Chillerton and Rookley Primary School looks to have been saved from closure.

Isle of Wight Council education lead Cllr Debbie Andre announced this afternoon that the Alliance administration had decided not to proceed with closing the small school in the central Wight village.

She said: "We won’t be proceeding with issuing a public notice to commence amalgamation with Godshill, leading to closure.

"This announcement ends the uncertainty around the future of the school, and we hope that more parents will want to apply for places at their local school, confident that there will be continuity in their child’s academic journey."

Cllr Andre said when this administration took office in May 2021, it inherited a consultation about the future of Chillerton and Rookley Primary School with an emphasis on the potential amalgamation with Godshill, therefore effectively closing Chillerton and Rookley.

She added that many members of the new administration were concerned by the consultation initiated by the previous administration and the direction of travel towards closure and made public commitments that they would do everything possible to prevent the closure of small village primary schools on the Island.

She said: "We believe that schools are one of the fundamental pillars of a community and that they play a vital and central role in village life, especially within our rural communities.

"There are social as well as economic benefits to children of primary age attending local schools with small classes.

"Throughout this period of uncertainty, the headteacher, staff and governors have continued, under difficult circumstances, to maintain the quality of education on offer at both Godshill and Chillerton and Rookley and I would like to pay tribute to their professionalism.

Isle of Wight County Press: Cllr Debbie Andre, cabinet education for children's education, services and skills.Cllr Debbie Andre, cabinet education for children's education, services and skills.

"It is important that we continue to focus on improving the quality of education so that children experience high-quality provision including a rich and rounded curriculum.

"I have asked officers to ensure the school is well supported moving forward so that it has the necessary capacity to deliver the ambitions we all share for our Island children."

Education officers would now be now investigating options as to how the council can support smaller and more rural primary schools so that they can be sustained during periods of falling numbers and financial challenges, particularly in light of the government’s new White Paper on education.