Alfreton pupils in lurch after sixth form closure

Parents of children at Alfreton Grange Arts College were sent letters last week informing them that as of September the school will not be offering post 16 provision for students.

The news comes shortly after a the conclusion of a consultation into whether the school should become an academy, which was criticised for not being thorough enough by parents and Alfreton Town Council.

Alison Siddall, who currently has two children at the school, said: “All college applications had to be in by January this year. Courses are now full.

“All the students that have already applied to Alfreton Grange have now got to look elsewhere for education and the Government policy now is all students now have to stay in education until they are 18 -they have no choice.”

She said apart from the fact the students will struggle to get on courses if the closing date for applications has already long since passed, it was adding pressure to them when they where studying for their GCSEs.

“Exams have started, some have already started sitting them, now they have got the added pressure of no sixth form, so when this year group fails, who is going to pick up their lives for them?” she added.

Alison, who attended Alfreton Grange sixth form herself, pointed out that those students who were currently in lower sixth would also have to look for new courses half way through their studies.

She added that there could be around 100 students looking for somewhere to complete their further education.

Despite contacting both Alfreton Grange Arts College and the Department for Education, the Derbyshire Times has been unable to get a response regarding this subject.