Keith Herbert from the Chillerton and Rookley Save Our Schools group shares their response to the council’s latest plans to close four primary schools due to a drop in capacity. In his own words. Ed
Last Friday, Hampshire County Council announced a plan to close four Isle of Wight primary schools (read more here).
Should the plans be successful, the move will displace and disrupt the education of several hundred children, and dozens of hardworking school staff will be sacked.
Released through the media
Many of these staff have decades of service and some found out about the proposed cuts through the press and social media the day before half term.
We don’t think this is good enough.
Committed to campaigning
The Save our School campaign has successfully thwarted two closure attempts and is committed to campaigning on behalf of Island schools at risk of closure.
“Ill thought-out plans”
A spokesperson from the Save our School campaign said,
“Closing good primary schools with hardworking staff is not the answer. If finance is the only consideration from Winchester, we might as well just leave the main festival stage up and teach all the pupils from Seaclose. It’ll be much cheaper.”
“We stopped the closure of Chillerton twice with a relatively small group of parents, education professionals and community members. Imagine what we can do with hundreds of people! If we combine our efforts across all of the schools affected, I am confident we can oppose these ill thought-out plans and propose a sustainable way forward.”
“Repeatedly trying to close schools needs to be challenged”
They went on to add,
“We are asking people from affected schools to join us by emailing [email protected]
“Consultations should not be launched when the council has a final view. Furthermore, some of these schools are protected by a presumption against closure.
“Repeatedly trying to close schools like this shouldn’t happen and needs to be challenged. Pupils and teachers work better without an axe over their head.”
