Powys Council, in East Wales, is currently and seriously considering a radical move to having no schools at all. This change would reduce the number of sixth forms from many to two. The waiver proposal has galvanized fierce local pushback from local officials and area residents. It comes as a result of worries expressed by education workers that the county-wide model with so many sixth forms in the secondary schools would not be financially sustainable.
A damning March report by education watchdog Estyn called for immediate radical transformation. It called on the council to do more to ensure adequate post-16 educational provision across Powys. At the moment Crickhowell has the biggest sixth form in the area. It draws learners in from the whole of Powys, but from nearby areas in Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent.
To address these issues, one of the proposed solutions is the establishment of a sixth form college that would operate under a single board of governors and management team across two locations: Brecon and Newtown. This innovative collaborative model—the first of its kind in the nation—serves to maximize resources and broaden the educational experience available to students.
Powys has a strong opportunity to build a Welsh medium sixth form college. This college would cater to students from Welsh medium all-through schools, equipping students with both technical and professional education. This college would operate independently, which would be problematic in terms of integration and accessibility.
Crickhowell councillor Chloe Masefield shared her concerns about the review process. She focused on how the proposals would negatively impact local students.
“Every single person in the area of Crickhowell,” – Councillor Chloe Masefield
Dr Richard Jones, director of education in Powys, defended the council’s approach. He underscored that they had reached deeply and wide prior to bringing this model forward. As we discussed earlier, he focused on how the moment called for a reconsideration of traditional education models.
“That’s provided us with a framework for three options to go out to engagement,” – Dr. Richard Jones
The winning proposals will go through a rigorous engagement process. During the next six months, there will be plenty of opportunities for community members to seriously make their voices heard. Councillor Sue McNicholas, who represents the area of Ynyscedwyn near Ystradgynlais, voiced her concerns over students being driven away. She sounded an alarm that if drastic changes were implemented, local pupils might “bleed out in droves” to contiguous jurisdictions.
The council is slated to begin welcoming public input and guiding the engagement process later this month. The committee’s recommendations will now be made for the Liberal Democrat/ Labour cabinet to consider further.
The discussions have forced some logistical considerations for a potential sixth form college. Dr Jones went on to point out that Welshpool is an ideal location for an English medium sixth form. Yet, this innovative idea could fail to serve all students in a timely way.
