This page gives the background to the proposal to change the age range at Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, by ceasing the sixth form provision with effect from 31 August 2025.
Background
Following a consultation during October 2022, on the temporary suspension of the sixth form provision for a period of up to two years, effective from September 2023, the Governing Body of Wensleydale School and Sixth Form suspended the sixth form provision. The period of temporary suspension has allowed time to assess the practicalities of continuing with the post-16 provision, given the government’s withdrawal of the vocational BTEC courses, which the school offered.
The Governing Board based its decision on concerns about the limited range of post-16 qualifications and courses available, and related concerns about low post-16 pupil numbers and the school’s financial position. Given the withdrawal of government funding for the school’s more vocational BTEC courses, the suspension was necessary to secure the interests of current and future pupils.
The Governing Board’s decision to temporarily suspend the provision was not reached lightly, and not before alternatives were considered. A Level teaching finished at Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, Leyburn in 2018. The Business and Innovation Centre opened with a focus on more vocational subjects. The post-16 offer became a focus on BTEC and CTEC qualifications in subjects including Business Studies, IT, Sports Studies, Travel and Tourism and Health and Social Care rather than traditional academic A Level courses.
Wensleydale School and Sixth Form is a relatively small secondary school. Due partly to the demographics of the school’s very large, and often sparse catchment area, numbers on roll at Wensleydale School and Sixth Form suffered a demographic dip for five years, making it difficult to maintain viable class sizes at post 16 in terms of quality of experience, subject breadth and financial viability. With the government’s withdrawal of funding for the school’s BTECs, it was difficult for the school to offer a curriculum with the sufficient breadth required. Though judging the school as ‘Good’ overall, Ofsted highlighted how the post-16 offering had ‘narrowed' and acknowledged this was ‘in part due to financial constraints’.
Making a significant change
Any significant change that is expected to be in place for more than two years is considered a permanent change and requires a statutory process. At the end of the two-year suspension, if a proposal is made to close the post-16 provision permanently, the decision maker is North Yorkshire Council (or the Regional Director if the school has become an academy).
The proposal
At a recent meeting of the Governing Board of Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, Leyburn it was resolved to ask North Yorkshire Council to consult on the permanent closure of the school’s sixth form. For a community school like Wensleydale, the council’s Executive is the decision-making body for a permanent change, and a further period of consultation is required.
Sixth form numbers
The number of sixth form students at Wensleydale School and Sixth Form fell over the years, from a high of 86 sixth formers in 2013 to 2014 down to four, 10 and eight in the years prior to the temporary suspension.
| Year |
Year 7 to Year 11 |
Year 12 |
Year 13 |
Pupil numbers sixth form |
Total pupil roll |
| 2013 to 2014 |
426 |
44 |
42 |
86 |
512 |
| 2014 to 2015 |
416 |
23 |
34 |
57 |
473 |
| 2015 to 2016 |
405 |
26 |
18 |
44 |
449 |
| 2016 to 2017 |
386 |
18 |
22 |
40 |
426 |
| 2017 to 2018 |
366 |
17 |
16 |
33 |
399 |
| 2018 to 2019 |
361 |
19 |
17 |
36 |
397 |
| 2019 to 2020 |
351 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
365 |
| 2020 to 2021 |
320 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
328 |
| 2021 to 2022 |
325 |
10 |
0 |
10 |
335 |
| 2022 to 2023 |
347 |
0 |
8 |
8 |
355 |
| 2023 to 2024 |
367 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
367 |
| 2024 to 2025 |
390 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
390 |
| 2025 to 2026 |
Forecast - 406 |
- |
- |
- |
Forecast - 406 |
| 2026 to 2027 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Forecast including additional children generated from housing - 433 |
| 2027 to 2028 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Forecast including additional children generated from housing - 429 |
Sixth form numbers fell to the point where the choice of courses and quality of experience that the school could provide was limited compared to the much wider range of vocational study routes offered at other further education colleges.
Alternative larger sixth form provision in the area
There are benefits for young people of going to a larger external sixth form. Several larger secondary schools across North Yorkshire have already made a change in recognition that their sixth form is unable to offer the full range of A Level courses that larger post-16 providers can.
The next nearest sixth form within North Yorkshire is at Richmond School 9.7 miles away. However, traditionally many Wensleydale pupils looking to study A Levels have travelled to Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington.
The range of practical courses and vocational qualifications offered by further education colleges in the surrounding areas has increased over recent years. These organisations, such as Askham Bryan Agricultural College and Middlesbrough and Darlington Further Education Colleges, also offer specialist vocational facilities and their size bridges the gap between school and employment. They have become very popular with local families who broadly feel these organisations provide the widest offer for post-16 education and ensure that students are placed on a pathway that meets their needs and interests.
