Will two schools go into one?

That is the question being asked as work gets underway on Rye’s pioneering new Studio School.

The issue surfaced at the recent Rye Town Meeting where concerns were raised that the new studio school could be at the expense of Rye College.

One parent said: “I am concerned about the future of Rye College.

“This new school will take up a third of its land and two of its buildings. It will also see the college losing several of its top staff to work at the new school.

“Will this new school be at the expense of our established College?”

But Rye College head Ann Cockerham was quick to dispel this commenting: “There is no danger of numbers falling at Rye College. We have a healthy intake of people wanting to come here. Applications for Rye College have actually gone up in 2013.