'Why can’t there be a sixth form?': Question to be posed to Powys County Council

The call to reinstate sixth form education at Newtown High School’s John Beddoes campus in Presteigne will be posed by Jane Jones at a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday in the questions from members of the public section.

Ms Jones said: “Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board find it hard to get professionals; is this anything to do with the shutting sixth forms and local colleges?

“My children go to John Beddoes and after 16 education is all out of county.

“Why can’t there be a sixth form in John Beddoes with distance learning or better transport to Powys colleges from Knighton and Presteigne.”

Despite being more than 27 miles apart, the John Beddoes campus is part of Newtown High School.

She also asks whether help with transport can be provided for children going on to study at colleges and sixth forms over the English border in Ludlow or Hereford.

Ms Jones added: “We need to invest in our children, so they come and be our doctors, environmental health officers, teachers and nurses.”

In his response the cabinet member responsible for post-16 education, Liberal Democrat Councillor David Selby said: “Whilst it is recognised that there hasn’t been a sixth form at the John Beddoes campus since 2013, young people are able to access provision at alternative sixth forms/college sites within the county or choose to travel out-of-county to other providers.

“The council funds free transport to their nearest post-16 provider. ”

Councillor Selby added that if pupils are leaving the county to study a subject not available in Powys and application can be made to the council for a grant worth up to £900 a year to go towards the cost of transport.

But the applicant would need to sort out the transport arrangements themselves.

Councillor Selby said there was a need to improve the post-16 offer across the county.

“We are currently reviewing sixth form provision across the county in order to develop a more sustainable learning offer,” he said.

Powys currently has 11 sixth forms in its 12 secondary school sites and NPTC group of colleges has two campuses in Newtown and Brecon that offer a range of vocational subjects.

Councillor Selby said: “Most young people then progress on to higher education, but we know that many choose not to return to the county once they have graduated, for a number of reasons.”

Councillor Selby points out that the council does have a Graduate Development Scheme and also offers apprenticeships.

At Thursday’s meeting Ms Jones has the right of reply and will be allowed to ask an extra question to Councillor Selby should she wish to do so.

John Beddoes High School in Presteigne closed and then reopened in April 2014 as part of Newtown High School.