Former Isle of Wight councillor Cllr Daryll Pitcher , who is currently Isle of Wight UKIP’s prospective parliamentary candidate shares this release. Ed
Following the disappointing school league table results for the Isle of Wight, UKIP PPC Daryll Pitcher has been busy trying to understand why the Island has lagged behind in educational improvement.
Failing the children
Speaking recently Daryll made the following points:
“Firstly and most importantly it is not the fault of the children. Actually it is quite the opposite, we are failing them. Secondly there does not seem to be any underlying reason behind this.
“Other islands are doing well and similar sized counties such as Rutland and Cornwall are way above us in the rankings. This gives the lie to arguments concerning remoteness, resources or the fact we are an island. None of these are deciding factors.”
Achievement affected by school reform
Daryll is instead focusing on more recent happenings in the Island’s education system to explain this year’s results,
“2018’s exam students were the ones most affected by the reorganisation from three to two tiers. They were either just in Middle school or just about to move up.”
Reorganisation badly handled
Daryll does not think these reforms were handled well:
“At the time is was very clear these reforms were badly implemented. In my view, resources were squandered and the whole process botched. Parents were warning that this would harm the chances of their children, people warned of a ‘lost generation’.
“It turns out they may have had a point. There is no doubt in my mind that this year’s results come as a direct result of that failed policy.”
What chance of reform?
So what of the future? What chance of reform? Daryll continues,
“Reform is urgently needed if we are to unlock the potential of our young people.
“My concern is that the author of this current mess was David Pugh, then Leader of the IW Council now Chairman of the IW Conservative Party.
“So long as he has any influence I fear for our children’s education.”
