PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Isle of Wight Studio School: Expenditure (23 May 2018)

The department and the academy trust responsible for the Isle of Wight Studio School – the Inspire Academy Trust – both agree that the school is not viable. The school was established to be a provision for 14 to 19 year olds (years 10 to 13); however, pupil numbers are currently at only 40% of capacity, providing education for 14 to 16 year olds only (years 10 and 11).

Ormiston Academies Trust submitted a bid for emergency school improvement funding, to support to the current year 10 and 11 cohorts until 2019. Ormiston later withdrew this application, as they were not able to demonstrate that their support would be sustainable long-term.

On 28 February 2018, Inspire Academy Trust informed the Regional Schools Commissioner of its proposal to close the Isle of Wight Studio School. Prior to making an in principle decision for closure, the department explored alternative options for the future of the school. The Regional Schools Commissioner and the Inspire Academy Trust spoke to potential alternative trusts about sponsoring the studio school. However, the long-term viability of the school presented challenges to finding a trust willing to proceed.

The department is considering responses to the listening period, which ended on 22 May. A final decision on the closure of the school will be made in light of these, and to ensure that the educational provision on the island is of the highest quality and provides genuine value.

Revenue and capital costs associated with the studio schools are published on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-spending-on-open-and-withdrawn-utcs-and-studio-schools and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-funding-for-open-free-schools.

Additional, updated revenue and capital costs for individual free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools are due to be published in the coming months.