Eastbourne school could be closing its sixth form

Gildredge House, in Compton Place Road, currently has more than 1,200 students between the ages of four and 19. According to the school, every year group is over-subscribed but the number of sixth form students is low because of the range of other post-16 options on offer in East Sussex. As a result, the school says it’s been difficult to continue providing a broad A-Level curriculum for students to choose from. The school says no longer having a sixth form (Year 12 and 13) would enable it to concentrate on its primary and secondary provisions.

Headteacher Craig Bull said: “This is not a decision the trustees and governors have taken lightly. This is a successful and thriving school, but we do not expect sixth form numbers to rise to the level we expected when we first opened.”

A formal consultation has now started involving parents, other schools, and the wider community. If it is decided the sixth form will close, a proposal that has to be approved by the government, it will not affect students currently in the sixth form.

Mr Bull said: “I want to reassure parents this will not affect students already in Years 12 and 13. Their studies will continue and our absolute commitment to them remains. The closure would simply mean no new sixth form admissions from September 2023.”

Mr Bull said students in Year 11 who are set to do their GCSEs and then consider their post-16 education would be fully supported in making their next steps. He said: “There is an increasingly diverse range of post-16 opportunities in East Sussex, and we have very good relationships with other schools and colleges. As in previous years, 100 per cent of our students will be supported into further education, training, or employment through our much-praised careers advice team. This will continue to be our priority so all our Year 11 students are fully supported in making the right decision for them, if the closure goes ahead.”

Julian Mace, the chair of governors, said education experts advise that sixth forms with fewer than 250 students struggle to be financially viable if they are going to provide a wide enough range of high-quality courses. Currently there are 64 students at the sixth form. He said: “Despite low student numbers in our sixth form, we have remained committed to keeping it open. But we now have to look at the future for the whole school. The school’s finances are robust, and we are flourishing. However, if we continue with sixth form provision the investment of resources into the education of all our other students could be compromised and that’s not something we are prepared to do.”

The consultation runs until January 14 2023. After that the proposal and the consultation results will be shared with the Education Skills & Funding Agency and the Regional Schools Commissioner. It will then be submitted to the Secretary of State for Education.

More information on the consultation

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