Senior councillors in Kirklees have voted to end school places for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Money saved by decommissioning six primary places at Headlands C of E Junior, Infant & Nursery School in Liversedge will be put towards enhancing the council’s outreach offer, which will enable children to receive specialist support in their local school.

The final decision on Headlands follows a lengthy period of discussion that included a four-week consultation between September and October last year.

Although primary provision has been cut secondary provision in the borough is still offered by Honley High School and Thornhill Community Academy Trust in Dewsbury.

A report to the council’s Cabinet, which met at Huddersfield Town Hall, revealed that outreach is carried out by specialists who work in schools alongside staff.

They aim “to development their understanding and capacity to provide effective support and work alongside the children themselves in order to inform effective strategies to ensure progress.”

In addition they work in partnership with parents and carers to involve them in the support their children receive.

The governing body at Headlands had previously expressed concerns over the financial challenges of delivering the service along with difficulties recruiting staff.

It resulted in a majority vote by governors to decommission specialist provision at the school.

No staff were made redundant through the change. Instead all affected staff sought jobs elsewhere.