Plans to scrap sixth form gain steam

Torfaen Council has recently approved the plans to shut down three local sixth forms in Torfaen. Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran and St. Alban’s Sixth Form are due to be closed and a replacement Sixth Form college is scheduled to be built to open in September 2019. The new college will accommodate over 1000 students, but the proposals must be approved by the Welsh Government before construction can begin. Many concerns have arisen from staff, students and parents, who are all calling on the Welsh Assembly to save our Sixth Forms.

In January last year, Torfaen Council firstly proposed to destroy three sixth forms. This was proposed in order to construct a larger Torfaen College as opposed to students continuing on to Sixth form in Cwmbran High, St Alban’s and Croesyceiliog schools. The college will amalgamate all three sixth forms and provide post 16 education for students at 11-16 schools in the county as well. Cllr David Yeowell describes it as a “fantastic opportunity for all pupils”, despite a lot of controversy. In response to this, Mrs Sophie Toovey (English teacher at St Alban’s and head of MAT) devised a petition to oppose Torfaen’s proposals (https://www.change.org/p/alison-ward-oppose-torfaen-s-post-16-proposals). So far, over one thousand students, teachers and parents are in favour of saving the sixth forms with 81 objections submitted to the plan.

Jacob speaks to Mrs Toovey at St Alban’s on the proposed 6th Form closures

The future sixth form centre will supposedly cost over £20 million and will greatly impact the local economy, not to mention the teachers and most importantly the students. On the 14th March, Torfaen’s council officially approved the plan. A decision is expected to be made by the Welsh Government in the next few months.

Responses to the Proposals

Several pupils at St. Alban’s R.C. High School have strong opinions about our Sixth Form potentially closing. Every pupil that we have spoken to has expressed concern about the detrimental effect that a potential sixth form college in Cwmbran could have. Not only will the education and welfare of students be affected by this proposal, but also the local community and school overall.

Mrs Sophie Toovey, one of the main protestors of the Post-16 Proposal, has expressed concern that the voices of the students and teachers are not being heard. She has described the consultation period as Torfaen Council simply “tipping their hat to democracy.” It is yet to be seen whether the Welsh Government will simply take their lead from Torfaen Council or whether they will stand up for what the people want. That is, standing up for what is right for the education of young adults, ones that should be able to decide where they wish to attend. However, it is not just the education of people over sixteen that this proposal is affecting. Mrs Toovey is also concerned that younger students look up to sixth formers as a role model and once that option is taken from them they will have no one left to aspire to. For younger students, the idea of making decisions about their future is a daunting prospect, but having sixth formers there ready to guide them through the process makes the idea of those decisions less intimidating.

Year 10 students will be the first to affected by the proposal. After spending one year doing AS levels at St. Alban’s, they will then be removed from the school to be transferred to the new college. They are being denied the right to a fluid education, possibly suffering duplication or omission of work in different modules, and unable to build a relationship with the teachers that will not only be a detriment in their references for university, but also in their education.

Some Year 10 pupils from St. Alban’s claim that “removing the chance to complete our A levels with teachers that we feel comfortable with and know how to best challenge us will not only risk our education, but our future.” A prime example of how the Sixth Form has affected the lives of students is Lucy Davies, a Sixth Form Student who has been offered a place at Oxford University after spending her Sixth Form here and being part of the Seren network (http://gov.wales/topics/educationandskills/learningproviders/seren/?lang=en). When we asked her about the potential closure of the sixth form, she said that “It would destroy the community atmosphere in the school.” She also believes that “without a fluid education and good relationships with my teachers, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I have.”

Mrs Emma Read, Head of English and an Associate Head at St. Alban’s, expressed concerns that our school produces more A*/A grades than the current colleges available. She is also worried that the students who are achieving these high grades will be at risk of having no choice but to accept a mediocre education in a college environment at the hardest point in their education.

Jacob speaks to Mrs Read at St Alban’s on the proposed 6th Form closures

Raising a valid point, Mrs Read expressed concern that the Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw School have the ability to keep their Sixth Form. Due to the fact that they are a Welsh speaking School, the government are allowing a special exemption for them, whereas St. Alban’s, being one of the only faith schools under the jurisdiction, will be forced to surrender their Sixth Form, regardless of being the only one of its kind in the region.

This is unsettling for some students because St. Alban’s prides itself on its sense of community and faith-based school life. For some students, this is the most important aspect of their school career. Finally, most teachers and students alike are worried about the right of students to have a choice about their education being taken away.

When interviewing teachers from St. Alban’s, one of the concerns not raised was about their own careers and futures. With pay cuts and job losses promised from the implementation of this new plan, the subject was never addressed. From 2019 this new facility will not only be a detriment to the education of children, but also to the lives of the teachers as well. Many teachers will either have to consider changing fields or simply accepting that they will have to move to the new Sixth Form. The real concern of the teachers at this institution isn’t about themselves, but about the impact on the education of students this move will have. They have expressed little concerns about themselves and increasing concern about how truly damaging it is that the students’ voices are not being listened to by the Council.

Jacob speaks to St Alban’s pupils Charlotte, Connor & Maddy

With the rising uproar of both students, teachers and parents who have turned to petitions and letters to address this issue, their voices have still been undermined. St. Alban’s welcomes students from all different boroughs, Gwent being one. Many of the students from this borough could have been easily sent to the Ebbw Vale Learning Centre, yet parents still chose to send their children to this institution. Surely then the need for choice outweighs the need for compulsion.

Whilst Torfaen have made their decision, our Headteacher Michael Coady has told us, “The final decision now lies with the Cabinet Secretary of Education and until this decision is made we are still able to make our case.”