UPDATED 12.38PM The West Coast-Tasman MP Damien O'Connor says it's hypocritical of the Government to close a learning support school near Nelson while promoting charter schools.

Education Minister Hekia Parata has begun the process of closing Salisbury School, in Richmond, which costs almost $215,000 a year per student to run.

For 100 years it has boarded girls from years three to ten who need special educational and behavioural support, and a meeting was held about its future yesterday.

Mr O'Connor said the situation is unfair.

"On one hand the Minister's closing down this special school, and on the other hand opening up and praising the virtues of character schools or charter schools. It seems completely hypocritical of the Minister."

He said if the school closes, the students will be left stranded.

"These kids have virtually nowhere else to go. They need very special complex support, and Salisbury has provided that for up to a hundred years."

Phil Treweek, the parent of a Salisbury student, believes his daughter would be at risk if she was sent to co-educational Halswell Residential College instead.

The closure of Salisbury school comes just weeks after Minister Parata confirmed Christchurch's Halswell Residential College would be going co-educational.

Mr Treweek said girls at the school are susceptible to suggestion.

"You put those girls in with a bunch of boys, I don't care how well they think they're going to be able to watch them, I think most reasonable people can see what the outcome is likely to be."

He said sending his daughter to Halswell isn't an option, so his family would be back to square one.

Mr Treweek said his daughter has become a different person since attending Salisbury school, as they haven't seen her so happy in years.

He said he's writing a submission to the ministry in the hope it will help change their minds.

Hekia Parata is visiting the school today.