LABOUR county councillors are backing the ending of Sheppey’s middle school system and calling for three additional secondary schools on the island.

The party has delivered its verdict on a county council shake-up proposed for Sheppey schools in a detailed report published this week.

Labour is distinctly cool about suggestions for a state-of-the-art specialist academy – thought to be one of County Hall’s favoured options.

It says such an academy would cost up to £25million and would not be cost-effective unless the Minster College site was sold off.

Instead, Labour says it wants to see the school’s existing middle schools become secondary schools for 11-to-16 year-olds, with Minster College also retained.

Each one would be a specialist school, separately managed. Under Labour proposals, the biggest impact would be felt by Minster, would take about 600 fewer pupils.

Sixth form courses would be based at Danley, which would be managed by someone responsible for co-ordinating education across the island for 14-to 19-year-olds.

Primary aged children would be served by nine or ten primary schools, with pupils transferring to secondary schools at 11, in line with the rest of the county.

Local county councillor Matt Wheatcroft, who is Labour’s education spokesman, said: “One of the things we want to do is reduce the size of Minster College and produce smaller, more easily manageable units.”