By Carole Dennett
There were emotional scenes at County Hall as the Isle of Wight Council cabinet met on Thursday night to decide the fate of five primary schools under threat of closure. Parents, staff, and campaigners packed the public gallery, with the overflow spilling into a nearby committee room to listen to the meeting.
Three schools – Brading CE, Oakfield CE, and Wroxall – received an unexpected reprieve, with the cabinet voting to keep them open. The news brought visible relief and cheers from supporters in attendance.
However, the decision was bittersweet for others, as Cowes and Arreton St George CE were confirmed for closure. However, both schools could now choose to go before the Independent School Adjudicator, who will closely examine the council’s decision-making process, which has come under fire from campaigners. The adjudicator has the power to issue a legally binding decision on whether the closures will proceed.
The lead-up to the meeting saw political drama unfold, with Cllr Jonathan Bacon, cabinet member for children’s services and education, resigning shortly beforehand.
Parents and campaigners, who were given the opportunity to ask questions before the decisions were taken, repeadedly asked why he was not present. Explaining his decision to the IW Observer, Cllr Bacon said, “A majority of the cabinet were not prepared to support these, admittedly very difficult, but very necessary recommendations. After all the work I and officers have put in with the aim of improving Island education, I felt I was left with no other choice.”
Cllr Debbie Andre stepped in to present the proposals in his absence. Her recommendation to close Cowes and Arreton St George was supported unanimously, while Brading, Oakfield, and Wroxall were saved by a majority vote. Cllr Paul Fuller, choosing to step aside from his cabinet role for the evening to speak passionately in support of Cowes, said he couldn’t support the decision to close a “good” school.
The closures are due to a significant issue facing Island education – an large oversupply of primary school places. Following the meeting, Cllr Phil Jordan offered a sobering reality check for campaigners. “This process will have to begin again at some point,” he said. “Inevitably, all schools on this Island will be considered for closures as part of addressing the oversupply of places. This is the start of a much longer and more difficult process.”
UNISON representative, Mark Chiverton, welcomed the decision to keep three schools open, and praised campaigners for their hard work. “This has been a very long and arduous campaign and very stressful all round, but we do welcome the fact that the cabinet has listened to many concerns that were raised,” he said.
However, he voiced worry for the schools still on the closure list. “We’re still concerned about Arreton and Cowes. Urgent talks need to happen about the implications for staff and the future of those particular schools.”
Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson also welcomed the news. He said: “I have publicly supported the three hard-fought local campaigns in Brading, Oakfield and Wroxall and pay tribute to the parents, staff and residents for making such a strong case for their schools. IW East is the second most left behind constituency in the country, and closing these schools will not help.” He also paid tribute to councillors Rodney Downer (Wroxall), Michael Lilley (Ryde Appley and Elmfield) and local campaigners.
Jeff Williams, director of education for the Portsmouth Diocese, welcomed the decision to keep Oakfield and Brading CofE schools open, but said he was taking legal advice about the closure of Arreton St George’s CofE and would consider all options.
Amidst the tension over closures, there was unanimous cabinet support for a new 12-place autism provision at The Bay School, a decision described as a much-needed step forward for inclusive education.