By Isle of Wight Observer
Parents and schoolchildren were out in force in St Thomas’ Square, Newport, on Saturday, in a last-ditch protest rally against the closures.
Peter Shreeve, assistant district secretary of the National Education Union and Mark Dickinson, junior vice-president of the teachers’ union, the NASUWT, were among those who spoke at the event.
Hundreds of people attended and there was even a surprise visit from Santa, who turned up on a motorbike to add his support.
Young children stepped up to the microphone to talk about losing their friends, uncertainty about the future, and how they would cope, with one child asking: “Why are they doing this? Don’t they like us?”
Mr Dickenson said: “Children need primary schools where they live.” He reminded everyone that closures are a political decision, saying if politicians really wanted to, the money could be found “to keep these schools open”.
Mr Shreeve encouraged the crowd to join in a song ‘Here we go round the Isle of Wight’, touching on closure concerns and reminded everyone that all primary pupils have known education cuts in almost every year of their young lives, saying: “It’s time for change!”
