Principal defends Torfaen's state-of-the-art sixth form plan

Although the decision is awaiting ministerial approval, many schools affected by the changes have voiced their concerns, labelling the changes as disruptive rather than constructive.

However, Coleg Gwent's principal, Guy Lacey, speaking to the Free Press, has challenged criticisms levelled at the college's plans, explaining many measures that will be put in place to benefit learners in both the short term and long term.

As previously reported by the Free Press, Torfaen CBC’s head of education services, Dermot McChrystal, confirmed the plans could cause job losses and an economic impact on Pontypool.

In terms of performance, he said Torfaen sixth forms' pass rates– 99.6 per cent A* to G – were the same results achieved at the Ebbw Vale Learning Zone in 2015 – the same model as the proposed Cwmbran centre.

Coleg Gwent principal, Guy Lacey, believes this model will provide an opportunity to “resolve some of the problems and difficulties” in Torfaen such as the “mixed economy”.

“You have 11-16 schools and 11-18 schools and you have problems of choice and range,” he said.

“This includes young people not being able to access a full range of choices in any one place so the school sixth form has, by definition, a narrower range of choice.

“I think the potential here in a unified single sixth form centre is to address those issues. I think also as a local authority have said themselves, the location is fantastic.

“There’s a train station slap bang next to it aswell as a good road network so it’s a very accessible hub."

“Cwmbran is central, it’s the transport hub, its accessible and it’s about the range on offer and making an attractive curriculum offer to young people. That will draw them in," he added.

A Change.org petition, set up by St Alban’s teacher Sophie Toovey, outlined several concerns about the college proposals, both to the school and to Torfaen's schools as a whole.

In response to St Albans teachers’ concerns that the development shows “neglect” towards the North of the borough, the principal explained the college has subsidized travel for learners.

“At the moment our own wider ‘Travel to Learn’ patterns for Coleg Gwent clearly demonstrate that young people are prepared to travel if they perceive that it’s the right course for them,” he said.

As previously reported by the Free Press, St Alban’s head teacher Michael Coady, said the closure of their sixth form could have a “negative impact” on key stage four results when “highly experienced staff are forced out of the system”.

Mr Lacey disagreed, saying the arguments were “unfounded” as “some of the top performing secondary schools in Wales are actually 11-16 schools”.

“If you look at Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil you will see key stage four outcomes have improved since of their schools had their sixth forms removed,” he said.

On transitional arrangements for pupils, Mr Lacey said a “learning partnership” would be established to build “strong relationships” and an ongoing “dialogue” with school pupils.

This includes becoming a “good friends” with schools through transition events and open days to make sure students are “ready”.

While discussions are ongoing with Torfaen CBC over the first batch of pupils at the centre, the “shared preference” is for pupils to do year 12 in their own school and year 13 in the new college.

Responding to teaching unions concerns of changing working conditions, Mr Lacey said that holidays and salaries are comparable and that both local-authority and further education centres abide by the same terms and conditions.

“To paint this as a situation of massively preferential terms and conditions for school teachers and some sort of draconian set of conditions in Coleg Gwent, I completely reject that,” he said.

On staffing, the Coleg Gwent head said that the new centre would “not go out to public advert” and look to recruit existing secondary school teachers in Torfaen and the college’s own staff.

“I have confidence in the local authority to implement change. They have done it before, done it successfully and in co-operation with their recognised trade unions,” he said.

“We’re going to be a good partner to Torfaen and we’re going to play our part in supporting them through that management of change.”

Mr Lacey added Coleg Gwent’s long term plan is to open new multi-million facilities in both Cwmbran and Newport (Knowledge Quarter).

If both projects get the go ahead, Pontypool Campus on Blaendare Road could be under threat as part of a wider "re-configuration" of Coleg Gwent.

“We’re talking timescale which goes beyond the opening of Cwmbran. This is going to be a five-year plus development plan for the college,” he added.

“We’re certainly not about shutting or closing parts of the college. What we’re about is moving the college into better or more modern accommodation or facilities.

“The reassurance I want to give to my staff is that while things may be uncertain the future is bright and all parts of the curriculum and everything we do is included in that future.”

Mr Lacey added he would build a strong relationship with St Alban’s to recognise its faith-based status work with Torfaen CBC to build a curriculum offer and close dialogue with schools. This included a “commitment" that Coleg Gwent is "going to do everything it possibly can to make this a success".

“Just look what’s happened in Blaenau Gwent. Go and talk to the learners in the learning zone, the parents and local councillors,” he said.

“I think you would struggle to find anyone who wouldn’t say the opening of the learning zone was fantastic and a huge improvement on what came before it.

“I do understand uncertainty leads to concern but I think this is a good news story for the young people of Torfaen.”