Sixth form closes weeks into term

The pupils will have to find alternative courses

Angry parents and students are protesting against the closure of a new sixth form at a Lincolnshire school - shut just weeks after it started.

Thomas Cowley High School in Donington cannot get funding, because it went against LEA advice not to run the courses.

The school's governors are investigating what went wrong and say they will do all they can to help the students affected.

Twenty pupils will be left without lessons on Friday when the school closes - but they have been offered alternative places to study.

The LSC and the LEA have been making it quite clear to the school that we did not think this the appropriate thing to do. Paul Williamson, Learning and Skills Council

A parent told BBC News: "We'd like the council or somebody to help the school fund this.

"We don't want the children not to go to school, we want them in school.

"We'd like them to come away from Thomas Cowley with a two year course in business studies and IT as promised."

Families only learnt the sixth form was closing when they tried to apply for school bus passes from the local education authority.

Parents have set up a campaign group against the closure, as they say their youngster's education will suffer.

The Learning and Skills Council for Lincolnshire and Rutland helps run the county's sixth forms.

Paul Williamson from the learning council, which shares responsibility for the facility with the local education authority (LEA) said: "The provision for sixth form was established without approval from the LEA of the LSC (Learning and Skills Council).

"The school was advised about this over the course of last year and before that.

"The LSC and the LEA have been making it quite clear to the school that we did not think this the appropriate thing to do.

Educational experience

"It is not a question of money, it is a question of the education provision and whether it is the right thing or not.

"We are talking about very small numbers of young people and we do not consider such a small sixth form will give them the experience they need."

The Connexions youth advice service has been brought in to interview the pupils and find out what they want to do.

Alternative and equivalent courses have already been found should the youngsters wish to carry on with their studies.