Isle of Wight Council Cabinet Member for Children & Young People Cllr Alan Wells said “Over 4000 parents will be receiving letters this week confirming offers for places at schools for September this year.
Many have asked us what implications the current consultation will have on their preferences. It is important to remember that the decision on 19 March is about which structure the council will implement over the next few years.
Parents should remember that any major changes are still well over two years away and will be phased in over a period to minimise disruption and ensure a smooth transition. Although the new system is due to begin in September 2010, it does not mean school sites due to be vacated will be empty on 1 September, as existing buildings may be used during the implementation of any changes. More details about the implementation plans will be published in the forthcoming months.
Our advice to parents who receive offer letters who may be thinking about changing or appealing is that they should wait until which of the options is chosen. An updated list for the future of school sites will be made available in the weeks following the decision on 19 March. We have always stated that the school locations list may be subject to change following the consultation period. However, as we have said in the past, students who will begin high school later this year are assured that they will be able to complete their GCSEs on the same site. This also applies to students beginning post-16 studies this September”
