Dorchester'S three-tier education system looks set to remain in place for the time being at least.

Education chiefs in the county are proposing to keep the status quo for the way schools in Dorset are organised.

But education experts have warned that falling rolls could change the situation in the future.

Now they are asking members of the public to have their say on whether the proposal is the right thing for Dorset and its children.

The proposal to leave Dorset as a mixture of two-tier - primary, and secondary and three-tier - first, middle and upper schools - follows the first phase of the 'great education debate'.

Stage two of the debate has just been launched and a series of public meetings are planned over the next few weeks to give people a chance to have their say on a range of proposals that will help shape the future of education in the county.

Independent chairman of the shake-up Roy Pryke, who will chair the five public meetings, has drawn up a number of recommendations to be considered as part of the debate.

He said: "The council should recognise there is neither consensus, capacity in the building programme nor educational grounds for reorganisation into a countywide two tier system, but register with communities that a decline in pupil numbers may require a study conducted in close collaboration with the locality into the efficiency and effectiveness of the pattern of schools in their area."

He recommended that three-tier schools continue to be supported but advises that where there are reasons to review school provision changes to the three-tier system may provide an option.

Details of a number of proposals are included in the stage two consultation document which is available on line at www.dorset

foryou.com/greatdebate

Meetings are being held on Tuesday May 24 at Kingston Maurward College, Dorchester; Thursday, May 26 at Gillingham School, on Tuesday, June 7, at The Sir John Colfox School, Bridport on Wednesday, June 8 at Ferndown Middle School and on Monday, June 13 at The Purbeck School, Wareham. All meetings will start at 6.30pm.

The closing date for feedback in this phase of the Great Debate is Friday, July 1 and a final report will considered by the new county council in the autumn.