Pupils are already leaving Isle of Wight primary schools that were threatened with closure a month ago.
Frustrations were once again shared last night (Tuesday) over the debacle that saw the Isle of Wight Council U-turn on its proposal to consult on the closure of three primary schools.
Announced before the half-term school holidays (but quickly withdrawn), parents said they and teachers should not have found out about the potential closures through the media.
One parent said everybody went into ‘freefall’ when it was announced, causing a ‘huge amount of distress with the children’.
Cllr Debbie Andre, the cabinet member for children’s education, apologised for the anxiety and concern that had been caused at a public meeting at Medina Theatre yesterday but hoped those who attended would have a better understanding of the school place planning issues facing the council.
Council officers explained there had been a steady decline in pupils entering the school system each year, meaning there were too many surplus places in primary schools, having a negative effect on finances.
There are enough empty places in Island primary schools to fill seven reception classes, they said, and for every empty place a school loses more than £4,000 in its budget.
Another issue was that there were not enough teachers to fill the gaps and cover classes.
Parents expressed their dismay, saying it would have been better if they were told about the issues before the school closures were announced.
One parent said if there was more clarity about the school’s financial position — if it was in a deficit — then parents may be willing to pay a little to keep it open.
Following the U-turn, one headteacher revealed a lot of pupils had already left the school, with more to follow ahead of the new school year.
They said the announcement and subsequent U-turn had had a huge impact on the community, which had been very distressing, as there was no reassurance to parents that their wishes would be met.
Parents wanted to know what happens next as they were stuck in limbo not knowing if their children’s school was going to close but asked for support if a consultation were to go ahead.
Cllr Andre said she will be having further discussions with the cabinet but there was no timescale on a decision yet, although it is still possible a school could close by September 2024.
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