Special schools would close under an education shake-up designed to secure millions of pounds in Government funding.

A decision is expected next week on the controversial proposals which will see two special schools in West Sussex axed and changes made to two others, affecting hundreds of pupils.

The closures are part of a package of radical measures proposed by the county council to improve special needs education in Worthing and Shoreham so that £4.8 million of Government cash will be released.

The authority was offered the money but only if it agreed to the shake-up which would see Highdown School, in Worthing, and St Cuthman's School, near Midhurst, shut.

Younger pupils will have to find new schools while older children will transfer to a new secondary school.

As part of the proposal, Herons Dale School in Shoreham will be turned into a primary special school for children with learning difficulties and Palatine School in Worthing refurbished to serve primary-age children with learning difficulties.

Their intake will change from four to 16-year-olds to three to 11-year-olds.

The money from the closures and some of the £4.8 million will be used to create one large secondary school for 11 to 19-year-olds with learning difficulties in Durrington.

Officials say the changes, which are in accordance with government guidelines, will mean better facilities for children with special educational needs.

But parents have been urging the county council to reconsider as they fear pupils with moderate learning difficulties will be merged with youngsters who suffer more severe problems.

One, Paul Bailey, of Upper Brighton Road, Worthing, whose daughter attends Herons Dale School, said they were "turning the system on its head" for no reason.

He said: "I feel very strongly that the mixing of children with moderate special needs with those with severe ones will be severely detrimental to the welfare of both.

"Obviously, we must do the best for them all. However, the needs of each group are different and should be catered for separately.

"The only answer to the needs of these vulnerable children, surely, is to develop further the two current sites of Herons Dale School and Palatine School so as to accommodate the needs of the full range of our children with moderate special needs.

"A separate new school with generous and appropriate provision should also be provided for those children with severe special needs, and this could possibly be on a shared site with a mainstream school with much less sensitive issues involved."

Jane Robinson, of West Sussex County Council, said public consultation had been extended.

She said: "It has been very important that parents have been given every opportunity to comment on the proposals.

"This is particularly so because we are dealing with vulnerable children. The right decision needs to be made for their future."

West Sussex Schools Organisation Committee, a special body made up of school governors, churches and county councillors, meets at County Hall in Chichester on Tuesday to discuss the proposals. If agreed the changes will start to come into effect from next August.