Post-16 education under review after funding cut

ASHAKE-UP of post-16 education in Bridgend county is under way with the closure of all sixth forms, mergers and greater collaboration among some of the options being considered.

The review comes after a £460,000 drop in post-16 funding for the local authority from Welsh Government because of falling student numbers due to demographics, and the loss of grant funds to cover transport costs.

Financial pressure has also led to a “steady erosion” in the range of subjects offered, with the loss of 10 subjects in the past few years and 16 potentially on the “endangered list”.

Presenting a report on the proposals at a Bridgend council cabinet meeting on Tuesday, post-16 officer John Fabes said: “It is generally recognised by the local authority, schools and Bridgend College that the current partnership arrangements are not fit for purpose.

“From a learner perspective, there are significant anomalies and equity issues across the borough.”

The council has drawn up a list of six concepts which will go out to public consultation between June and December.

The six concepts under consideration are:

■ The retention of sixth forms in all schools – the “status quo”;

■ the closure of all sixth forms and the development of a local authority maintained sixth-form centre;

■ the closure of all sixth forms and the development of a further education (FE) college-governed sixthform centre;

■ a mix of school sixth forms with some mergers to create new local authority-maintained sixth-form centre(s);

■ a mix of school sixth forms with some mergers to create new FE college-governed sixth-form centre(s); and

■ a full tertiary model governed by the FE sector.

The council’s preferred options are concepts four and five.

While capital funding bids for the development of sixth-form centres can take years to finalise, the council is proposing a number of short- to medium-term measures.

It aims to “significantly improve” the collaboration among existing sixth forms and Bridgend College with plans for integrated timetables and shared resources.

The proposals include all schools having a common timetable for their post-16 provision, with lessons starting and finishing at the same time, and a shared lunchtime.

Further details will come before the council’s cabinet next month.