I WOULD like to take this opportunity to correct a possible misunderstanding which may occur as a result of Haydn Lewis's article about the proposed cut in the City of York Council's area special needs teachers (January 16).

The article implied that the children supported by these teachers may miss out on valuable support if the cuts were taken.

This is not true. Your readers should be aware that the city council has already invested significant extra funding for these pupils directly in the schools so that over the past two years roughly £300,000 of extra money has been allocated to fund specialist teaching and support for these children by their schools.

This money will continue to be allocated to schools, even if the proposed cuts are taken.

In addition, from April of this year, the Government is giving York primary schools an additional £900,000 between them - spread over two years - for "personalised learning" which specifically includes support for the learning needs of the pupils currently taught by the area special needs teachers.

So it is true that the city council is considering cutting the four posts that your article featured, but readers should be made aware that children with special educational needs are getting more support, not less.

The difference is that, rather than being managed directly by the council, the funding is being given to schools to manage the provision for themselves.

Murray Rose,

Assistant director (access and inclusion),

City of York Council,

Mill House,

North Street,

York.

Updated: 10:32 Friday, January 20, 2006