We the undersigned, petition the Isle of Wight Council to prevent the closure of St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ampthill Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight. On Friday 26th May 2023, pupils and parents read in the Isle of Wight press that their school potentially faced closure by September 2024. The report was published before consultation with the St. Mary's staff and school community. The school currently has 212 happy Primary and Preschool pupils enrolled teaching ages 2 to 11 years.  

St. Mary's School is the only Catholic Primary School in Ryde, the Island's largest town, with a population of 24,847 people (Isle of Wight population 140,500). It is also one of only four exclusively Catholic Primary Schools on the Isle of Wight, connected to the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth, and serving a committed religious minority. The next nearest Catholic Primary Schools are of a great distance away, which would create financial hardship and upheaval for families. Holy Cross, Cowes is 8.6 miles away, St. Thomas of Canterbury, Newport is 10.2 miles, and St. Saviours, Totland Bay, is 21.1 miles. Closure of the school would be damaging to every child and staff member, as well as negatively impacting the Ryde and Catholic communities as a whole. 

The prospect of erasing St Mary's from our community, removes the right of parent's to raise their children according to their spiritual beliefs and values. As a Voluntary aided school we have contributed ten percent of the funds to run the school from our community and diocese, which must be acknowledged by the Local Education Authority.

The Council report, 'School Place Planning' goes before the Isle of Wight Council's cabinet. As parents and a community we oppose the proposed closure of St. Mary's and demand that we are fully informed and consulted. In signing this petition, we stand together to stll save St. Mary's Catholic Primary School.

The original 'School Place Planning Report' was dropped by Isle of Wight Council, after less then one week. This petition  has continued to aim to reach 2,500 signatures for official recognition by the Isle of Wight Council. 

On Thursday 3rd August 2023, it was announced that The 'School Place Planning report' would go before the Isle of Wight Council Cabinet, to discuss St Mary's School. This was dropped again on the same day, Thursday 3rd August 2023, after being overturned.  

We continue to stand against the closure of St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Ryde.