Parents have won a stay of execution over the proposed closure of two Sussex special schools.

Their protests managed to secure more time to present their case, which could help to save their children's schools.

The consultation period on the planned closure of Highdown School in Worthing and St Cuthman's School near Midhurst has now been extended.

Hundreds of parents were given just days to object to the plans after West Sussex County Council announced the closures.

The council wants to close the schools as part of a plan to improve special needs education and secure £4.8 million of government money.

The authority was offered the money on April 4 but only if it agreed to the changes, which would mean closing the two schools.

Highdown caters for children aged between two and 19 with special needs and St Cuthmans is a part-residential school for youngsters from seven to 16.

The authority wants to sell the two schools, which it considers "surplus" and combine the money from the sell-off with the £4.8 million Government funding "to improve special school accommodation in the south of the county from September 2004".

The shake-up would also turn Herons Dale School in Shoreham into a primary special school for children with learning difficulties.

The cash from the closure will be used to create one large special secondary school.

Meetings have been held at the schools but parents are concerned that creating one special secondary school in the area is not the most effective way of providing education for their children, who have varying degrees of need.

Parents were also angered they were not fully consulted and many staff have also privately voiced concerns that the changes may not be in the children's interests.

Some staff have expressed concern about future levels of funding.

Initial discussions about the council's proposals for improved special school facilities were concluded on May 16.

However, Sally Greenwell, West Sussex Cabinet member for education and the arts, decided to initiate a further round of discussions before final proposals are published.

She agreed the extension in response to concerns raised by staff, governors, pupils and parents during the initial consultation process.

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has now agreed to extend this deadline following strong representations from Robert Back, West Sussex director for education and the arts.

The DfES has also confirmed the £4.8 million funding will still be available to West Sussex, provided the final proposals are published during the autumn term 2002.

Lynda Evenden, who has two children at Highdown, said: "We feel quite strongly about these plans.

"This extension gives us more time, which is good but we don't want the children to have to go to one secondary school.

"There won't be a pool there and the children will all have varying levels of needs.

"It's not the best thing to just put them all in one big school."