Education on the Isle of Wight

Education on the Isle of Wight is provided by local education authority-maintained schools on the Isle of Wight, and independent schools. As a rural community, many of these schools are small, with average numbers of pupils lower than in many urban areas. It was decided on 19 March 2008, in a Whole Council Meeting, that the three-tier system would change into a two tier system. A report into the report on the re-organisation with proposals as to which schools would close was published in May 2008. There is also a college on the Isle of Wight and other less formal educational venues.

The Isle of Wight now conforms to the general pattern of education in the United Kingdom in which pupils at state schools change schools at the age of eleven (see Education in England). Pupils at both of the island's independent schools also change school at the age of eleven. State schools on the island now uses a two-tier system.

The following types of school now exist:

There are two independent schools on the Isle of Wight, which educate pupils from the early years to the age of 18:

In 2006, the regional Learning and Skills Council proposed to replace the state school sixth forms with central provision at the Isle of Wight College. In January 2007, the authority rejected this proposal, and instead offered its own, which included a reduced number of secondary schools, and the retention of Year 9 pupils in Middle schools, extending their range to form 9–14 schools – a unique arrangement in the United Kingdom – and 14–19 provision at High Schools.

In January 2008, more reforms were put forward, which could see the closure of at least half of the Island's primary schools. On 14 January 2008 it was announced that at least 23 primary schools and 1 middle school (likely to be Nodehill Middle School) would be closed by whichever education pathway was chosen in March.

Option 1:

Primary/juniorhigh/learning centres, which would leave the Island with 32 primary schools, 10 Junior High Schools and 3 Learning Centres.

Option 2:

Two-tier primary/secondary set-up, which would leave the Island with 24 primary schools, 4 secondary schools and 1 faith college.

Option 3:

A similar two-tier set-up, which would leave the Island with 33 primary schools, 5 secondary schools and 1 faith college.

The schools would be spread out across the Island in Cowes, East Cowes, Ryde, East Wight, South East Wight, South Wight, West Wight and Newport. Trinity CE Middle School and ABK RC Middle School would join to form the faith college, Christ The King College, which will serve students from 11 – 19 once the transition phase is over, which would be based on the current Carisbrooke High School site.

...
Wikipedia