School plan battle lines drawn

School governors and education chiefs have clashed over plans to shake-up the education system in Dorset.

The county council is proposing an overhaul of middle schools in Purbeck by introducing a two-tier structure.

The authority says it has a surplus of 1,000 places and must close schools, including Swanage First School.

Chair of governors at the school, recently rated "outstanding" by Ofsted, said it would have a big negative impact on children and the community.

If nothing is done, many of our village schools will face an uncertain future and some will probably have to close Dorset County Council

Simon Ramsden added: "I am totally against this. We are bang in the middle of Swanage and serve the community.

"If pupils wanted to go to another community school they would have to travel 16 miles away.

"I recognise there are surplus places but not in our school."

Under the plans, Swanage St Mark's and Swanage First schools would close and move to the existing middle school site to form a new primary school with a new name.

A six-week public consultation on the plans has just got under way.

In a information leaflet, Dorset County Council said: "A change to a two-tier system will significantly reduce the number of surplus school places in the area.

"The county council has a duty to reduce these surplus places because money spent on maintaining empty places cannot be spent on enhancing learning and teaching for all Dorset children and young people.

"If nothing is done, many of our village schools will face an uncertain future and some will probably have to close, leaving communities without a school of any kind."