Arreton, Brading, Cowes, Godshill, Oakfield and Wroxall primary schools have all been earmarked for closure next year, it has been confirmed this afternoon (Wednesday).
The Isle of Wight Council has revealed its plan to shut the 6 local primary schools – breaking the news just as the new academic year gets underway – in a bid to cut surplus classroom places across the Island. Warnings have been issued by school leaders that keeping too many schools open risks condemning pupils to a mediocre education.
If the plans go ahead, each school would close for the last time in July next year forcing children to move to alternative schools – in some cases several miles away – for the start of the 2025/26 academic year.
Island Echo understands that Oakfield Primary is set to become a satellite school of Medina House, whilst Arreton Primary will become a standalone SEN unit.
Furthermore, there are plans to reduce the size of schools including The Bay Primary in Sandown and Greenmount Primary in Ryde by the removal of 2 forms of entry – a total of 60 places – or the removal of 3 forms of entry (90 places).
Parents and pupils are this afternoon digesting the news. For those whose children are due to start school next September, today’s announcment will undoubtedly change existing plans.
When determining which schools should close or reduce in size, the Council says that those with educational concerns, financial concerns, low levels of parental preference and concerns about the condition/suitability of the school estate have been prioritised.
It was in May last year that it was revealed St Mary’s Primary, Cowes Primary, Wroxall Primary and Chillerton & Rookley Primary all faced the axe. Serious upset about how the plans were handled saw a freeze on the process.
Chillerton & Rookley did close earlier this year and is now the Galaxy Centre, part of the Primary Behaviour Service. The children were moved to Godshill Primary, which is itself now earmarked for closure.
A report on School Place Planning will go before the council’s Cabinet next Thursday (12th September). Should the Cabinet approve the proposals to consult, a formal consultation period will follow between 20th September and 1st November with meetings taking place at schools identified for closure.
Further decisions are set to be made in mid-December, which will trigger a 4-week statutory consultation with a final decision due to be made by March 2025.
It’s predicted that by 2027 just 920 children will start Reception class in local primary schools – a drop of 34% from 1,404 children in 2018. That would leave 3,056 empty seats, throwing 22 schools into budget deficits.
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet member for children’s services, has said:
“Our children are the Island’s adults of the future, and the Island needs a future workforce that can adapt and innovate for whatever that future might bring. Ultimately, a high-quality education is a key building block for a future that is better for individuals and society as a whole.
“Our results are extremely poor in comparison to other areas and have been for many years. We must do better. The first step is to acknowledge the problem. With our new education department, which is focussed solely on Island children, we have been able to do that. This is essential so that we can now work to address the issue rather than side-stepping it, as has been the case for too long.
“As has been made clear, we have serious structural challenges, including, most urgently, the oversupply of places in primary schools.
“Following what the data tells us means we are facing some incredibly difficult decisions on reducing the number of school places across the Island. This is the only way to ensure that we can minimise the long-term negative impact on the Island’s education.
“None of this is due to any fault of our schools, their leadership teams or staff. The problem stems from the national decline in the birth rate. It is an issue across the entire country.”
I can understand schools being closed if they’re under-subscribed, but it’s odd that some of the schools on this list have only recently undergone expansions to the numbers of classrooms etc. Surely the Council must have approved all this expenditure and building work?
Also, how does closing up to 6 Primary Schools tie in with the ever expanding house building programme on the Island? Pennyfeathers estate in Ryde, for instance, is reckoned to be around 900 new homes if and when it goes ahead, plus numerous other sites across the Island. Where are all the children in these new homes going to go to school?
It really does seem like one department (schools) at the Council isn’t talking to the other departments (planning).
This island is being dragged down,more people more schools being closed. Doesn’t make sense. What is going on on
Thos schools have a large area of ground they are on, so it is simple, they just want to knock them down build houses on them, the return on council tax will be better than paying out for schools. This council dont give a stuff about normal people, look who is in charge. A drunk driver, need I say more.
Those* in the previous post, is there no edit button now while the post is awaiting approval?