Axe finally falls on Tetbury sixth form (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Axe finally falls on Tetbury sixth form

THE FINAL axe has fallen on Tetbury's sixth form following a heated debate at Shire Hall last Wednesday.

Gloucestershire County Councillors voted 29-21 against a motion recommending the Cabinet to reconsider its decision to close the sixth form.

However, the Conservative Group expressed outrage at the motion which had been added to the agenda following an education and scrutiny committee meeting the day before.

The short notice meant many councillors did not have access to relevant council papers before the debate.

Many members also said they were confused over the difference between a sixth form, which already had links with other providers, and an 11-16 school with post-16 provision.

Conservative Cllr Tony Hicks, who represents Tetbury, said: "Parents, teachers and students at the sixth form have worked very hard to put their case to councillors.

"To give most members such short notice of this debate is to treat their concerns with contempt.

"I fear in this case it's the students and future students at the school who will suffer."

The education and scrutiny committee called in the Cabinet's decision earlier this month because it did not think enough attention had been paid to the views of Tetbury people.

But council leader Peter Clarke and education portfolio holder Cllr Charmian Sheppard reiterated the cabinet's reasons for closure last Wednesday.

They said the school's 11-16 budget was being wrongly used to subsidise the sixth form, its small class sizes were not financially viable and students could benefit from a larger choice of courses funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

Cllr Sheppard added: "We wish to work with the school and other education providers to ensure that post-16 education could still continue on site. Staff could be brought in from across the area.

"We have a duty to ensure that students have a wide variety of subjects to meet life full on. This would be a way for them to enhance their learning."

The sixth form is now expected to close in 2007. The move has to be ratified by the Learning and Skills Council.

See the letters page for a comment from the school's headteacher and chair of governors.

* Sixthformers at Sir William Romney's School are giving younger pupils a helping hand with their reading.

The new scheme is aimed at Year Seven pupils in an effort to boost literacy skills.

Sixthformer Emma Schummy said: "We listen to students read to us. "Each pupil has their own target and we monitor them over a period of time."

Young pupils taking part have two sessions a week with a sixthformer and receive a certificate on completion.

Year 12 student Jamie Mansfield said: "If the students have reading problems they can come to us voluntarily.

"I think the scheme shows how important sixthformers are within the school."