Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Angry students demand U-turn over scrapping of A-level courses
Shell-shocked students facing upheaval as Canterbury College prepares to axe its entire A-level provision are campaigning for the plan to be dropped.
Teenagers have mobilised a petition with hundreds of supporters demanding the college has a rethink.
Campaigners contacted the Gazette to speak of the students’ dismay at hearing through social media that their courses face cancellation.
Worst-hit are those who have completed their first year of A-level study and may now have to complete their second year elsewhere.
The college has sought to assure these students that it will find them places on similar courses elsewhere, or allow them to finish their studies on site if the worst comes to the worst.
Harley Lily, 17, says she opted to study the college’s creative writing A-level course because there was nothing like it available elsewhere.
She has started an online petition calling on the college to reconsider its plans.
“There’s nowhere else for these students to go. There’s nowhere to simply pick up the course at another place nearby,” she said.
“I really think it’s important that the college sees how upset people are.
“In an ideal world they would keep all the A-level provision, but they should at least let those who have started finish.”
Last week we revealed how col- lege bosses were preparing to axe the A-level department as part of a cost-cutting drive.
Senior managers had broken the news to shocked staff, 28 of whom face redundancy under the proposals.
The move would leave desperate A-level students needing to find alternative places to finish their studies, where possible, and frustrate others who planned to start at the college in September.
Jessica Greening, also 17, has just finished her first year of A-levels in law, history and English literature.
She said: “It’s really hard hearing this at this point. I found out on social media, from Kentonline.
“Before I started I was looking at other places. The thing I found was that I couldn’t do all three choices at the same time.
“There was always some sort of clash. I need all three to go to the university I want to go to.”
College principal Alison Clarke, who retires this year, said no firm decision had yet been made.
“The college has confirmed that each student will be offered a one-to-one information, advice and guidance session, to consider the options for completing their studies,” she said.
“If the college is unable to find an alternative provider we would like to reassure each student, and their parents, that we will enable them to complete their course at the Canterbury campus.”
A spokesman clarified that in such an event, while courses would be closed to new entrants and staffing scaled back, adequate provision would remain for a further year to allow those affected to complete their studies.
The petition has almost 1,000 supporters. To sign it visit www. change.org
What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk or write to Gazette House, 5-8 Boorman Way, Wraik Hill, Whitstable, CT5 3SE