Education on the Isle of Wight
Encyclopedia
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.
in which pupils change schools at age 11 (see Education in England
). The Isle of Wight now uses a two-tier system.
proposed to replace the 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.
Under all the options currently on offer, all the island schools close, however some will re-open on the existing site, while others will be moved to new sites. The Isle of Wight Council says it could save up to £2 million a year in money that would be spent on small primary schools, that under the new system, wouldn't be needed. The changes will begin to be introduced from September 2010, although some could happen earlier.
There were also calls for a fourth option of extending middle schools to year 9. This would save primary schools across the Island in rural locations and enable middle and high schools to almost continue to function as they are, although this fourth option is unlikely to go ahead.
The 'biggest protest the Island has ever seen' occurred outside County Hall in Newport on Saturday 26 January 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. Between 1,000 and 1,250 took part in the protest, including parents, teachers and students. The Island MP Andrew Turner, with two other councillors also attended the protest, disagreeing with the plans.
More protests later occurred at Sandown, Shanklin and Ryde, with another at Newport. On 19 March 2008, a two-tier system was voted for by Isle of Wight councillors, bringing the island's school system into line with the rest of the country.
It was finally announced in the Isle of Wight County Press on 23 May 2008 which schools would be closed.
The first of these reforms took place in September 2008, from the start of the new academic year. Archbishop King and Trinity Middle schools merged creating Christ the King College, with the old ABK site taking years 7 and 8, and the Trinity site taking years 5 and 6. Kitbridge Middle School also merged with Downside Middle school, creating two separate campuses. In September 2009, Christ the King College took another step towards becoming a secondary school, with its year 9 being retained rather than transitioning to high school.
provides a selection of courses, mostly offered on its campus in Newport. However, there are many other providers of adult education on the Isle of Wight including libraries, museums, Leisure Centres, West Wight Training Centre, Learning Links, Ventnor Community Projects, Quay Arts
, Platform One and the Isle of Wight Council
.
The local Council provides a wide range of adult and community learning opportunities. For example, the Council offers family learning opportunities, where parents and children learn together in schools. The Council also has developed community learning programmes which are delivered in communities to overcome difficulties in accessing learning such as time, transport and affordability.
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
-maintained schools on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, 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.
School System
The Isle of Wight now conforms to the general pattern of education in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in which pupils change schools at age 11 (see Education in England
Education in England
Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools at a regional level....
). The Isle of Wight now uses a two-tier system.
Types of School
The following types of school now exist;- Primary Schools – There are 45 primary schools on the island, taking pupils from age four plus to eleven[the reception year to year 6]. Nineteen of these primary schools are Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
or CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
aided or controlled. All primary schools have pre-school facilities. - Middle Schools – {There used to be 14 middle schools, taking pupils from age 9 to 13 [years 5 to 8] but these were closed on July 22 2011}
- High Schools – There are five high schools, taking pupils from age 11 to 18 (compulsory years 7 to 11 and (sixth form)Sixth formIn the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
years 12 and 13).- Carisbrooke (near NewportNewport, Isle of WightNewport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
) - Sports Specialist - CowesCowes High SchoolCowes Enterprise College is a state-maintained secondary school located on the outskirts of Cowes at Crossfield Avenue on the Isle of Wight, previously Cowes High School.-History:...
- Science Specialist - MedinaMedina High School, NewportMedina College is a trust-supported secondary school on in Newport on the Isle of Wight, formerly Medina High School.-History:Medina High School was founded in 1976 on the current site. By the 1990s, the school suffered from a falling roll and finances, with Richard Williams brought in as head in...
- Performance Arts Specialist - Ryde - Language and Arts College
- Sandown - Sports Specialist
- Carisbrooke (near Newport
Timeline of the debate leading to the new arrangements
In 2006, the regional Learning and Skills CouncilLearning and Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in England...
proposed to replace the 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.
Under all the options currently on offer, all the island schools close, however some will re-open on the existing site, while others will be moved to new sites. The Isle of Wight Council says it could save up to £2 million a year in money that would be spent on small primary schools, that under the new system, wouldn't be needed. The changes will begin to be introduced from September 2010, although some could happen earlier.
