From Peter Isaacs, Yarmouth:

I HAVE a sign on my house in Yarmouth which says, ‘Keep Yarmouth School in Yarmouth.’

Having listened to the arguments and read letters on the subject of primary schooling in the West Wight, I have reluctantly changed my mind.

I attended the Yarmouth school between 1947 and 1948.

I then transferred to St Saviour’s in Totland.

If the problem is unaffordable over capacity, then a reduction in places is obviously necessary.

The fact Yarmouth Primary School has very few pupils who live in Yarmouth is largely the fault of past Yarmouth residents who have sold their properties as second homes.

My guess is about 45 per cent of residential properties in the town are second homes and occupied during holiday periods only.

The trend is increasing. South Street has an even higher percentage of second homes.

My own family have second homes here and I did the same for some years, before returning to reside permanently in 2009.

I am not advocating an end to this practice, just emphasising an inevitable consequence — a lack of children of primary school age.

If the majority of primary school age children in the West Wight reside within the All Saints catchment area, then logically, All Saints should be retained.

Its poor performance can be improved, if necessary by changing staff and governors.

Sadly, Yarmouth Primary School should close.

If it is necessary to rebuild All Saints to accommodate the Freshwater resident children who now attend Yarmouth Primary School, and the few Yarmouth resident children, so be it.

A two-year period of temporary relocation to Yarmouth seems to be a sensible solution and, contrary to what some parents believe, should not be a devastating blow to their children’s education — as I’m confident the Yarmouth Primary School staff and governors will relish the challenge.

I live opposite Yarmouth Primary School and will be sad to see it close.

Unless enforceable covenants exist to prevent it, I suppose the site will be developed for new housing — at high prices which only second home buyers can afford!