The decision to close a rural primary school on the Island has once again been delayed – so a potential partnership with The Island Free School can be considered.
Announced at last night’s (Thursday’s) cabinet meeting, the Isle of Wight Council’s lead education member, Councillor Debbie Andre, deferred the decision to close Chillerton and Rookley Primary School, to ‘explore all avenues’ with the Ventnor-based free school.
The decision was on the table nearly a year ago, after the school suffered declining pupil numbers and monetary pressures, but was paused in May by Cllr Andre following the local election.
After further consultation at the end of last year, the Isle of Wight Council once again proposed the closure of Chillerton and Rookley, sending pupils to Godshill, after 32% of respondents favoured the closure. A quarter, however, preferred securing a free school or academy as a sponsor.
The Island Free School had said it was ‘open to the discussions’ about a partnership between the 2 education facilities but the primary school must be defederated from the Stenbury Federation.
Concerns over the decision from opposition councillors and the community about the lack of exploration of the partnership with the Free School has led the council’s cabinet to think again.
A member of the Save Our Schools group, fighting to keep Chillerton open, questioned at the cabinet meeting what the council feared in the partnership with the Free School and said it seemed the plan was to close the school along.
Cllr Andre said they were a listening administration and had heard the comments, especially those from the corporate scrutiny committee earlier in the week, who called for the decision to be paused. She said:
“No one wants to close any school… We have decided to defer the decision so further options can be explored.
“I apologise for the ongoing uncertainty but it is important we do everything we can to look at this new information …. the matter will be brought back as soon as possible but we have to explore all avenues.”
The council previously said in cabinet papers that finding a sponsor who was prepared to take the small school on with such a ‘significant financial deficit’ was unlikely. The school’s deficit currently stands at £80,374.
The process of coming to the decision was criticised by scrutiny councillors earlier in the week, who had serious concerns, with the debate going on ‘far too long’, leaving families, pupils and staff waiting for an answer.
Councillor Suzie Ellis, local ward representative, has said:
“Whilst grateful that the Cabinet Member is taking further time to consider the options for the future of Chillerton and Rookley Primary School, I am concerned for those children, parents, staff, governors and wider members of the community who have already waited so long for a decision.
“I am keen to understand from the Cabinet Member whether she is in receipt of additional / new information which justifies this delay.”
‘Stenbury Federation’, ‘Free School’, ‘Sponsors’ !!! In my naivety I thought the Local Education Authority ran such schools, obviously not.
yes close it asap stop the 4×4 blocking the road
Close it now, stop wasting our money. Bull doze it and build some affordable housing for islanders that can’t be rented out and can not be a second home.