Sixth form review board suggests four site collegiate

The post-16 review project board has recommended that a new four-site college is created in a bid to improve academic and vocational performance in the town.

The colleges would be at Bexhill College, HCAT, one in Battle and a new college in Hastings, either in the town centre or at Helenswood Upper School. This would replace the sixth forms and be home to about 800 students.

If the Helenswood site was adopted, money would be ploughed into making the lower school suitable to accommodate years seven-11.

All would have a separate character and ethos and specialise in different areas.

They would have their own governing council to run the courses, but with an overarching corporation organising the timetables and financing of all four.

The colleges have been given a working name of Hastings and Rother Collegiate.

The cost of setting up the collegiate is predicted to be 26m, with money coming mostly from the Sussex Learning and Skills Council, who are running the review and fund post-16 education.

It is now the only option being discussed, and the county council's cabinet makes its decision to go forward to the consultation phase on Tuesday.

County council leader, Peter Jones, believes the proposal is a great chance to improve the prospects of young people in the area.

He said: "This is a once in a generation opportunity. If we get this right we can bring in more money and resources than we have had in the lifetime of most of us."

This proposal is still a long way from becoming a reality, with the county council determined to get support for the collegiate from the schools before any changes are made.

The schools are still fighting to keep sixth forms open and have been at loggerheads with the LSC throughout the process.

However, they have been offered several olive branches to soften the blow and bring them round to accept the collegiate idea, which has never previously been tried anywhere in England.

Firstly, schools would have a big say in how the new colleges would be run and have strong links with it. Secondly, a head from a secondary school in Hastings may be asked to run one of the colleges as a dual role.

Thirdly, teachers would have the opportunity to teach at their school and also A level at the college which should alleviate concerns about them leaving to find work in 11-18 schools out of the area. School teachers would also help in a pastoral care role to help students make the step between school and college.

And finally, the Local Education Authority and the LSC have said all five schools will stay open even if they lose their sixth forms. They plan to use the spare capacity in a creative way, possibly providing community facilities on school sites.

Denise Stokoe, director of education at the county council, said: "The government is very keen to develop 14-19 education which crosses schools and colleges and we have to find ways in which they can work together. This is a really innovative way of being able to do that."

She said she is aware of the concerns of parents who are worried about the potential changes.

"If I were a parent in Hastings and you are closing sixth forms I would be worried. But in terms of choice of learning and quality it's going to be greater and there is no question about that. And we may not be able to preserve the five sixth forms even if we do nothing because of falling numbers."

Henry Ball, executive director of the LSC, said the collegiate would help students make the right choices.

He said: "This model can put on a range of courses which are more likely to see appropriate choices made post-16 and success for individuals."