A NEW school for children with learning difficulties could be built on playing fields at a Southampton school in a £11m council shake-up of education for special needs pupils.

Education bosses in the city have made the recommendation after rethinking their original plans agreed last year.

Now they want to relocate Netley Court School for children with moderate learning difficulties to Thornhill Primary's school fields.

Primary-aged children with severe learning difficulties from the city's Ridgeway House, due to close in July 2006, would move to the new purpose-built school too.

The council's proposal is also for Vermont School in Bassett, catering for primary aged boys with emotional and behavioural problems, to remain where it is, with improvements carried out on the existing building.

The latest recommendation is a change from what was agreed last year that would have meant Vermont relocating to new premises on the Thornhill site and primary school pupils from Netley Court and Ridgeway House moving to a refurbished and expanded Vermont School.

Southampton's head of resources, policy and planning, Andrew Hind, said it had become clear that the building was not suitable for expansion and modifying.

"There are two reasons for what we are putting forward," he said.

"We have increasingly come to the view that Vermont is not suitable to be adapted into a school for children with learning difficulties.

"By this alternative plan we are saving the cost of a new building for Vermont and we can focus our resources on a high quality brand new school for children with learning difficulties."

The council is not recommending any change to the existing proposal to refurbish and expand Red Lodge School in Bassett for children with moderate and severe learning difficulties.

There is also no change to the plan to close Ridgeway House in Peartree Avenue and for secondary pupils to go to Red Lodge.

Southampton City Council's Lifelong Training Scrutiny Committee will discuss the proposal at their meeting on October 11, before the Cabinet makes a final decision on November 1.

What do you think? Should a new school be built on the playing fields at Thornhill? We want to know your views. Please call education reporter Clare Kennedy on 023 8042 4505 or e-mail her on clare.kennedy@soton-echo.co.uk.