Councillors to debate alternative Purbeck school proposals (From Dorset Echo)

Councillors to debate alternative Purbeck school proposals

12:00pm Saturday 21st November 2009 in

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SCHOOLS could be saved from closure following a rethink of a controversial education review.

Dorset county councillors are to consider new proposals for schools in Wool and Swanage at a meeting next week.

Concerned parents flocked to a string of drop-in sessions during September and October to give their views on how schools could be saved from the axe.

It followed a decision by Dorset County Council in the summer to press ahead with plans to replace the current three-tier set-up with a two-tier system in the district in a bid to eradicate more than 1,000 surplus places.

Now new proposals will go before the authority’s community overview committee on Tuesday following feedback.

They came about after forums made up of a cross-section of representatives were created to help council officers plan the way forward. The proposals are: n Both St Mary’s Catholic in Wool and Wool CE VA first school to become primary schools.

n Both St Mary’s RC and Swanage First to become primary schools, and the amalgamation of St Mark’s CE and St George’s CE to create a new primary on the middle school site.

n All four Swanage first schools to become primaries, with St Mark’s moving to the middle school site.

County council head of learning and school improvement John England said he hoped the new proposals addressed concerns raised by the sweeping changes to Purbeck’s education system.

He said: “During the first round of consultation earlier this year, a number of concerns were raised by residents in Swanage and Wool – particularly around parental preference.

“We believe the new proposals address many of these concerns and reduce the majority of surplus places, giving the whole of Purbeck a school system that will thrive for many years to come.”

Councillors will also be asked on Tuesday to recommend the authority continues with its proposal to create a single secondary school in Wareham, as well as to publicly consult on which pyramid of schools Bere Regis School should reside in.

The committee’s comments will then go to the cabinet on December 2 when a final decision will be made on the recommendations. If given the green light, the council will hold public consultation on the new options in the new year.