Pupils who attend ASN schools in East Ayrshire are set to move to mainstream primaries and secondaries..

Park School children could go to new supported learning centres at Kilmarnock and Grange academies and Onthank,  Shortlees and Annanhill primaries.

A council report said staff would need to be “redistributed” across the Kilmarnock area as part of the plan.

A consultation is about to kick-off on the proposed changes, an East Ayrshire Council cabinet meeting heard last week.

SNP Councillor Fiona Campbell said: “I’m aware changes to the status quo can bring anxiety to parents so the consultation process must listen to concerns and take up suggestions when appropriate.”

Park School, based beside Grange Academy, teaches pupils with moderate additional support needs from the ages of five until 18.

Councillor Tom Cook (Conservative) said: “There is a certain stigma with putting Park School on a CV. There are tremendous young people who need some support. They are perfectly capable of going to the big world and taking on a role.”

Park School head teacher Carol-Anne Burns said: “Park school is quite a landmark in East Ayrshire.”

Describing how she is at the “chalkface” of the school, she said it was segregated in the past and the children want to be like their peers elsewhere.

Ms Burns told the meeting how she agreed with Councillor Cook’s opinion about the name Park School having a stigma attached to it.

The school boss said she is not “precious” about the name but is “precious” about the children.

She raised the issue of the historic reputation of the school’s name acting as a barrier to pupils getting opportunities.

Park School’s roll is due to jump from 135 to 180 children and the current building can’t cope with the increase in numbers according to a council paper.

The council’s strategic education manager Julie Muir said: “I would not sit here today if I didn’t believe this is the right thing to do for children and families.”

Commenting on how pupils have different needs, she said: “There are some children out there who are brilliant at maths and can’t read. They should be in mainstream maths.”

She told politicians her “heart is in inclusion.”

A report presented to cabinet said: “Historically, learners who attended specialist provisions can feel stigmatised.

“Supported learning centres provide an inclusive education model incorporating not only curricular inclusion alongside peers but social and emotional resilience with empathy, acceptance and understanding at its heart.”

No definite decision has been taken on the future of Park School yet.

If the new supported learning centres get the go ahead, they would be rolled out by August 2022.

The supported learning centre at Cumnock has been hailed as a success and a role model for making special education more inclusive.

Some other supported learning centres are already operating elsewhere in East Ayrshire including at Patna, Doon and Barshare.

Another proposal would see Willowbank S4 to S6 pupils attend St Joseph’s Academy.