Formal Consultation on Education Proposals to Begin Soon

A three month formal consultation period on Isle of Wight Council's final proposals for education reform will begin on 23 June. The local authority is keen to stress it is still listening to the views presented and the final proposals could be further modified.

The council is organising a series of meetings for staff, governors and parents at all schools that are proposed to close in their current form (high schools, middle schools and primary schools that are closing or amalgamating). The purpose will be to further explain in detail the proposals and the impact they will have on their particular area. Individual meetings will start from 23 June. There will also be two public meetings to explain how the 'competition rules' will operate for the newly created schools. Details of all the meetings will be published over the next week.

Isle of Wight Council will also publish detailed documents in relation to each area and the way the proposals will shape education provision. These papers contain information including current and proposed provision, including the current number of school places and the intake number.

They also profile each school including details regarding the site, buildings, location, latest Ofsted inspection and early years provision. Also included is the travel distance in miles to the new location of the individual school if it is proposed to reopen at a new location, such as a middle school site.

These documents will be published on Friday 20 June. Town and Parish councils will also be sent copies of the documents. They will be asked if they wish to have a meeting with officers to discuss the proposals in their area.

Isle of Wight Council Director of Children's Services Steve Beynon said "We will shortly be entering the formal consultation stage and we should take this opportunity to remind people we are still listening to what they have to say. We have already modified our original proposals and we will fully consider all representations made during the formal consultation period, which will finish at the end of September."