Education reforms on the Isle of Wight

In 2004, the Isle of Wight Council undertook a consultative process aimed at changing local education structure, to a two tier school system which would bring the island in line with the rest of the country.

The move was opposed by a lobby known as Standards not Tiers based in Upper Ventnor and the Conservatives, who, after they won the local council elections in May 2005 shelved the proposals pending further investigation.

In 2006, the regional Learning and Skills Council proposed an option which meant replacing the secondary schools' sixth forms with central provision at the Isle of Wight College.

[1] The debate took on new urgency at the start of 2008, when three 'key options' were put forward by the Isle of Wight Council for public consultation, each of which meant the closure of at least half of the Island's primary schools.

[2] The 'biggest protest the Island has ever seen'[3] occurred outside County Hall in Newport on 26 January 2008 at 10:00am lasting an hour until 11:00am, led by Isle of Wight Radio DJ Alex Dyke as a result of the Council's plans for education reforms.

Later protests also occurred at Shanklin through the leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor David Pugh's ward, with a silent march through the town.