Bright future for youngsters

IT has been a rocky road for KGV College.

Once a proud institution that taught thousands of local people, it received a scathing Ofsted report in 2014 followed by other damnning inspections in the months that followed.

As pupil numbers plummeted and staff morale vanished, principal Adele Wills looked less like the principal of a college and more like the captain of the Titanic.

So it is great to see positive plans finally now in place to turn fortunes around.

The announcement earlier this year of a merger between KGV and Southport College was met with surprise by many, but in so many ways it makes sense.

The move utilises the strengths of both to give young people in Southport, and the surrounding areas, great choice and a great future.

It has been sad in recent months to see a growing exodus of students to colleges miles away from Southport.

A long commute on top of a busy school day is never helpful.

The shared knowledge and expertise between staff and teachers should bring huge benefits. The merger will enable the colleges to work together in developing a curriculum that is both wide-ranging and high in quality. Closer working will open new opportunities for investment.

The end result should see two flourishing centres of excellence in Southport, with KGV specialising in A-levels and Southport College growing its reputation for vocational training.

After huge concerns in recent years the future is now looking extremely bright for young people in our area.