MORE than half of school sixth forms in Wales are under threat of closure because they are small, headteachers claim.

The Welsh Assembly is to shut down any sixth forms it believes are inadequate. Heads at the Secondary Heads Association conference in Wales last week feared that half of the principality’s 169 sixth forms could be labelled as such because they are small. Pupil rolls in Welsh sixth forms range from 19 to 480.

The Welsh inspectorate, Estyn, will make two visits to the sixth forms, many of which are in rural areas, to investigate the size of their classes and whether they have enough resources.

Brian Rowlands, secretary of SHA Wales, said: “They don’t seem to realise that inadequate does not equate with small.”

School sixth forms have historically had a higher level of funding than further education in order to sustain their smaller classes.

From 2003, the Welsh Assembly is proposing to bring in “convergence of funding”, meaning that funds will be distributed per pupil. This could force many cash-strapped schools to close their sixth forms.

Ysgol Rhiwabon in Wrexham has just 77 pupils in its sixth form. John Mackay, headteacher, said there was already pressure on schools to close their sixth forms and send pupils to FE colleges.

But he added: “If our sixth form does go, there will be a lower rate of inclusion as post-16 education will no longer be on their doorstep.”

Five schools in Merthyr Tydfil are also to lose their sixth forms to a sixth-form centre.

But a Welsh Assembly spokesman said: “The reality in Wales is that we don’t have failing sixth forms and we don’t expect any. However, the provisions are there if we need to use them.”

The National Council Education and Learning Wales, which is due to take over the funding of sixth forms from April next year, plans a shake-up for post-16 education in Wales.

This includes partnerships between schools and FE colleges and sixth-form mergers.

Dewi Jones, director of education at Rhondda Cynon Taff education authority, predicts an end to small A-level classes. He said: “We are not going to have classes of three doing Welsh at A-level.”

Heads are also anxious that funding for next year is based on the number of pupils at school in 19992000. The fear is that the budget will not reflect the numbers currently in the sixth form.

In England, the Learning and Skills Council, which will fund sixth forms from April, says closure can be proposed if there are low participation rates, poor student achievement or bad inspection reports. Government figures revealed sixth forms with more than 200 pupils get better results and are more financially secure.

Meanwhile, a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research says more needs to be done to increase post-16 participation, including school sixth forms. Opportunity for Whom? recommends removing interest-free loans for university students, scrapping child benefit for young people and using the money to provide educational maintainance allowances for 16 to 19-year-olds.

It says the LSC should work more closely with the Higher Education Funding Council in planning a joined-up approach to post-16 education.

FE Focus, 35

The Opportunity for Whom? report is available on the IPPR website - www.ippr.org