At Thursday evening’s Scrutiny Committee, chairman, Cllr Geoff Lumley (Lab) slammed the proposed consultation on school places for 11-16 and post-16 year olds.
Commenting on his paper, Executive member for Children’s Services, Cllr Jonathan Bacon (Ind) stressed the Executive were simply deciding on whether to consult the public – not that any decisions had already been made.
He said it was,
“Not a consultation with a desire to seek a specific set of outcomes, instead a consultation with an aim to contribute to the gathering of views as to how best to continue to improve education on the Island.”
Parents alarmed and agitated
However, the proposals set out in the paper – one of which suggests Medina and Carisbrooke Colleges merge on the Carisbrooke site – were met with scorn from members of the Scrutiny Committee.
Cllr Lumley (Newport East) said,
“What I can’t understand is that we can have an open consultation on school places on the Isle of Wight, particularly with the legacy of school reorganisation still fresh in the minds of so many parents and students on the Isle of Wight.
“To have an open consultation that steers us down one of the potential avenues very specifically and already parents in my ward, which is the ward that traditionally sends its children to Medina College are getting extremely agitated about this because they feel a decision has been made.”
He went on to urge the Executive member to remove the Medina/Carisbrooke merger option from the proposal before the Executive make their decision on the consultation.
Cllr John Howe (Ind) asked the committee to consider the whole picture across the Isle of Wight, and not just concentrate on how plans might affect their own wards.
Statistical information not shared with committee
Cllr Bacon refuted the claims that a decision had already been made, adding that a further document with statistical information – that will be released on 15th December should the Executive give the go-ahead – is the foundation of the consultation.
He said,
“We’re not trying to have a consultation that says ‘these are the limited options available’. I do appreciate that you’ve not had the benefit of the statistical information that will be the foundation of this consultation.”
Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Stubbings expressed his disappointment that the committee had not be provided with copies of the statistical data. He added that since having sight of the document, most of his fears and concerns have been allayed.
Amendments recommended
Members voted to recommend the Executive remove paragraphs 22 and 25 from the paper.
Seven members voted in favour, with three abstentions, to remove,
Proposal 2: Merge Medina College and Carisbrooke College and retain the other secondary schools with adjusted sizes
In this option Medina College and Carisbrooke College would be merged on the Carisbrooke site and the other four secondary schools would remain, however their sizes would be adjusted to better match the future needs across the island.
Seven voted in favour, with three abstentions, to remove,
Proposal B: Establish a single Sixth Form College to replace the current Sixth Form provision at the six Island Secondary Schools and the Isle of Wight College
Establish a new Sixth Form College providing academic (A-Level) Level 3 provision. This would have a capacity of up to 1500 learners, replacing the 6 current secondary school Sixth Forms and the A-level provision at the Isle of Wight College.
This would operate alongside vocational provision offered at the Isle of Wight College, training providers, the independent sector and off-island providers. The Studio School would still operate a 150 place 6th form from 2016.
Delay in decision-making
Cllr Stubbings said they were “not in a mad rush to get this done”, but would like the consultation to start as soon as possible.
Subject to Executive agreeing it on Tuesday evening, a data briefing for all members would take place on Wednesday 10th December, followed by a special Executive meeting to make a decision on whether to consult on this report or not.
Consultation “clearly rigged against Medina College”
Following the meeting Cllr Lumley said,
“We are being told by the Leadership that the consultation is open, ruling nothing in or out. And yet the report going to the next Executive makes a very clear reference that the merger of Carisbrooke and Medina Colleges onto the Carisbrooke site is the only specific option in the consultation.
“This indication that Medina College could close is very clear and has already alarmed parents in my ward and neighbouring wards, for whom Medina College is the natural school of choice. The consultation is very clearly rigged against Medina College.
“Coming as it does from an administration that is built on people who campaigned against the disastrous schools reorganisation of 2011 that has blighted so many young people’s education, I am frankly staggered.
“I urge the Executive to take on board the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendation that this option is removed from the planned consultation. If not, then I will be committed to doing what they failed to achieve…. saving my local secondary school for young people in this locality, which stretches far wider than just my ward.”
The paper
Full details can be found in the paper embedded below for your convenience. Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Image: © Simon Haytack
