Sixth Forms

I have received a letter from Education quango ELWA Chairman Sheila Drury in which she confirms that sixth forms will stay in the Rhondda.

Mrs Drury says:

‘The Tribal Report for RCT is making a clear recommendation for a consortium approach to post 16 provision in the Rhondda. This will mean the retention of sixth forms at Porth, Treorchy, Tonypandy, Ferndale (and Tonyrefail.)’

I also met with Jane Timmins of ELWA who has apologised for the misleading presentation that was given to local schools a few weeks ago by consultants working for ELWA. This presentation explicitly said that the ‘Preferred option’ for the Rhondda involved centralisation of post-16 teaching at a tertiary college in Porth.

ELWA has therefore now confirmed to me that sixth forms will stay in the Rhondda. Only if the consortium model of working fails to deliver for students and pupils would there be any changes. It is now up to the schools and Coleg Morgannwg to demonstrate that the consortium model of schools and the college working together, can deliver for students.

I have also now heard from Education Minister Jane Davidson, who has confirmed that sixth forms will stay:

Ms Davidson says in her letter:

‘A number of possibilities are emerging but these are ideas and no more than that. You will know that ELWA plans to consult widely in December to elicit opinions from a wide range of stakeholders…Neither the suggestions you report in your letter, nor the December proposals, will have any formal status. They will be no more than working ideas.’