Opposition to sixth form closures

There has been strong local opposition to the sixth forms closing

Controversial plans to close two Denbighshire sixth forms and replace them with a single new college are facing strong opposition.

Education Minister Jane Hutt has said she intends to approve the plans for Rhyl High School and Blessed Edward Jones High School in the same town.

But the move is subject to both schools confirming that they are committed to a new partnership for the venture.

One head teacher said she would "move heaven and earth" to avoid closure.

The move to close the sixth forms and open a single institution follows a report carried out by education consultants last year which identified that the best option for improving post-16 education in Rhyl was to "give ownership" to Llandrillo College in Conwy.

The new College Rhyl Sixth would be operated in conjunction with Llandrillo College, Ms Hutt said.

She added that its main base would be a purpose-built centre attached to the current Llandrillo College building and would have a capacity for 300 students.

It's my duty to preserve post-16 faith-based education in Denbighshire and I will do this by partnering other faith providers both in and out of [the] county Catherine Britton, head teacher of Blessed Edward Jones School

She said: "This will be a flagship development for Wales which retains the strengths of the single centre option whilst also benefiting from the advantages of close working between the college and schools.

"This will be a centre that young people in Rhyl will aspire to and which will continue to underpin the regeneration work of the Rhyl strategy, building on what has already been achieved with the recent £4.8m investment in Coleg Llandrillo Rhyl."

When the proposals to create a single sixth form were first raised by Denbighshire council there was strong opposition from both schools.

Out of 250 people who responded to a public consultation, 240 indicated they were opposed.

The schools have until 6 February to give their response to Ms Hutt's proposal, a council spokesman said.

He added: "We have been notified of the minister's stance on the post-16 issue in Rhyl.

"Both governing bodies will now have to consider the proposals.

"Once we know the official stance of the schools and how they are likely to respond, we will be issuing a statement. "

'Overtaken'

Catherine Britton, head teacher of Blessed Edward Jones School, said: "I will move heaven and earth to avoid this situation.

"It's my duty to preserve post-16 faith-based education in Denbighshire and I will do this by partnering other faith providers both in and out of [the] county.

"We've already agreed a Catholic partnership between St Richard Gwyn in Flintshire, St Brigid's in Denbighshire and ourselves. Together we will find a way."

Ms Britton said the school was "very keen" to co-operate with Llandrillo College, "but we don't want to be overtaken".

Rhyl High School has also been asked to comment.