Fears sixth form closure will hit A‑level ambitions

The approaching closure of a sixth form in Norfolk could deter young people from choosing to take A-levels, a group of councillors has warned.

The Synergy Multi Academy Trust (SMAT) recently announced it was going to shut Sheringham Sixth Form to new students due to a projected upcoming intake of just 50 youngsters. It said the decision was being made with "great disappointment".

Bodham Parish Council has written to the trust objecting to the decision and raising concerns about how long it could take students to travel elsewhere.

District councillor Callum Ringer, who is also chairman of the parish council, said the closure "might dissuade some of our local young people from actually going on and getting A-levels".

The village of Bodham is about 2.4 miles (3.9km) from Sheringham.

Ringer acknowledged the parish council had "little influence" but said it still wanted "the view of residents known".

He believed it was a "short-term decision", adding it could take students about an hour, each way, to travel for alternative education from the village.

"Transport availability already limits educational choice and opportunity, and removal of the sixth form will only exacerbate this," the letter read.

Ringer also said people could be "less likely to relocate" to the area due to the removal of sixth form provision.

SMAT said: "The Department for Education (DoE) guidance states that a sixth form needs at least one hundred students per year group to be financially viable and offer an appropriate breadth of courses."

While it would no longer run courses for Year 12 students from September, the trust said applicants could transfer to Reepham College - with transport provided and additional courses on offer.

It said pupils already doing their A-levels at the sixth form would be able to continue and complete them.

Consultations into staffing have begun across the schools run by SMAT.

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