Island schools to benefit from flagship education investment scheme

Five Isle of Wight schools have been selected for the government’s flagship School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), which will bring major investment to the Island’s education infrastructure.

St George's Special School, The Bay CE School (secondary site), Nine Acres Primary School, Hunnyhill Primary School, and Medina College have all been prioritised for the scheme, which carries out significant rebuilding and refurbishment projects at schools and sixth-form colleges across England. Schools are selected based on the condition of their buildings.

The programme promises to deliver modern classrooms and facilities for hundreds of Island children, following a series of successful applications by the Isle of Wight Council to the Department for Education (DfE).

Feasibility studies are nearing completion at The Bay CE School (secondary site) and Nine Acres Primary School. These studies involve design and planning work in collaboration with the DfE, the Isle of Wight Council, and school leadership teams. The full process, from procurement to construction, is expected to take around three years.

St George’s School has recently entered the feasibility stage, which includes exploring the potential relocation to surplus education land adjacent to Carisbrooke College on Taylor Road.

In addition, the council continues to work with the DfE on the Free School Programme, which complements the SRP and forms part of the Island’s Safety Valve plans to improve educational provision.

Steff Gleeson, headteacher at St George’s School, said: “This is a very exciting development for St George’s School as our current school building no longer meets the needs of our complex and vulnerable students.

"As the only Local Authority secondary special school on the Island, we look forward to working with the Isle of Wight Council and DfE to ensure our students are educated in a fit for purpose environment.”

Duncan Mills, executive headteacher of The Bay CE School, added: “Our place on the School Rebuilding Programme represents an exciting and transformative opportunity for our school community.

"These forward-thinking plans would propel our school firmly into the 21st century, providing inspiring and modern, high-quality learning environments which will empower our students to thrive and reach their full potential.

"This investment will not only enhance the daily experiences of our students and staff but also reflect our shared commitment to delivering outstanding education for generations to come.

"As we move through the planning process, we are keen to work closely with our wider community, ensuring everyone has a voice in shaping a school environment we can all be proud of." 

Rosie McDonald, headteacher at Nine Acres Primary School, said: “At Nine Acres, we are very excited to be exploring plans for a new school build that will provide our students, staff and wider community with the modern, inspiring learning environment they deserve.

"We look forward to working closely with the DfE and the Local Authority to design spaces that reflect our vision for education and support the needs of our school community.

"Together, we can create a school building that fully supports us to continue delivering high-quality education for all.

Naomi Carter, service director for education, inclusion and access at the Isle of Wight Council, said: “The School Rebuilding Programme is an integral part of helping us realise our Education Strategy. We are very excited to be working with the DFE to realise these projects.”