UNDER FIRE Sandown Bay Academy trust AET has denied it is axing teachers in a bid to subsidise other schools.


Six teachers, 12 support staff and the school nurse face redundancy as part of sweeping cuts set to be made by the school.

Isle of Wight Council executive member for education Cllr Chris Whitehouse said yesterday (Tuesday) there had been allegations AET was cutting £850,000 from the school's budget over the next two years, to 'cross subsidise AET activity elsewhere.'

Having raised serious concerns with the schools minister and Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner, he said: "In my view, the organisation is simply not up to the job and should be relieved of its responsibilities and replaced by a sponsor that can deliver the improvements and expertise that Sandown Bay Academy needs."

His view was shared by Sandown North member Cllr Bob Blezzard.

Essex-based AET is the biggest multi-academy trust in the country, running 67 schools nationally, including Ryde Academy. 

In February 2016, an Ofsted report examining the performance of AET schools concluded it was failing too many students and there was a lack of consistent improvement.

In a statement today (Wednesday) an AET spokesman denied Sandown's budget was being sacrificed to subsidise other schools.

"Sandown Bay is working within a very difficult funding environment. The current funding crisis for education has been widely reported, and schools right across the country are experiencing severe difficulties as a result.  

"On the Isle of Wight these problems are exacerbated by over-capacity, as a result of which Sandown Bay, in common with several other schools on the Island, is experiencing student numbers which have fallen by ten per cent per year over the past three years, and are predicted to continue declining.

"Within this difficult context, Sandown Bay has needed to make some very tough decisions, and AET has been working closely with the head and governors to agree restructuring plans.  

"£850,000 was the original level of savings recommended, in the light of current and projected pupil numbers, in order to get the school in good financial shape.  Following discussions with the head, the current target is less than £250,000.  

"Far from recommending these savings to cross-subsidise activities elsewhere in AET, however, as has been alleged, they are being made in order to focus resources where they are needed in the school. Our priority, and that of Sandown Bay, is on educational performance and on ensuring the best possible outcomes for the children and the families we serve."