Batley Grammar plans to close its sixth form

Batley Grammar became one of Yorkshire’s first free schools in September 2011 when it was officially opened by Schools Minister Nick Gibb.

Now a statement on the school’s website from headmistress Brigid Tullie and chairman of governors Alistair Hartley has announced that it is to consult on plans not to recruit sixth formers from next year.

It says that funding changes had added pressure on sixth forms and added that the decision has been made “following much discussion and with considerable regret.”

It said the school’s funding agreement made provision for 112 students but the number has been far less than this since it became a free school.

They add: “A school or college sixth form has to be large enough to be viable and sustainable in order to be able to provide a wide enough range of high quality courses.

“It is been recognised that sixth forms with fewer than 200 students are not viable, particularly in the light of the more recent funding changes where sixth form provision is now funded per student, instead of per qualification. The implications of these reforms over the last two years have meant that some providers have been forced to cut courses while others have been forced to close.

Batley Grammar School, with a provision for a maximum of 112 students and, in reality, never having had more than 80 in the sixth form (47 currently this year) is not a viable sixth form.”

The proposal means the sixth form would close when the current year 12 students complete their studies in August 2016.

Although Batley Grammar was one of the country’s first 24 free schools it is far from being new.

It first opened in 1612. It joined the independent sector in 1978 but rejoined the state sector three years ago as one of Yorkshire’s first three free schools.

Since then the Girls Grammar School in Bradford has also switched from the private sector to become a free school.