Sixth form to close

CONTROVERSIAL plans to axe the sixth form at Newhaven s Tideway School have been given the green light by county councillors.

Following consultation with parents and townsfolk, East Sussex County Council director of education Denise Stokoe recommended the sixth form closure at a meeting on Thursday last week.

Only seven letters were received by the county council during the consultation period. One expressed concern that families on low incomes would not be able to afford transport to colleges elsewhere, and another opposed the axing completely.

Last year just two parents attended a public meeting to discuss its closure. One of them, Trevor Smart from Station Road, Newhaven, said the decision was a forgone conclusion as it had already been announced no sixth form pupils would be accepted for the term starting September 2002.

In her report to councillors Ms Stokoe said: 'The concerns which have been expressed at the public meeting and in some of the written responses are acknowledged to be genuine.

But she added: 'There continue to be strong reasons for supporting the closure of the sixth form, and on balance I believe this will be of benefit to the great majority of students and to Newhaven.

As a result of the opening of the new Peacehaven Community School and more students taking up further education classes in Brighton and Seaford the Tideway sixth form role has dwindled. It is planned to develop Tideway as specialist technology school for pupils ages 11-16.

The county council must now publish its closure proposal in the form of a public notice. People will then be given a further two months to make any comments or objections in writing.