Proposal for new sixth form is submitted (From Salisbury Journal)

Proposal for new sixth form is submitted

9:15am Tuesday 15th January 2013 in Headlines By Jill Harding

PROPOSALS for a new sixth form college for Salisbury have been submitted to the Department for Education.

If approved, Salisbury Sixth Form Centre will open in 2014 with space for up to 400 students.

The school will focus on science, technology, engineering and maths although it is hoped that a wide range of A-level courses will be offered.

Currently 750 young people travel more than 50 miles a day to post-16 education in Brockenhurst, Totton, Winchester and Andover.

The new sixth form would increase the choice in Salisbury and 500 young people and their families have registered support for the project following a well attended information evening in November.

The idea came from a group of parents with the support of the three Laverstock secondary schools, Wyvern College, St Edmund’s and St Joseph’s.

They have applied for funding under the free schools initiative and have been supported by the New Schools Network (NSN) development programme, which supports bids where pupils are at a risk of educational disadvantage due to lack of provision.

Neil Owen, the lead applicant for Salisbury Sixth Form College said: "We are delighted to be making this application to the Department for Education for a new sixth form college for Salisbury. We have been working with the local community for the last seven months and have been overwhelmed with the level of local support.

“We hope to have some positive news to share with the families that have supported us in the spring, when we expect to hear whether our application has been approved by the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove.”

Discussions are underway to find a site for the new school but it is hoped it will be in the east of the city with easy access to Wiltshire College Salisbury, which could allow for a broader curriculum.

The college will have a school ethos with high levels of pastoral care and support for students.

• Salisbury Sixth Form College is a separate project from the University Technical College proposal which would provide specialist science and engineering education for 14 to 18 year olds in Salisbury if it gets government approval.