“We strive for excellence and we are not where we want to be” – that’s from the Isle of Wight Council’s education lead, Councillor Debbie Andre, who has reacted to the Government listing the Island among 55 areas where school outcomes are the weakest.
These education ‘cold spots’ are identified as part of the government’s education levelling up agenda, announced last week.
Isle of Wight schools will be a target for investment, support and action, to help children from all backgrounds succeed, said the government.
Cllr Andre told a meeting of leading cabinet members on Thursday there was much to consider. She said we have many excellent teachers, but admitted schooling has been facing challenges on the Island and was not at the level of ‘excellence’ the local authority strives for.
She promised higher targets and extra support and hoped the additional funding from the government would mean the recruitment and retention of more high-quality teachers.
Cllr Andre said:
“Our children are our future and we must invest in their education.”
The Department for Education says there will be priorities for a new specialist ‘sixth-form free school’.
Schools judged below ‘good’ in successive Ofsted inspections could be moved into ‘strong multi-academy trusts’.
There is also a ‘levelling-up premium,’ to improve teacher retention in high priority subjects.
Critics have called it ‘frankly alarming and deeply concerning’ claiming the government has tried to ‘tinker’ with the education system before, but with disappointing outcomes.
Stand down Andre, you have failed.
Cut after cut after, and yet the council tax keeps going up and up, where is this money going, your salaries and bonuses, not to mention the brown envelopes. Useless council in the extreme. Worse than the previous council even and that is saying something.
What was that comment people used to get on their school reports?…
Oh yes…
‘Must try harder’!
For decades now, the Island has been a haven for chavvy types to flock to from all other areas of the country, many of them settle here, thinking it’s an easy life by the sea, with easy druggie access. Is anyone really surprised that the schools are full of thickos?
Good shout, and the other half of the school population, that have lived here for generations, mostly suffer from autism and such like.