Special Report: The empty halls of Lyndale as Wirral's much-loved school prepares for closure

Now its halls are much quieter, and no surprise as there are just 11 youngsters left as the closure process takes over.

Emily Faulkner - who has spina bifida hydrocephalus - has come out of her shell during her time at Lyndale, trying to walk more and using more sign language than ever before.

They have each spent many years at the Eastham school where their complex needs, stemming from their vulnerability and severe disabilities, have been met perfectly by the team of dedicated staff.

Walking around Lyndale, you soon realise why its pupils, parents and staff have fought so passionately and desperately to keep it open over the last 18 months.

With its physiotherapy and hydrotherapy rooms, light rooms, soft play area and £80,000 sensory garden – funded by generous Globe readers – the school is a place of learning, comfort, safety and for so many of its pupils, a second home.

The halls are a little emptier than they used to be as children move to their new schools ahead of July, when Lyndale will close its doors for good after more than 20 years of caring for the borough’s most vulnerable children.

Its closure has been well documented in the Globe and comes after a decision by Wirral Council based on a drop in pupil numbers and a change in funding for special needs children.

It has been an exhausting two years for the parents of Lyndale’s pupils.

They have fought endlessly to save the school they deem vital to their children’s futures.

Countless meetings saw parents make heart-wrenching pleas to the local authority.

Scott Howell loves it at Lyndale, especially when representatives from Liverpool Football Club's visit every Monday.

Chrissie Brie – whose nine-year-old son Alex is one of those remaining Lyndale pupils – is one of the passionate parents behind the Save Lyndale group and the Friends of Lyndale, which was set up to raise funds towards their legal fight.

“We have explored all the legal avenues and unfortunately, the school will be closing in July 2016,” said Chrissie.

“The decision was made even before we were informed about it. It’s not surprising but we weren’t going to go without fighting and myself and the rest of the parents fought and we can’t say we didn’t because we worked hard at it.

“We literally stopped our lives for 18 months to do nothing but work solely on this. At least 10 of us did nothing but fight to save Lyndale. It was stressful but at least we can say we tried.”

Chrissie added: “We found out information that for parents, we shouldn’t need to know. All these legal technicalities we had to learn, we had no choice but to find out. At least we can say we fought it but unfortunately it’s come to the end and there’s nothing else we can do.”

Emily Faulkner has thoroughly enjoyed her time at the Lyndale School.

There are just 11 pupils left at the school.

But despite the small numbers, staff and parents are not giving up and, even though the fight to save the school is over, they have vowed to give their children the best time possible during their final months at Lyndale.

The Friends of Lyndale spent months raising money for their legal fight, with the remaining £10,000 now being put to good use.

Chrissie said: “We’re going to take them to Chester Zoo and we’re going to pay for them, the kids that want to, to go to the fireworks display at Tranmere in a couple of weeks.

“The rest is going to be used to buy any equipment they need to take with them to their future schools and anything left after that will be going to Claire House.”

Alex Brie, whose mum Chrissie has fought tirelessly over the last 18 months to keep his school open.

Chrissie added: “From our point of view, we’re going to look to the future but from the school’s point of view, unfortunately, that’s the end.

“But saying that, we’re going to try out hardest to give them the best year we can give them and hopefully they’ll enjoy their last year here and they’ll be able to leave at least having enjoyed their last year.”

Some of the school’s remaining pupils will start secondary school next year, including Alex – who, along with fellow pupil Scott Howell, have been allowed to start at Foxfield early to avoid having to transition twice in two years.

But until then, they will be looked after and cared for in the same amazing way they have been previously by the school’s incredibly dedicated team of staff.

Parents are naturally worried about the future of the school’s staff, who have become close friends over the years.

“You get to know your teachers in a close environment like this and I know some are taking early retirement but it’s not going to be all of them,” said Chrissie.

“It’s a hope that there will be enough jobs to go around. It’s quite upsetting the thought of the people who you share close friendships with because they are looking after your kids to such an extent.

“They change their nappies, they feed them, they bathe them. You have to have a good relationship with them and we are hoping that they’ll end up with jobs and it will all work out fine.”

Lyndale’s final day is sure to be a sad one.

Tom Harney, chair of governors, said: “We had something good here and it should have bene improved rather than dispersed but that wasn’t on the agenda.”

Chrissie added: "We at Lyndale would like to thank all the people who have helped and supported us over this last year. The public support has been completely overwhelming and during the very stressful times we had, their support lifted our spirits and helped us to continue to fight.

"We would especially like to thank Chris Locke and NuStar for all their fundraising efforts, they became our knights in shining armour.

"All the parents and staff and school governors of Lyndale who all stood united as the family we knew as were and the especially the complete strangers who just came to help because they knew what good the school was for these children, we can not thank any of you enough."

------------------------

THE future of Lyndale's £80,000 sensory garden - funded by Globe readers - is something that has been discussed many times during the closure consultation period.

On Monday, parent Chrissie Brie questioned whether Wirral Council was going back on their word to do something with the garden, which provides much-needed outdoor stimulation for the school's pupils.

Julia Hassall, director of children's services at the council, said their intention is still to re-locate as many items as possible from Lyndale's sensory garden to the two receiving schools - Elleray Park and Stanley School.

She said: "We also want to create a new garden, as a direct tribute to the one created by Wirral Globe readers, at Stanley School.

"Where we can, we will incorporate features from the current garden, with new sensory equipment, of a similar kind to that at Lyndale, but brought up-to-date, with new features.

"There is an absolute will on the council’s part to try and re-locate as much as possible. Realistically though, it may not always be possible when we are looking at large, established trees or electronic sensory items which were installed over 10 years ago and which can include buried cables.

"We are working to strike a balance between re-use and re-creation, with the aim of ensuring that children can have access to the kind of sensory experience that they enjoyed at Lyndale."