Public consultation begins for proposed Isle of Wight primary school closures

A major consultation on Isle of Wight council proposals to tackle the high number of surplus school places in Island primary schools launches today (Friday).

Communities are being asked to share their views on proposals, the key aim of which is to raise educational standards and ensure a brighter future for Island children.

Six schools could close
The proposals include the potential closure of Arreton CE, Brading CE, Cowes, Godshill, Oakfield CE and Wroxall primary schools.

Additionally, the council is looking to expand specialist provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), repurposing schools identified for closure wherever possible.

The proposals underpin the Island’s newly published draft education strategy — an overarching masterplan to transform the school system from one that has consistently underperformed compared to national trends, to one that is recognised nationally for the quality of its education.

The consultation runs until Friday, 1st November and your input is crucial in shaping these decisions.

Following the consultation, a further report will be presented to Cabinet in December detailing the responses and making recommendations about the next steps.

Why is this happening?
Because schools are funded per pupil, the oversupply of places in primary schools has had a negative impact on the standard of education children receive on the Island, preventing them from having the best opportunity for the highest quality teaching and learning within well-equipped schools.

While almost 1,900 classroom seats go unfilled in mainstream schools, there is conversely a growing demand for SEND provision across the Island with hundreds of new specialist places desperately needed.

The number of births on the Island has now reached the lowest since 1941 -— this is in line with reported national trends. The drop is having a significant impact on the Island where, by 2027, just 876 children are expected to start reception — a considerable fall from 1,404 in 2018.

Too many primary schools on the Island
The reality is there are too many primary schools on the Island for the number of primary-age children. As of October 2023, there were 1,898 unfilled school places across the Island. By September 2027, this number is forecast to rise to 3,056.

For every empty seat, schools receive £4,500 less in funding affecting resources, opportunities and the quality of education children receive. The ongoing trend indicates that by March 2027, 22 primary schools may face budget deficits, potentially amounting to a total deficit of more than £7.4 million.

Surplus places mean schools struggle to maintain a broad and high-quality curriculum. Falling rolls also make planning and staffing decisions difficult, with schools potentially having to make year on year redundancies or having to restructure.

Bacon: We are not serving our children well
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet member for education, said,

“We have the worst educational standards in this country, we are not serving our children well nor are we serving our employers or our economy well.
“School is about preparing our young people for life, work, careers, their futures. Failing them at school is unacceptable, both for them and for the Island as a whole.
“School heads have been the loudest voice demanding action. Without changes to the numbers of schools, they cannot do their job of educating the Island’s children.

“This is about taking the wider view and about creating the foundations to educate our children properly. It is about considering, as an Island, what we want from our school system.
“It is about ensuring the best possible provision for all our young people to enable them to access the best possible opportunities as they prepare for adult life.”

Draft Education Strategy
Key to these proposals is the newly published draft education strategy which sets out the council’s vision that by 2030 all children on the Isle of Wight will be equipped with the skills and aspirations to access opportunities of their choice.

An integral part of achieving this and raising standards is the need to create a sustainable and properly-resourced school system on the Island.

The consultation
The consultation is about options on how to reduce the number of school places so that more schools are full and so maximise their ability to educate children successfully.

The council would welcome any viable alternative proposals that reduce the level of surplus places and improve the quality of education.

All the views put forward during the consultation period will be considered before a decision is taken on whether to proceed to the next steps.

Your view welcome
The council is consulting with anyone who is interested in the future of education on the Island. This includes pupils, parents and carers, staff, the governing bodies, other local schools and trade unions.

It is also consulting with a wide range of other groups and organisations including early years providers, town and parish councils, the local MPs, the Church of England and Catholic dioceses and the wider local community.

How can I comment?
It is important that we hear the views of all those affected by the proposals and properly understand any impact on the wider community. We will continue to discuss options with staff and parents throughout the consultation process.

There are several ways you can let us know what you think:

Visit www.iow.gov.uk/schoolplace to read more and to complete the online questionnaire.
If you are unable to access the consultation form please e-mail your views to [email protected] or write to: Strategic Development, Floor 3, County Hall, Newport, IOW, PO30 1UD.
Paper copies will be available to collect from County Hall, High Street, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 1UD, local libraries or can be posted out.
You can also find out more about plans for your local schools and ask questions by attending one of the meetings being held in areas impacted by the proposals.

School area meetings
Due to limited capacity within school halls, parents will be prioritised and if further seating is available the community will be welcome to attend.