'Positive feedback' on Bridgnorth post-16 education plans

Local education leaders hope a new partnership will keep sixth form provision in Bridgnorth

Educators report "good conversations" with parents about post-16 education in Bridgnorth as the town's sole provision winds down.

Currently, Oldbury Wells is the only school in Bridgnorth offering sixth-form courses.

These are set to close at the end of the 2024-25 academic year.

But the school and two other institution are looking at a partnership to deliver new courses.

Under plans, they would run from September in conjunction with Telford College and Bridgnorth Endowed Secondary School.

Sixth form provision in the town has waned in recent years due to a fall in the number of young people and finances available, according to Oldbury Wells headteacher Lee Tristham.

He said the school was proud of its sixth form but a reduction in pupil numbers meant the school needed to consider how it provided post-16 education in the future.

Full details of the new curriculum are yet to be confirmed, but it is hoped there will be a new bespoke sixth form centre at Oldbury Wells as well as one in Telford.

'A stepping stone'

Mr Tristham said: "Lots of our students talk about the fact that they see an involvement with a wider organisation as a stepping stone to the next stage of their education, employment or training."

He said the new partnership would offer the best of both worlds, where students would still be based locally but also have access to a wider range of courses.

"Feedback has been really positive so far," he added.

Janet Stephens, deputy chief executive of Telford College, said there was "lots of common ground" between the college and Bridgnorth's two secondary schools.

She explained: "What we would really like is to have our new Telford town centre base, plus a locally-provided centre in Bridgnorth, to ensure we can make the sixth form provision as accessible as possible."

A project manager has been appointed to begin a feasibility study.