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West Wight Schools: Long-Awaited Primary School Funds Secured

Long-awaited funds to revamp a West Wight Primary School site have finally been secured, according to the Isle of Wight Council. It means the local authority can move ahead with its plans to shut Freshwater's All Saints Primary and relocate Yarmouth CE, as previously reported by Isle of Wight Radio.  An additional £4.5 million has been allocated from the council's Priority School Building Programme (PSBP). It says that the money is on top of the £12 million already secured from government. All Saints Primary is due to shut from August 31, with Yarmouth CE relocating to a newly-revamped Freshwater site in September 2021. The Isle of Wight Council says it will now develop detailed plans for the new school ahead of a planning submission in the summer. Councillor Paul Brading, Cabinet member for children's services and education, said: "This is fantastic news for education in the West Wight. This significant investment from the Department for Education will benefit not only the local area but the wider community as a whole. "I believe our children deserve the very best we can offer and this investment in the Freshwater site allows us to provide just that — a modern, high-quality school fit for the 21st century."

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