There were also calls for a fourth option of extending middle schools to year 9. This would save primary schools across the Island in rural locations and enable middle and high schools to almost continue to function as they are, although this fourth option is unlikely to go ahead.
The 'biggest protest the Island has ever seen' occurred outside County Hall in Newport on Saturday 26 January at 10:00am lasting an hour until 11:00am, led by Isle of Wight Radio
Isle of Wight Radio
Isle of Wight Radio is an independent local radio station in Newport on the Isle of Wight. The station began transmitting from Briddlesford Farm AM transmitter on April 15, 1990...
DJ Alex Dyke as a result of the Council's plans for education reforms. Between 1,000 and 1,250 took part in the protest, including parents, teachers and students. The Island MP Andrew Turner, with two other councillors also attended the protest, disagreeing with the plans.
More protests later occurred at Sandown, Shanklin and Ryde, with another at Newport. On 19 March 2008, a two-tier system was voted for by Isle of Wight councillors, bringing the island's school system into line with the rest of the country.
It was finally announced in the Isle of Wight County Press on 23 May 2008 which schools would be closed.
The first of these reforms took place in September 2008, from the start of the new academic year. Archbishop King and Trinity Middle schools merged creating Christ the King College, with the old ABK site taking years 7 and 8, and the Trinity site taking years 5 and 6. Kitbridge Middle School also merged with Downside Middle school, creating two separate campuses. In September 2009, Christ the King College took another step towards becoming a secondary school, with its year 9 being retained rather than transitioning to high school.
Adult Education
The Isle of Wight CollegeIsle of Wight College
The Isle of Wight College is a general further education college with a broad curriculum to reflect the needs of the island community. The main campus is sited in a central location on the outskirts of Newport, the county town of the Isle of Wight and the island's principal retail centre...
provides a selection of courses, mostly offered on its campus in Newport. However, there are many other providers of adult education on the Isle of Wight including libraries, museums, Leisure Centres, West Wight Training Centre, Learning Links, Ventnor Community Projects, Quay Arts
The Quay Arts
The Quay Arts Centre is located at the head of the River Medina, in Newport in the centre of the Isle of Wight. It is the island's leading art gallery and venue for live events....
, Platform One and the Isle of Wight Council
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
.
The local Council provides a wide range of adult and community learning opportunities. For example, the Council offers family learning opportunities, where parents and children learn together in schools. The Council also has developed community learning programmes which are delivered in communities to overcome difficulties in accessing learning such as time, transport and affordability.
Qualifications
From census data taken in 2001, the percentage of qualification levels of people aged 16–74, living on the Isle of Wight are:| Qualifications | Isle of Wight | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| No qualifications | 30.19 | 29.08 |
| Highest qualification attained Level 1 | 18.49 | 16.57 |
| Highest qualification attained Level 2 | 20.76 | 19.38 |
| Highest qualification attained Level 3 | 6.42 | 8.27 |
| Highest qualification attained Level 4/5 | 15.27 | 19.76 |
| Other qualifications/level unknown | 8.87 | 6.94 |
- Level 1 = 1+ O level passes, 1+ CSE/GCSE any grades, NVQ level 1, Foundation GNVQ
- Level 2 = 5+ O level passes, 5+ CSEs (Grade 1s), 5+ GCSEs (grades A*-C), School Certificate, 1+ A levels/AS levels, NVQ level2, Intermediate GNVQ
- Level 3 = 2+ A levels, 4+ AS levels, Higher School Certificate, NVQ level 3, Advanced GNVQ
- Level 4/5 = First degree, Higher degree, NVQ levels 4 and 5, HNC, HND, Qualified Teacher Status, Qualified Medical Doctor, Qualified Dentist, Qualified Nurse, Midwife, Health Visitor.
External links - some of which redirect to closed Middle Schools and might not work
- The official Isle of Wight education website
- The Isle of Wight Council adult and community learning website
- Christ The King College
- ABK Middle School
- Bishop Lovett Middle School
- Nodehill Middle School
- Ryde High School
- Sandown High School TJS
- Medina High School
- Carisbrooke High School
- Cowes High School
- Ryde School
- Save Isle of Wight Schools
- Isle of Wight School Reforms
- Priory School, Shanklin