AN UPDATE on the West Wight school places issue will be provided next week. 

The ongoing saga, involving Yarmouth CE and All Saints' Primary Schools, will be addressed at next Thursday's Isle of Wight Council cabinet meeting.

The council said today (Wednesday) a verbal update from cabinet member for children's services, education and skills, Cllr Paul Brading, will be given.

A further report on tackling surplus primary school places will then be presented to the cabinet meeting in October.

Cllr Brading said the report will be delivered once all advice had been considered.

“This issue continues to be given our fullest consideration with the absolute focus being the best interests of schoolchildren in the West Wight, both now and for the long term sustainability," he said.

As reported, the council had to drop its previous plan — to close Yarmouth Primary and relocate it to the All Saints' site — following a legal challenge.

The council said it did not want to use its resources and taxpayers' money fighting the legal challenge.

At the time, an Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said the council was mindful of using limited council resources to resolve the matter in court, rather than spending them on the children.

The scrapped plans proposed closing All Saints and moving pupils to Yarmouth while building works were carried out to expand the All Saints' site, then closing Yarmouth and moving the combined schools back to Freshwater.

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