Merthyr Council are proposing to restructure the way post 16 education is delivered in the area, their proposal is to close all school 6th forms and create a tertiary college in the centre of town. This will mean that there will be NO FAITH BASED 6th Form education provision in the Merthyr area. Other areas within Wales could make similar proposals shortly.
There is a viable alternative to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council's proposal whereby Bishop Hedley Catholic High School could keep its Sixth Form and work co-operatively with the Tertiary College. (i.e) The format that is extremely successful in the Neath – Port Talbot Authority.
Faith based Education Works (FEW) are firmly against this proposal and wish faith based education to be promoted and protected in the same way as Welsh language education. We the undersigned are fully against the proposal and would like this to be noted at the Welsh Assembly Government
Yet again the elected members don't listen to their constituents. The only thing this college will succeed in doing is increasing the teenage pregnancy rate!
Our councillors have no concern about education, they are only thinking of the money!
I support Bishop Hedley RC High School Sixth form being retained, and parents and pupils having the alternative of a faith based education up to 18. and know what a great job the sixth form does. W.A.G. please listen.
Itegral to the nature of this successful, faith-based school is the 6th form, which represents a goal for the younger pupils to aspire to. The presence of KS5 students gives the school an X factor that disaapears if this provision is withdrawn. If the numbers were in terminal decline or the 6th form failing according to Inspectors' reports there would be a case for closure. This manifestly is not the case and the staus quo should be retained.
My son should have a choice at 16 whether to attend a faith based school or not. His education is paramount to us his parents and our views have been ignored by Merthyr council. This proposal is about saving money not about providing choice at post 16.