A MOST IMPORTANT VOICE

I went along to the 14-19 Education Options consultation at Medina High School last Thursday evening. I had heard some bad things about how these had been managed in Ryde & Cowes, but it seemed that, more by luck than judgement, most attendees at this one got what they wanted from it. By the simple expedient of allowing people a choice, after the majority had expressed that view.

One thing I keep hearing about the Options being presented to Islanders that annoys me. It is constantly said that this Option emerged out of the 6th Form College consultation last autumn, as if there was some sort of groundswell of support for the Council's preferred Option.

The fact is that one organisation alone came up with the option of putting Year 9 into middle schools, and that was the IW Chamber of Commerce. Clearly a very important - perhaps pre-eminent - voice in education matters.