Merging two special schools is no more than a cost-cutting measure that will cause endless problems, according to worried parents.

Parents of pupils at Downs Park School in Portslade say plans to merge it with nearby Hillside School could cause their children's education to suffer because of the huge difference in pupils' disabilities.

Downs Park caters for pupils with moderate learning difficulties such as autism while Hillside caters for those with profound and multiple learning difficulties including severe physical problems.

Brighton and Hove City Council has proposed the merger as part of a city-wide shake-up of special needs provision to create more spaces for children with severe learning difficulties and provide extra support to mainstream schools so they can take on more pupils with moderate learning problems.

At a meeting on Wednesday with education consultant Liz Wylie, who is leading the special needs review for Brighton and Hove City Council, parents from Downs Park questioned the practicality of the merger.

Parent-governor Norman Miller, whose daughter Freya, 12, attends the school in Foredown Road, said: "A significant number at Hillside have no speech or movement and are doubly incontinent.

"There are no children at Downs Park with difficulties even remotely as severe as this.

"We worry there is no way to effectively merge together the two groups of pupils both from the point of view of being able to teach them together or in terms of creating similar peer groups.

"Both schools are excellent at their jobs but what they do is totally different."

Stephanie McKoy, whose 12-year-old son attends Downs Park, said: "I think it's very important for all children to interact with people with all sorts of disabilities and realise we are not all the same but I don't know that the classroom is necessarily the place to do it.

"Schools for children with moderate learning disabilities already have a huge spectrum of ability and I can't see the benefit of extending that even further."

Ms Wylie said: "A merger with Hillside would create flexible groups who would benefit from working together. Pressure on capacity at Hillside could then be relieved at Downs Park. I have not outlined in detail how the school should be run and how to group pupils is a cause for major debate."

She said the merger was necessary to release cash currently used to support empty places at four special schools in Brighton and Hove - including Downs Park - to fund better support services for special needs children in mainstream schools.

However, many parents argued that the "cost-cutting measure" was pointless as special needs children did better in special schools rather than the mainstream.

Ms McKoy, who lives in Hollingbury, Brighton, said: "Even if they do find extra money to support children with moderate learning disabilities in mainstream schools it will never be enough. It will be a drop in the ocean. The children will still have to struggle on being targeted by bullies or else ignored."

Hillside parents met Ms Wylie yesterday. Headteacher Bob Wall said: "Parents have chosen to send their children here because of the way we operate so it is a difficult time for them.

"Change is going to be necessary and we need to have a sensible debate to make sure changes are in the best interests of the children."

If agreed, the merger will take place in September next year although it will take between three and five years to complete.

Parents have until November 1 to comment.