Members supported a consultation document put forward by West Sussex County Council for a restructuring of primary education in the
area, but subject to a re-examination of the viability of Rogate and Northchapel as all-through schools for ages four to 11.

Rogate is currently proposed for closure, and Northchapel for an infant school.

District councillors also pressed for 'appropriate supervision' on school buses to ensure the safe transport of young children between home
and school - and for assurances that all school staff and head teachers would be fairly treated in any redeployment following restructuring.
These recommendations had been tabled by the district's policy development committee.

The council also voted to support the establishment of an academy to replace the three existing secondary schools, subject
to three recommended provisos:

*In appointing the senior leadership team of the academy, the claims of the leadership teams of the three schools are given special
consideration.

*The new local governing body contains strong representation of parents and the community.

*The academy in its outreach work with primary schools makes provision for specialist teaching skills for year six.

In a debate on proposals for primary education, Cllr Heather Caird said she was concerned that falling school rolls could get worse, and
parents could move away from West Sussex as a schooling environment to Surrey or Hampshire.

Cllr Brian Hooton said Northchapel was a happy and successful school. "I can see no justification for tearing the heart out of a community, on the evidence so far put forward," he declared.

Young children would be taken out of their environment, subjected to a very tiring journey every day, and put into a very strange environment.
Cllr Brian Weekes said that if this proposal was pursued, a community would be destroyed.

"We will eventually see the school disappear and the village shop disappear," he warned.

This was because people living in villages around the area would have alternatives, and would take their children to school over the borders.
Children were being put second, which was a terrible thing.

Cllr Stephen Quigley, chairman of the policy committee, said during a subsequent debate on proposals for secondary education that it was
felt the idea of an academy was well worth supporting, but there were issues that they needed reassurance on.

Cllr Nick Thomas said Midhurst Town Council had very strong concerns, reflecting the views of local people, that the academy should be placed
on the present school site in Midhurst.

"There are lovely traditional buildings there that could be part of the mix," he added.

The local concern was that the 'heart and soul' of Midhurst should be retained at the present location.