School place planning consultation
Isle of Wight school place planning proposals
The consultation has closed
Cabinet decision Thursday 20 March 2025
- Proposed closure of Arreton St George’s CE Primary School -approved
- Proposed closure of Cowes Primary School - approved
- Proposed closure of Oakfield CE Primary School - not approved
- Proposed closure of Wroxall Primary School - not approved
- Proposed closure of Brading CE Primary School - not approved
- The Bay CE School – 12 Place Primary Resourced Provision - approved
- Cabinet decision paper for 20 March 2025
Consultation on proposed primary school closures
Residents on the Isle of Wight had another opportunity to have their say on proposed primary school closures.
Following Cabinet approval last month, Public Notices were published (Friday 3 January 2025) for Arreton St George's CE, Brading CE, Cowes, Oakfield CE and Wroxall primary schools.
If approved, these closures would come into effect from 31 August 2025.
Additionally, a Public Notice has also been published proposing a 12-place primary resourced provision for children with Autism Spectrum Condition at The Bay CE Primary School.
Following the publication of the notices, was a statutory four-week consultation on the proposals with residents encouraged to share their views through the council's website, via email, or by post.
Background
The proposed closures are a response to a significant decline in birth rates both locally and nationally over the past five years.
Currently, the Island has 10,724 primary school places available, but the number of children needing these places is projected to fall significantly by 2027.
The overall number of primary pupils is expected to decrease from 9,300 in 2017, to 7,640 in three years' time.
By addressing surplus places, and realigning primary school provision to the number of children on the Island, the council aims to begin to improve the quality of education on the Island so as to support the futures of children and young people and the future of the Island as a whole.
Proposals
- Proposed closure of Arreton St Georges CE Primary School - Public Notice (PDF, 248KB)
- Proposed closure of Arreton St Georges CE Primary School - Full Statutory Notice (PDF, 876KB)
- Proposed closure of Arreton St Georges CE Primary School - Background document (PDF, 856KB)
- Proposed closure of Arreton St Georges CE Primary School - Equality Impact Statement (PDF, 248KB)
- Proposed closure of Arreton St Georges CE Primary School - Equality Impact Statement - Staffing impacts (PDF, 494KB)
- Proposed closure of Brading CE Primary School – Public Notice (PDF, 424KB)
- Proposed closure of Brading CE Primary School – Full statutory notice (PDF, 656KB)
- Proposed closure of Brading CE Primary School –Background document (PDF, 728KB)
- Proposed closure of Brading CE Primary School –Equality Impact Assessment (PDF, 256KB)
- Proposed closure of Brading CE Primary School –Equality Impact Assessment – Staffing Impacts (PDF, 494KB)
- Proposed closure of Oakfield CE Primary School – Public Notice (PDF, 434KB)
- Proposed closure of Oakfield CE Primary School – Full statutory notice (PDF, 932KB)
- Proposed closure of Oakfield CE Primary School – Background document (PDF, 860KB)
- Proposed closure of Oakfield CE Primary School – Equality Impact Assessment (PDF, 276KB)
- Proposed closure of Oakfield CE Primary School – Equality Impact Assessment – Staffing Impacts (PDF, 494KB)
- Proposed closure of Wroxall Primary School – Public Notice (PDF, 435KB)
- Proposed closure of Wroxall Primary School – Full statutory notice (PDF, 809KB)
- Proposed closure of Wroxall Primary School – Background document (PDF, 930KB)
- Proposed closure of Wroxall Primary School – Equality Impact Assessment (PDF, 274KB)
- Proposed closure of Wroxall Primary School – Equality Impact Assessment – Staffing Impacts (PDF, 494KB)
How to participate in the consultation
The consultation will ran until Monday 3 February 2025.
The Cabinet is expected to make a final decision on the proposals at their meeting on Thursday 20 March 2025.