A concerned member of the school community at Okehampton College is urging “as many people as possible” to attend a public meeting over the possible closure of the sixth form.

A drop-in session is being held at the Octagon Theatre on the college campus next Wednesday, June 18 between 5-7pm, for concerned parents and others to speak to Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust trustees.

DMAT, which runs the school, is proposed that no more students would start A-level and equivalent studies from this September, instead going to Tavistock College or Exeter College.

Those already embarked on their A-levels and other post-16 studies at the college would complete them.

DMAT blames the falling roll in its sixth form at Okehampton College on more students opting for post-16 studies at Exeter College since the Dartmoor Line introduced trains to Exeter.

In a statement, it said: “Our sixth form students have an excellent 16-18 experience, taught by experienced teachers with excellent subject knowledge in an environment that provides outstanding pastoral care and guidance. However, in recent years, with the expansion of Exeter College offering a broader range of qualifications and the opening of the train line to Exeter, the number of students opting to attend Okehampton Sixth Form has fallen significantly. Currently, we have 48 students in Year 12 and 42 in Year 13, with average class sizes of 6.7 students.”

DMAT added: “The post-16 landscape is changing at a national level. It has become increasingly difficult to offer either the broad or specialist curriculum that is available at other schools or colleges.”

However, one member of the school community said that there was huge concern about the move.

They said: “Obviously, the news has been met with a little bit of horror. The DMAT has said they support the sixth form but we have had the feeling that they have been running it down and now they are saying that due to falling numbers they are closing it down.“

They added that people were feeling “a bit surprised, a bit angry” in the school community. “The feeling within the school is that it will leave a massive hole in the community and have a massive impact on the school and the surrounding area, but the official line is the kids must travel elsewhere – to Tavistock and Exeter. I think people need to know. Really we want as many people as possible to come to the meeting on Wednesday to make their feelings known. “

One concern is that sixth form numbers have dropped because of the impact of covid on children’s education, with fewer getting the qualifications to stay on at school post-16. This could change with the next cohort.

Comments an be submitted via the Devon County Council website up until the consultation closing date of July 8 at https://www.devon.gov.uk/haveyoursay/consultations/consultation-on-a-proposal-to-change-the-age-range-of-okehampton-college-from-11-18-to-11-16-through-the-phased-closure-of-the-post-16-provision/.

Views can be submitted to the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust at [email protected] marked ‘Consultation on Post-16’. Or by post to: Clerk to governors, Consultation on Sixth Form, Okehampton College, Mill Road, Okehampton EX20 1PW.