A MUM has complained that special schools in Basing-stoke stayed closed for too long in the cold snap.

Lynda Boobyer said her autistic daughter Grace, aged 10, only had three days at Maple Ridge Special School between December 16 and January 15, when the school re-opened.

Complaining that all four special schools in Basing-stoke stayed closed for longer than the mainstream schools, she said: “This is discrimination against special needs children. There seems to be a policy about it, but the county council won’t discuss it with me.

“The schools don’t seem to be ready to make any compromise on opening.”

She added that although the special needs children need more care, the schools have more staff to look after them and the pupils could have stayed indoors as they did in wet weather.

The 47-year-old, from Bramley Road, Sherfield-on-Loddon, added: “My daughter is physically able and desperate to go to school. It is so much more important for special needs children to go to school because they learn more slowly.”

Claire Sheret, communications manager for Hamp-shire County Council, said decisions about opening were left to head teachers.

Debby Gooderham, head teacher at Maple Ridge, said the school, in Maple Cres-cent, Oakridge, Basing-stoke, had needed to stay closed because most children do not live in walking distance and neither do staff.

She added that access to the school was not safe in icy conditions because it was up a slope.

She said: “I appreciate that the past two weeks have been very challenging and frustrating for all parents and carers, and I thank them all for their understanding.

“Decisions to close the school are not taken lightly and are based on keeping children and staff and others involved such as parents, carers and transport drivers, safe.”