On Sunday, OnTheWight published a Letter to the Editor from Louise Baird of Isle of Wight Education Matters.
In the letter, Louise raised concerns about the process of the school closure consultation being carried out by the Isle of Wight council (IWC).
Consultation efforts
OnTheWight approached Councillor Jonathan Bacon (Cabinet member for education) and Ashley Whittaker (Director of Children’s Services) for a response to the Letter. A member of the press office replied with this statement,
“We have made concerted efforts to ensure that all stakeholders are informed and involved. This includes multiple public meetings, published detailed reports, press releases, a social media campaign, and a dedicated section on our website.
“The public consultation, which opened on Friday 20th September 2024 closes on Friday 1st November 2024, and we invite everyone to participate.
“Our goal is to foster a collaborative environment where all voices are heard and considered.”
“The criteria applied was not a one size fits all approach”
The statement goes on to say,
“In relation to the criteria applied to assist with the selection of the six proposed schools as part of the consultation process, the criteria applied was not a one size fits all approach, due to the unique Island structure.
“However, an outline of some of the criteria used was highlighted again during the Policy and Scrutiny Committee for Children’s Services, Education and Skills on 17th October 2024, at around 12 minutes 57 seconds. This can be found on the Isle of Wight council’s YouTube channel (see below).
“We would like to reiterate and reassure that all relevant criteria affecting each school was considered when arriving at the published proposals, which are currently being consulted on.”
Watch the proceedings
You can watch the video below by clicking on the play button. Make sure you have sound turned on to hear the proceedings.
