An open letter to all Councillors

Dear Councillor

The Island Innovation Trust was appointed as the current provider for Carisbrooke and Medina

Colleges which opened in 2011 and are now both on a secure and sustainable improvement

pathway. Both colleges, through a hard federation which includes the VI Form Campus, provide:

choice, diversity and inclusivity at the heart of the Island.

the widest choice of GCSE and A level options on the Island, and in fact provide a more

comprehensive choice than young people can access in many areas on the mainland outside

major cities.

collaboration and innovation at the heart of the Island

partnerships through our Trustees with local businesses and employers to enhance

classroom learning and meet the needs of the local economy and future workforce

the potential of the University of Portsmouth (a Trust partner) establishing a presence on

the Island at the Nodehill campus

We are aware of the paper to the full Council and Executive Committee meeting scheduled for 8th

July and believe it is fundamentally wrong. Both Trustees and members of the Governing Body

actively engaged in the recent consultation process, as did our staff and parent bodies. The

outcome of that process saw an overwhelming majority of people across the Island expressing their

view that the current configuration of schools should remain. We believe that Option 1 should be

the preferred option, because it provides:

stability, which is key to raising standards and improving teaching and learning, and avoids

another damaging reorganisation

choice as Option 2b represents a significant reduction of choice for families in the West

Wight and Newport areas.

Carisbrooke is an improving school, confirmed by OfSTED in March 2015 and led by a strong

Headteacher

Carisbrooke is a community based school with established and strong links with Primary

Schools

a smaller school which is popular with some families and Carisbrooke fills this niche where

all children are well known

the widest choice of GCSE and A level options on the Island to all of our children through the

Federation

Effective risk management, be this financial or teacher shortage, and provides opportunities

for teacher professional development

We can confirm that we have completed strategic and financial modelling which demonstrates the

financial viability both now and into the future and our budget plans have been supported by

Hampshire County Council officers.

Much has been made in the paper to the Executive Committee about the quality of the information

provided by the Trust and Governing Body in response to the request made for firstly a Business

Case, and then later a Risk Assessment. In an email on 17th June from Hampshire Officers they

shared with us that the Education Funding Agency expected them to support the case for a 4fe

school on the Carisbrooke site with a business case should Councillors choose Option 1 (letter from

Christine Evans E.F.A. written to HCC and tabled at the Scrutiny Committee meeting 18th June). On

26th June the Trust provided a draft business case directly to John Coughlan, Director of Childrens

Services, for comment and advice. On 29th June Hampshire Officers first mentioned the need for a

Risk Assessment without providing any guidance of its content or model template for its style. Only

on 30th June was an email received that provided some guidance as to what their required business

case may look like. Our senior team has continued to work throughout to provide all information

including the additional information that has been requested as time has progressed. We have

requested a further meeting with Hampshire Officers to progress this.

Surely Councillors will need to understand the financial picture of all secondary schools and

academies recommended to benefit from the PSBP funding and should request the same level

playing field comparative Business Case/Risk Assessment information to be provided by Hampshire

Officers. It would be inappropriate for the Executive Committee to make any decision until that work

is completed.

Another major omission, and not referred to in the papers to the Council, is the inevitable costs

around the closure of a secondary school which will not be insignificant. A risk assessment of all the

likely costs incurred in a school closure has not been provided to Councillors so how can an option

that results in closure be considered without this? The costs in supporting schools during the last re-

organisation ultimately impacted on the budgets of all schools and reduced the amount they were

able to spend on the children. This should not happen again.

If any option, other than Option 1 is approved, then reorganisation will have been voted for and the

impacts of reorganisation will be felt well beyond the West Wight / Newport area. We have grave

concerns about maintaining Carisbrooke College over the next two years with the uncertainty this

will cause and the difficulties of leading a school as closure becomes the reality.

Since being awarded the new schools resulting from the Isle of Wight Councils re-organisation

process, we have sought to work closely with the Council to bring about much needed

improvements in standards. We are now very concerned, and disappointed, at the current

proposals from Hampshire Officers and whilst we will continue to work hard to support both

colleges we ask that you in turn support us by voting to secure their future.

Yours sincerely

Mark Price Joe Finch

Chair of the Island Innovation Trust Chair of the Governing Body