Councillor reassures people worried over school’s future

A South Downs county councillor has spoken out to reassure parents and teachers who are concerned over the future of their village school.

Pat Arculus, who represents the Pulborough division on the county council and lives in West Chiltington, was responding to comments expressed by a worried ex-Rydon parent to the County Times.

He was concerned that a review into the ‘age of transfer’ for Storrington and Steyning areas, announced by West Sussex County Council, could result in the demise of Rydon Community College - a middle school currently teaching pupils in years six to eight.

Mrs Arculus said she wanted to reassure people that ‘nothing has been decided’ at this stage.

“We have very good schools in our area, and when parents approached the county council to look at the educational provision it was with the intention of looking for opportunities to enhance what is already there,” she told the Couty Times this week.