In a final last ditch attempt to Save Chale School, parents and governors handed in a final response letter for David Pugh yesterday at 8am.

“Having met all the requirements put forward from the council, the council has now moved the goal posts, which will mean closure for the small school”

“The reality is that they have not actually made a single concession in the 2 years we have been fighting closure. They are still using the tired arguments of 2 years ago and have not listened to a single thing we have put forward.” Alan Lock, Chair of Governor’s

Conservative Council trash David Cameron’s vision for schools and rural communities.

Today the deadline to save Chale Primary School from closure is reached.

On 1st October the IW Council’s Cabinet gave the school governors 2 months during which to agree an in principle federation agreement with another primary school if they were to stop the school being closed down. At the last minute the Conservative led Council has blocked this process.

The governors worked tirelessly to achieve their goal, but have been confounded when appropriate schools had been advised by IW Council officers not to enter into any agreement..

Finally on 18th November the governors made a formal approach to David Pugh, Leader of the IW Council in accordance with the council’s procedure, to progress an in principle federation agreement with the proposed new primary school at Godshill. This proposal was for Chale school to be reduced to the status of an infant school for village children from age 4 to 7 years. These children would then move on to the main school at Godshill at age 8.

This proposal would have retained a small village school and a nursery, and importantly, overcome many of the problems of transport, breakfast club and after school activities and importantly the huge negative impact upon the village community.

In return the school would lose its head teacher and board of governors, and come under the control of Godshill Primary School. All along the IW Council case for closure has been based entirely on cost, not educational standards. This proposal would have reduced costs by 33%. The governors felt that this was a good compromise meeting almost every objective.

Unfortunately at the eleventh hour this approach was blocked by the IW Council on the grounds that the school would still be too small and that it would not, in its opinion, be of interest to the people of Godshill.

In taking this action the IW Council has denied the people of Godshill the opportunity to be consulted and explore the potential of this proposal, which if subsequently found not to be what they wanted, could still be rejected.

In the 2 years that the board of governors of Chale Primary School has been trying to negotiate with the IW Council they have not been given a single concession. The IW Council has not listened to a single concern from the community of Chale, nor has it put forward any sound reason to close the school except to save money. The Schools Re-organisation Project was declared to have the sole objective of raising standards whereas closing this village school will only save a minute amount from the education budget and offer no benefits to the other Island schools.

The Conservative led council swept aside the incumbent Liberal Democrats in 2005 with manifesto promises NOT to close small rural schools. A policy echoed in David Cameron’s parties green paper this year entitled Rural Action, which pledges Conservative support for small schools and village communities, which will figure large in the next general election.

The Isle of Wight MP, Andrew Turner, a Conservative who is enthusiastic about the ethos of his party green paper, has been an active supporter for the retention of Chale Primary School. He formally received a petition from Chale schoolchildren outside the Houses of Parliament in July, and went on to present a motion to Parliament to save the school.

When contacted yesterday Andrew Turner expressed his frustration with the IW Council decision to block the federation proposal which would be the lifeline for the school and villagers of Chale.

Chale Primary School presented a Petition to Parliament For the story so far visit Save Chale website.