College Anger over Council's School 6th Form Plan

4.06.54pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 7th Feb 2006

The Principal of Esher College has protested strongly to the council over the latter's proposal to build a sixth form for 350 pupils in the borough, and has written to the Secretary of State, the Learning and Skills Council and local MPs. He argues that the plan will have "profoundly negative" effects on the college which takes over 100 pupils from Teddington and large numbers from other local secondary schools.

Vincent Cable said: "it is painfully clear that the council hasn't thought its plans through. The new 6th form will have major, negative consequences for both the Tertiary College and Esher and for other secondary schools like Whitton and HCC, which have seen resources diverted from their own overdue modernisations and which will now find it more difficult to attract pupils. Teddington is a good and popular secondary school which merits support but this isn't the way to do it."

"As the Principal rather tartly points out, Richmond Council should be concentrating on 11-16 performance in its secondary schools".