PARENTS will be brought "in from the dark" during Worcestershire's special schools review after education leaders agreed to hold regular question-and-answer sessions.

Campaigners from Thornton House Parents' Action Group last week wrote to director of education Julien Kramer asking to discuss how the reorganisation was progressing.

Four parents - Mary Dhonau, Carol Johnson, Pam Gough and Christine Powell - met with senior county council officers on Wednesday to ask for greater input and collaboration than had so far been allowed.

At the County Hall meeting, officers agreed to reply in writing to six questions tabled by the THPAG and consented to hold regular drop-in sessions at the schools.

They pledged to keep the "lines of communication" open to parents in a change of policy from former schools' head June Longmuir's approach, which centred on a tight-knit group of professional advisers.

"We thought the meeting went extremely well," said Mrs Dhonau. "Julien Kramer and his team realised we are not going to go away and that the best way forward was to work with us.

"Hopefully, we are going to act as a sort of critical friend. We will collaborate and co-operate with the county council, but we will also challenge them if we feel it's necessary.

"Parents don't know what's happening and we've been in the dark. After the meeting, we feel reassured that they will work with us."

The reorganisation will see Manor Park School close, while Thornton House and Rose Hill become generic schools.

The Vale of Evesham will also become a self-contained three-tier special school, with a nursery assessment facility.

Parents from all four special schools will be invited to the upcoming meetings and the education officer drop-in sessions will also take place at all four sites.

"It's about keeping the lines of communication open so people feel informed," said Geoff King, the deputy head of services to schools, who was at Wednesday's meeting.

"I believe the meeting was very constructive and very useful."

Also present was Mr Kramer, Ruth Chiva, head of services to schools, and Colin Weeden, head of education policy.