: “This was not due to budget pressures but because no new B&NES children have been identified whose education health and care plans (EHCPs) indicate that they have specific educational needs requiring a curriculum outside of school hours, also known as a 24-hour curriculum.”

Laura Donnelley, the council’s head of special educational needs and disabilities, told the panel that the spaces at Fosse Way House had been offered to other local authorities but none had taken them up.

She insisted that the decision to close the service was that of the Partnership Trust which runs it — as a result of having no children using it.

The Partnership Trust said that the nature of the children’s complex needs meant they could not contextualise their learning in the classroom and needed the additional learning.

Councillor Lesley Mansell (Radstock, Labour) said: “I just feel that we are in another Newton House situation where a decision has been made and we are putting up the facts afterwards.

“I’d like to see some facts and figures. I’d like to see a cost benefit analysis on this. Because to me, much of this [report] is just around an explanation of why we can’t do it, rather than looking at a facility that has had three outstanding facilities from Ofsted in a row.”

Children who had 24-hour provision at Fosse Way House specified in their previous EHCP will continue to have it until the end of the year. But Ms Mansell said the definition of a disability was something that did not get better, and questioned how EHCPs could say it was no longer required.

She requested her objection be noted. She said: “As far as I can see, it is institutional discrimination.”

Emily Massey, CEO of the Partnership Trust, said in response: “The support Fosse Way House (FWH) provides is invaluable and unparalleled.

“It was only a few months ago that the provision was described as life-changing by Ofsted, with school leaders praised as being ‘ambitious and aspirational’ and the work undertaken by staff highlighted as making ‘a real and meaningful difference to the children and their families’.

“Their work, however, is also felt across the trust, as we all collectively benefit from their expertise. Given all that has been achieved at FWH, the closure of the provision is an incredibly sad moment.”