Reform of school system approved

Hundreds of people chanted with banners during Saturday's march

Councillors on the Isle of Wight have voted to switch to a two-tier education system in the biggest shake up of the island's schools in 38 years.

A number of protests have been held since the plans were announced in November last year.

At a full council meeting on Wednesday, a decision was made to scrap the current three-tier system.

It means the end to middle schools on the island, but the council is still to discuss which schools will close.

Isle of Wight Council argues the current system needs to be restructured to raise performances.

Until recently, the Isle of Wight sat in the bottom 10% for national GCSE results.

But in 2007, its ranking rose to 94 out of 148 local authorities.

Nearly a fifth - 17.5% - of its primary school places are empty.

In January, four Tory councillors resigned over their own party's plans for the changes.

Any changes are likely to be introduced in 2010.