If the closure is approved, no new pupils will be admitted from 1 September, with existing children continuing there until they leave for secondary school.
The consultation plan said the move would allow St John Fisher to use the buildings for its own SEND students on EHCPs, changing how SEND funding is split between the school and the council.
Ms MacPhail said she felt the proposal was a deliberate attempt to force SEND pupils into mainstream schools “where their needs will not be met”.
“We can all see the need for this, and they’re trying to do away with it. We need more provision, not less,” she said.
Claire Hannah said the unit was “brilliant” for her son in the three years he was there, giving him the skills to make friends and progress.
“The school don’t want it and the council don’t want to pay for it, and there is a lack of provision in Tameside, it’s a disgrace,” she added.
A joint statement issued by the council and school said that the Tameside authority was “committed to ensuring that as many children as possible have a school place close to home”.
It added: “Inclusion is a key focus for Tameside, and we are currently undertaking a wider SEND sufficiency review to identify the number of places needed and the investment required, with a view to securing more school places for pupils with SEND within the borough.”
The consultation will close on 9 February.
