Isle of Wight Council is stressing its proposed educational reforms are about raising educational standards and not making money. The local authority, which has launched its latest consultation over the future of Island education, has explained how each of its proposals fit in with strict new Government criteria for capital funding for primary school buildings.
The council must address several areas in order to qualify for millions of pounds in future funding for primary schools. In late 2007, the government announced requirements for all education authorities to produce a strategic plan for the modernisation of primary school buildings. The government has made money available to fund this work, but there is strict criteria that must be met to unlock this and to provide the necessary funding to invest in improvements in education on the Island.
The criteria requires that the council reduces the number of unfilled – or surplus – places at primary schools to under 10%. The September 2007 admission figures for entry into primary schools shows 29% of places unfilled. This means unless action is taken to address the problem, the council would not qualify for this funding.
At the same time, the government’s Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has also announced a reduction in the automatic annual grant to the council for ongoing improvements to existing primary school buildings – down from over £10m (in 2007/08) to just £3m (2008/09). This reduction makes it more vital for the council to submit a viable bid to the government to fund even the most basic maintenance.
Failure to produce a plan to address the problems of surplus places would mean the council will miss out on the funding and will not be able to maintain small primary schools, and children could be educated in sub-standard buildings. The local authority would need to find several million pounds to make up the shortfall, which could either mean diverting money used elsewhere for education, and potential increases in council tax.
Isle of Wight Council Leader Cllr David Pugh, said: “There is much misinformation circulating that the council has already agreed to sell off vacated school buildings for property developments. This is simply not true, and many of the buildings should they be vacated by individual schools may be used for other educational or community benefit. The council has a duty to consider all viable options for the future of vacated buildings as determined by its Community Asset Strategy, which is currently under development.
“We welcome the fact the government has made us confront this difficult issue which the Island should have faced up to years ago. Falling pupil numbers have resulted in an unacceptable increase in our unfilled places over a number of years, and until now the IW Council has refused to tackle this issue – instead using up to £2m of our central resources to prop up unviable schools.
“As we said at the start, there are many harsh realities for local residents to face if we are to make the kind of improvements in educational standards we need on the Island. We recognise people will be upset at potential school closures but Islanders need to understand there is a bigger picture here, and these closures are for valid reasons with the long term aim of giving children better opportunities in the future.”
