DORSET County Council has voted in favour of a two-tier education system in Purbeck.
A meeting of the full council on Thursday morning voted by 28 to 11 with one abstention in favour of a primary and secondary system.
Cabinet member for education, Cllr Toni Coombs, told councillors that there was 25 per cent spare capacity in Purbeck schools, equivalent to 1,250 pupils.
She said: “Dorset is 138th out of 150 nationally for funding per pupil. If we were at the top, we might be in a different situation, but unfortunately this world dictates we must make the best use of what we are dealt with.
“We have low funding and must make the best use of it.”
The decision means four middle schools in Purbeck will close.
Rob Graham, the headteacher of Sandford Middle School, told the Daily Echo he was “extremely disappointed”.
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