Keep up the pressure to save our sixth form (From Gazette Series)

Keep up the pressure to save our sixth form

SIR - The Vale of Berkeley College has been in the news quite a lot recently. It is the county's smallest secondary school and is home to the county's smallest sixth form. As such it is one of the sixth forms being put under the spotlight in the education authority's review of its post-16 provision.

The review is being undertaken because of criticisms of the authority by Ofsted, who found in their January, 2002, review that "sixth form provision in Gloucestershire was unplanned, uneconomic and ill-fitted to need in some schools".

Coincidentally, Ofsted examined the sixth form at the Vale of Berkeley College at that time and said that its strengths included "the range of courses offered and the standards reached by 6th formers in the vocational courses taken" - two key issues for consideration by the authority. Ofsted also highlighted the benefits that the sixth form students bring to the rest of the school, including their impact on the lower school and the ability to attract and retain well qualified staff for the whole school.

This review is not about standards. It is about the breadth of curriculum on offer and cost. We match our courses to the needs of each year's students and it works - our students are successful with the vast majority going on to university. We do subsidise our sixth form from within the school's budget but not at the expense of other students. Ofsted said: "Each sixth form student costs much more than average but this has very little effect on provision in the rest of the school." What our sixth form students put back into the school and the community cannot be measured in purely financial terms.

Students in this part of the county are fortunate to have real choices - large or small sixth forms and technology, science or language colleges. Why limit choice when it is not about standards of education and the cost is not affecting others' education? Why, in this technological age, take away from sixth form students the opportunity to study in a specialist, well-equipped technology college?

I firmly believe that the way forward is through collaboration not closure and that the authority should build on our well-established good practice, unique in this area, of offering academic, vocational and work-based training. It is what the government wants and it is what society needs and it is already on offer at the Vale of Berkeley College. Why scrap it when we can build on it?

As you reported before Christmas, at a recent packed public meeting in November, officers and members of the county council were left in no doubt that there was overwhelming support for the school to retain its sixth form. I hope that the council take into account all the positive things said about the school by our MP, David Drew, our supporters and members of the community. The debate still goes on, the council having extended their deadline for receiving comments to February 2.

It is vitally important that we continue to produce evidence about the value and benefits of our sixth form. Please write to individual members of the cabinet, to county councillors and to Roger Crouch, chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council, and let them know how important our sixth form is to the community. Any emails or letters sent to the school will be forwarded on your behalf.

I should also like to thank everyone who attended the meeting and who have already sent messages of support to us and to the authority. Please do not stop now; one last round of letters and emails will help to remind people about what we have achieved and what we can continue to achieve on your and your children's behalf.

Stewart Greenwell, Chairman of governors Vale of Berkeley College, Wanswell, Berkeley