Isle of Wight Council leader Phil Jordan and his 7 other ruling Alliance administration cabinet colleagues look set to vote on recommendations to close Arreton St Georges CE, Brading CE, Cowes, Godshill, Oakfield CE and Wroxall primary schools tonight (Thursday).
The proposals have been put forward in a report signed by Councillor Jonathan Bacon, cabinet member for children’s services, education and corporate functions, and Ashley Whittaker, director of children’s services.
However, the vote may be pushed back to early 2025 following a recommendation put forward by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee earlier this week. It has been suggested that a Full Council meeting is arranged for early January to discuss the closure plans and hold indicative votes, the results of which would be recognised by a subsequent Cabinet meeting where the final, executive decision will be made.
Councillor Geoff Brodie, who earlier this week threatened a vote of no confidence motion against Cllr Jordan, has said:
“A Full Council consideration will give every councillor the opportunity to speak on behalf of their community should they wish to.
“I am sure that Cllr Jordan as a committed democrat will accept this recommendation at Thursday’s Cabinet. Let’s avoid the uncertainty of a no confidence motion”.
Director of education for Portsmouth Diocese, Jeff Williams, has urged councillors to delay the decision. He believes Cabinet members could make decisions on the basis of incomplete information, inaccurate data about island schools, and criteria that have not been clear.
He has said:
“School leaders and I have evidence to show that the process is flawed; that there are numerous factual errors and omissions in the reports provided to schools; and that the criteria for decisions have not been clear or public, and have been applied inconsistently.
“The consultation has potentially been compromised by conflating proposals for closure with stating the use of school buildings after closure. In our case, that is neither appropriate or permitted, as the diocese and trustees make such decisions about the future of school sites.
“It is a worry that officers were apparently not aware of the status of Church of England school buildings and sites in their own local authority, which applies across the country.
“I would ask that the entire process is paused, and an Island-wide engagement with all school leaders takes place, to find a better and longer lasting solution. That may still involve the closure of some of the named schools, but that solution would be reached in a more transparent, consistent, and secure way, based on clear and known criteria, data and contextual information.”
The report being considered proposes a closure date of 31st August 2025 and also includes a recommendation to establish a 12-place primary resourced provision for children with Autism Spectrum Condition at The Bay CE Primary School.
It says:
“The council is in the process of developing a new education strategy for the Island to improve educational outcomes for all children.
“A vital element of this emerging strategy, a draft version of which was published on 8 July 2024, is aligning the number of primary school places with the changing population size.
“Having a certain level of surplus places across our schools provides flexibility; allows for movement onto, and around the Island, and helps meet parental preference.
“However, the consequences of having too many surplus places can be severe.
“The main impact on schools of surplus places due to falling rolls is the resulting reduction in individual school income, which without a corresponding reduction in costs, results in a deterioration in the school’s overall finances.”
The report said the ‘main principle’ of education provision is to provide schools with ‘high quality’ standards which are ‘financially sustainable’ in the long term.
Included in the council’s statutory duty to provide a ‘sufficiency’ of school places for all Island children is a requirement to ‘give priority’ at all ages to ‘meet the needs’ of children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), learning difficulties and disabilities up to 19 years of age and in some instances, 25.
A major consultation on reducing surplus school places, including the school closures, and expanding SEND provision was held between 20th September and 1st November. But the council’s plans have faced a significant backlash from concerned parents and campaigners over the last few months.
Concerns have been raised over the provision of faith education, longer commuting distances, financial difficulties, Island academy schools outside of the council’s control not being included in the process, children with SEND and the effect of school closures on communities.
Defences of the performance of schools included on the council’s list have also been made.
Areas due to be affected by the proposals have seen demonstrations, public meetings and petitions organised and towards the end of October, parents and children marched through Newport’s town centre to County Hall in protest.
If savings need to be made then closures must happen.
What is the point of running schools with not enough
children in them.
It is a waste of tax payers money.
You don’t run a 7 bedroom Hotel and only let 1 room.
Sorry, but the closures must happen, otherwise the
cost savings are a mockery.
Farmers are having it tough at the moment and so
are the pensioners.