The closure of a rural Isle of Wight primary school may be halted for now, but its future still remains undecided.
Following their success at the May election, new ruling party of the Isle of Wight Council, the Alliance Group suspended the proposal to close Chillerton and Rookley Primary School and move pupils to Godshill.
Andre: Only right and proper to look at all inherited issues
Cllr Debbie Andre, the new lead for children’s education, previously said there would be no immediate closure and it was only right and proper to look at all the issues inherited from the previous administration — including the school’s closure.
A proposed way forward for the future of the school was due to be decided in May, according to versions of the council’s forward plan, but has since been marked as abandoned.
A victory claimed by the campaign group
In pausing the closure, Chillerton and Rookley and Godshill primary schools will be open for September 2021, a victory claimed by the campaign group to save the school.
The campaign group has been proposing the idea of flexi-schooling to keep the school going but this had been been rejected by Chillerton and Rookley executive headteacher, Mark Snow, at a meeting of Chillerton and Gatcombe Parish Council.
Falling pupil numbers and budget constraints
The Stenbury Federation, which runs both schools, said the decision to merge the two, ultimately closing Chillerton, was because of falling pupil numbers and budget constraints.
Giving an update to the council’s cabinet last night (Wednesday), Cllr Andre said she was working with staff to draw up a range of options for the school’s predicament.
Consultation with parents before taken to Cabinet
Cllr Andre said the paper will go out for prior consultation with parents first before it comes to cabinet after her decision to keep the school open for the current admissions was disappointingly leaked to the media.
In the future, Cllr Andre said she would take note that parents be informed in an appropriate manner.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
