New sixth form will cost Isle of Axholme school £500k

AROUND half a million pounds will be spent housing a brand new sixth form at South Axholme Academy.

The Epworth secondary school is waiting for ministerial approval for the move, which would see a 200-person sixth form open in September 2014.

There are currently no sixth forms in the Isle of Axholme, with students having to travel to Scunthorpe, Doncaster or Gainsborough to study.

The £500,000 grant from the local authority will be spent on approximately 10 temporary classrooms to house the extra students.

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The school has also confirmed that more staff would be employed when the sixth form opens, but could not yet confirm a number.

Marie Lister, principal at South Axholme Academy, said: "This is something that parents and students have been requesting for a very long time. It makes sound educational sense for the students to continue their education here.

"We know them very well and want to reduce the amount of lost time between finishing GCSEs and starting sixth form." "We would be able to do bridging work with them to smoothen the transition.

"We held a consultation in June and July last year, with around 90 per cent of parents and students supporting the idea.

"Currently there is a lot of travelling for our students. We want to provide diversity of choice. We will be looking at a fairly academic sixth form."

"We are very hopeful that approval will be given in the coming fortnight. Educationally it is very sound and financially we are in a fairly good position, given the current economic climate."

Year 10 students at South Axholme Academy have also reacted positively to the news, as it would be their academic year that would benefit from the first sixth form intake.

Gracie Mainon, 14, a year 10 student, said: "I think our school has the ability and space to have a good sixth form." 

"I think people would want to come and work here as well, because it is a nice setting as well as a good school."

Bradley Janney, 14, another year 10 student, said: "I think I would choose it, because it would be quite a distance for me to travel to sixth form in Scunthorpe.""I live in Misterton, so it would be too far to go." I think I'll choose either sixth form or an apprenticeship. But if I do pick sixth form, I would want to come here."

Ben West, 15, another year 10 student, said: "The community of teachers here is really inviting and nice. I think they would help interest other people in coming to the school. Having a sixth form here is a good idea."