07-03-2025
Isle of Wight primary school closures decision delayed
A decision on the fate of five Isle of Wight primary schools has been delayed. Councillors agreed last night to defer the vote on whether to close Oakfield in Ryde, Brading, Cowes, Wroxhall and Arreton primary they reassured parents the council would still be able to meet a deadline of mid April to assess and decide applications for September 2025 school of Wight Council officers have argued school closures are necessary to improve education standards and make schools financially sustainable.
A statutory four-week consultation for people to have their say on the proposals ran until February corporate scrutiny meeting of councillors on Tuesday said it had not had enough time to read and digest a 1,700 page report given to them three days before their cross-party body said 'any effective and meaningful scrutiny' of the cabinet's expected decision to close 5 primary schools would be 'open to ridicule'.Accepting the recommendation to delay, cabinet member for education, councillor Jonathan Bacon said he regretted "any anxiety" that the delay would cause to school communities added staff would now have two weeks to finalise school place allocation before national offer day for primary education on Wednesday April 16th. The vote will now take place on Thursday 20th March after a corporate scrutiny meeting on Tuesday 18th March.
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