Eton College to focus on new Middlesbrough site as it rules out plans for extra sixth forms in region

Eton College has ruled out any immediate plans to open further selective sixth forms in the region after announcing proposals for one such site in Middlesbrough.

The Schools White Paper published yesterday confirmed previously-trailed plans for establishing new “elite” sixth forms in an attempt to get more children from disadvantaged areas to top universities.

It said the Government plans to open “a targeted number of high quality, academically focused 16-19 free schools in the areas where they are most needed”.

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The selection process for these sites will firstly prioritise bids from 24 educational ‘cold spots’ - including the North Yorkshire coast, Doncaster and Bradford.

Eton College is establishing three new selective sixth forms in Middlesbrough, Oldham and Dudley.Eton College is establishing three new selective sixth forms in Middlesbrough, Oldham and Dudley.
Eton College is establishing three new selective sixth forms in Middlesbrough, Oldham and Dudley.

A wider set of 55 ‘Education Investment Areas’ - also including Wakefield, Kirklees, Rotherham and North Yorkshire - will also be considered for the new sixth forms.

Earlier this month, Eton College announced it intends to set up three such selective sixth forms in Middlesbrough, Dudley and Oldham in partnership with Star Academies. It will give each centre an additional £1m per year on top of current funding levels.

But a spokesperson for the £44,000-a-year private school, whose alumni include Princes William and Harry as well as Boris Johnson and David Cameron, said despite the Government’s announcement it does not currently intend to pursue any further openings in other Education Investment Areas.

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A spokesperson for Eton College said: “Eton College is delighted by the reception we have received in the three places we have identified as sites for our new sixth form colleges. Working with colleagues from Star Academies, at this stage we are concentrating our efforts on bidding to open colleges in these three locations.”

Eton has said its admissions policy for the three sixth forms would prioritise pupils receiving Pupil Premium, Looked After Children, and those who would be “first in family” to attend university, as well as those living in certain postcodes.

But questions have been raised about who will benefit from the new centres.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said last month: “We are not so sure about the idea of setting up ‘new elite sixth forms’. This sounds like they will serve children who already do very well and could put pressure on existing provision when the simplest solution would surely be to improve the lamentable state of post-16 funding,”

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Lee Elliot Major, Professor of Social Mobility at Exeter University, questioned last week whether the new Eton-backed sixth forms would be open to pupils from a diverse range of backgrounds.

“The litmus test for social mobility will be whether the new sixth forms genuinely select talented pupils at age 16 from all backgrounds – that means taking into consideration that some will have achieved highly in extremely challenging circumstances,” he said.

“While the extra boost in funding is welcome for the lucky pupils who attend, it does beg the question as to whether all students require these higher levels of funding to fulfil their potential.”

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Parliament that since 2010 the Government had “been on a mission to give every single child a great education”, adding: “We have made huge strides, but we know that there is still further to go on that journey”.

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He told MPs: “Our vision is an excellent teacher for every child in our country, but if we are to do this we need to make teaching even more of an attractive profession. To make sure it is, we will deliver 500,000 teacher training and development opportunities by 2024.

“Giving all teachers and school leaders access to world-class evidence-based training and professional development at every stage of their career. Teachers’ starting salaries are set to rise to £30,000 as we promised in our manifesto.”

Plans for longer school days

Longer school days are to be encouraged across the state system.

The Schools White Paper has set out plans for all mainstream state-funded schools to make a 32.5-hour school week, which is the current average, into the minimum expected standard by September 2023.

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The paper said the extra hours should be delivered within existing budgets and urges schools to go further where possible.

It said: “Thousands of schools, in every corner of the country, already deliver this length of week within existing budgets. With the additional investment of £7 billion for schools by 2024-25 announced at the Spending Review, we will expect all state-funded mainstream schools to deliver at least a 32.5 hour week within their budgets.

“Considering the wider benefits of increased time for pupils, including more opportunities for learning, socialisation with peers and enrichment, we will also encourage all mainstream state-funded schools to explore going further than 32.5 hours if possible.”

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson described the White Paper as “hollow”.

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She said: “The attainment gap is widening, performance at GCSE for our most disadvantaged children was going into reverse even before the pandemic and, after two years of ongoing disruption, it’s clear enough where the focus should be.

“The Secretary of State says he has ambitions, but they are hollow. Hollow because they are wholly disconnected from any means of achieving them. Hollow because there’s no plan to deliver them.

“But also hollow because there is no vision here about what education is for, what growing up in our country should involve and what priority we should give our children.”

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