Following news of Isle of Wight council’s plans to potentially close six primary schools on the Isle of Wight, parents and staff have been mobilising to form campaign groups.
The Isle of Wight council announced last week that due to a falling birth rate and the numbers of children entering school, Cabinet members will be asked to approve plans on Thursday for a public consultation on the closure of Cowes Primary School; Arreton CE Primary School; Oakfield CE Primary School; Brading CE Primary School; Wroxall Primary school and Godshill Primary School.
Arreton CE Primary
A campaign group has been set up to save Arreton CE Primary School. Parents are planning to protest outside County Hall before the 5pm Cabinet meeting on Thursday 12th September.
Their online petition has attracted more than 370 signatures.
Brading CE Primary school
An online petition against the closure of Brading CE Primary School has been launched and already attracted more than 390 signatures.
A public meeting will be held at St Mary’s Church on Thursday 19th September at 6.30pm.
In addition to this, there will be a protest outside the school at 8.10am on Thursday 12th September, and on the same day outside County Hall from 4pm.
A parent spokesperson said,
“We need as many people who support our school and our town’s future to get together behind our campaign to save our school.
“The staff are fantastic and support our children so well. We must get together to keep Brading Primary School open!”
Cowes Primary
A meeting for parents has been organised from 6pm-7pm on Monday 16th September.
One of the organisers of the Save Cowes Primary School campaign explained,
“We are proposing a meeting to talk through our main concerns and ideas before the consultation process starts.
“The school are also going to be holding a meeting themselves later this same week so we could gather our collective thoughts and then send them any questions they may be able to answer at that later meeting.
“Please do come so we can start the conversation!”
The online petition to save Cowes Primary School has attracted more than 400 signatures.
Godshill Primary
Governors of Godshill Primary have said that the planned closure feels like “a smack in the face to our community”, especially after parents of pupils at Chillerton and Rookley School were assured that their move to Godshill would mean the children would not be subjected to any further turbulence.
The online petition to save the school has attracted more than 400 signatures.
Oakfield CE Primary
Last week parents and staff gathered at Oakfield Primary school, and next week sees more meetings organised across the Island.
Their online petition has attracted more than 1,000 signatures so far.
Parents will also be protesting outside the school at 9am on Wednesday 11th September 2024.
Wroxall Primary
A Facebook Group – Save Wroxall Primary School – set up by Wayne Sheath has been a hot bed of discussion over the last week.
On Monday 16th September at 8pm, Councillor Rodney Downer, the Isle of Wight councillor for Wroxall Lowtherville and Bonchurch, invites residents to Stenbury Hall in Wroxall to share their feelings about the planned closures.
A petition has also been launched in opposition of the closure plans. At time of publishing it had attracted 263 signatures.
Join the social media groups
If you want to support any of the campaigns, find out what action is being planned, Facebook Groups have been set up for the following:
A spokesperson from Isle of Wight council said,
“This is part of an open and transparent democratic process and the Isle of Wight council welcomes the public conducting petitions.
“We welcome and encourage public involvement during this time. If we progress to the consultation stage, we want to hear the public’s views and suggestions on how we can address the issue of surplus places.”
Article edit
2.30pm 11th Sep 2024 – IWC comment added
