Sixth form row escalates at Neale-Wade Community College in March

MP Steve Barclay has accused an academy trust of “manipulating” student numbers to justify the closure of a school’s sixth form.

Mr Barclay, who has been questioning a decision by the Active Learning Trust to close the sixth form at the Neale-Wade Academy in March for Year 12s from this September, says he has new information that suggests deliberate action was taken to keep student numbers low.

The North East Cambridgeshire MP has accused the school of “raising the bar” when it comes to the grades required by students looking to take subjects at A-Level, making it harder for them to qualify to stay on at the school in Wimblington Road. However, the trust has strongly refuted the claims.

Mr Barclay said: “I am told the GCSE grades required for specific A-Level subjects were increased, both compared to the grades previously required at Neale-Wade Academy and compared to other schools.”

Mr Barclay said normally students who fail to hit the required Grade 6 at GCSE (Grade 7 for Maths) would have their case looked at by subject staff to determine whether or not they would cope with an A-Level.

“However, this has been changed by the Active Learning Trust to an arbitrary decision with no discussion with staff,” Mr Barclay said.

He added: “This is detrimental to social mobility. A Grade 4 at GCSE often extrapolates into a Grade B at A-Level, where pupil enthusiasm for the subject, much smaller class sizes compared to GCSE, and the absence of behaviour issues to manage in class, all help students to thrive.

“Applying a cut-off at Grade 6 without staff discretion is at odds with the approach of other schools. For example, Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge would allow students with a Grade 4 GCSE to progress to an A-Level in some subjects when combined with Grade 6 GCSE results in their other A-Level subjects.

“Given numbers attending the sixth form had already fallen significantly, it is odd to make it harder for applicants to attend unless the trust’s aim was to close the sixth form.”

The angry MP then accused the Active Learning Trust of double standards when it comes to class sizes.

At the Neale-Wade, subjects with fewer than ten students were removed, while at the academy’s sister school, the Cromwell Community College in Chatteris, classes with as few as two students have been allowed to continue.

“This includes German with two students, Geography with four students (plus two from Neale-Wade), Further Maths with five students and Computer Science with seven students. Yet seven students from Neale-Wade are studying English Literature at Cromwell Community College, an A-Level which the trust refused to offer at Neale-Wade,” the MP said.

He said the trust’s approach has driven students away from the Neale-Wade and that it was at odds with other schools, pointing out at least a dozen former Neale-Wade students are now enrolled for A-Levels at the Cromwell.

Mr Barclay said the Active Learning Trust had removed individual courses that were not financially viable, rather than looking at the packages of courses students want to take.

He said: “Schools usually look at the package of courses that would attract a sixth form student. This recognises that many students want to do certain combinations of courses, such as two sciences and maths, or several languages. Contrary to this common approach, I understand the Active Learning Trust removed courses which were not individually financially viable.”

Mr Barclay has also accused the trust of closing courses before the deadline for students to apply. He claimed staff were told on August 30 that courses were to close – the deadline for students was September 5.

“As early as August 30 the Active Learning Trust decided to only run three A-Levels for Year 12 – Art, Sociology, and Psychology – along with vocational qualifications. This contradicts the assurances I was given at my meeting with the chief executive of the Active Learning Trust and principal of Neale-Wade Academy on February 24 that every effort was made to secure student sixth form numbers,” he said.

Mr Barclay wants the Active Learning Trust to commit to maintaining the sixth form, so staff can work with students and parents to boost numbers “as best as possible for this September, and allow more detailed recovery plans to be drawn up for next year”.

He added: “If only three A-Levels were offered this year to Year 12 alongside vocational courses, numbers applying will not surprisingly have been very low. The sixth form recovery plan needs to address the lack of courses which is suppressing student numbers.”

Mr Barclay said parents and students need answers, and he also wants to hear from both the Active Learning Trust’s chair of trustees, Claire Heald and Lucetta Crosskill, chair of the Neal-Wade’s governors.

Mr Barclay said: “If they refuse to act, then the regional schools director should step in. The clock is ticking. Students deserve better.”

However, the trust has hit back at the MP.

A spokesperson for Neale-Wade Academy said: “Entry requirements for Neale-Wade Academy’s sixth form are identical to Cromwell Community College and we would always have conversations with any students whose grades did not meet the requirements for a specific course. This is also common practice at other local sixth forms.

“Cromwell has run courses with fewer than ten students however this has been balanced with courses running with more than ten – this would not be possible at Neale-Wade with the number of applicants we received for the next academic year.

“None of our courses were closed or removed from our offer before the application deadline this academic year. The full suite of courses was offered and we decided not to run Year 12 courses next academic year after the application deadline (due to low application numbers).

“Active Learning Trust has a strong record of school improvement and meaningful investment in school facilities.

“Ofsted has recognised the improvements being made at Neale-Wade recently; recent Ofsted reports at other schools across the trust are overwhelmingly positive, and Chantry Academy’s improvement and increased attendance has also been praised recently by the Secretary of State.

“Active Learning Trust has previously offered for Claire Heald, our chair of trustees, to meet with M. Barclay and we will offer this opportunity again.”