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Protest march against sixth form closure
MP Norman Baker has called for plans to suspend the sixth form at Seaford Head Community College to be halted.
Mr Baker and Seaford Town Council leader Councillor Jon Freeman made the announcement following a protest march on Saturday (November 10), where parents and students walked through the town to show their defiance.
The group assembled at the Lower School in Steyne Road, following a route to the town to a rally at the Salts recreation ground.
The march was staged after Lynton Golds, principal of SHCC, made the announcement last month that sixth form provision at the college is to be suspended in September next year.
A number of pupils carried banners with the slogan, "Save our sixth form, community college, community choice".
At the salts, speeches were made by Mr Baker and Cllr Freeman, as well as Frankie Jones, last year's head girl.
The MP, who has already raised the idea with Matt Dunkley, head of children's services at East Sussex County Council, said, "It is clear that the town wants its sixth form to be retained and frankly, it is difficult to understand how a town the size of Seaford, with 25,000 people cannot support a sixth form when much smaller communities such as Ringmer appear to be able to do so.
"I am also concerned that the decision to suspend the sixth form has not been subject to any sort of proper discussion with parents, students or locally elected representatives. In my view, this all suggests that the right way forward now is for the plans to suspend the sixth form to be shelved for a year, and for meaningful engagement between the college and the local community to take place, with a view to finding a way to deal with the school's legitimate concerns about funding."
Cllr Freeman added, "I have discussed the matter with the school, and they are concerned that there are not enough students enrolled for the sixth form, even though numbers are up on last year.
"It is also the case that with the government planning to require all students to stay in education until 18, and with the general growth of the town, numbers in future years are likely to rise further.
"All this suggests to me that the matter needs to be further considered before drastic action is taken and I think Norman's idea of a one-year breather is a sensible one that I hope the school will support."
A number of students and parents have been left angered by the news to axe the sixth-form, a decision made following consultation between governors and East Sussex County Council.
It means any current Year 11 students will not be admitted into Year 12 and face travelling to Eastbourne, Lewes or Brighton to continue their education.
Tom Roper, whose son is in the sixth form and is heavily involved in the campaign said of the march, "I think we're very pleased with it, we got quite a lot of attention from people in the town.
"It started off with about 50 people and we picked up a lot of people on the way.
"The closure is also going to be discussed at Thursday's (November 15) meeting and some of use are hoping to go along to that.
"What we hope now is that the ball is in the governor's and county council's court and they find someway out of this."
More information can be found on the issue at the Keep Seaford Head Sixth Form website.
Thursday's council meeting will take place at 7pm at Seaford Baptist Church in Belgrave Road.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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