Year 12 cancelled at start of school's new term

A school has announced it would not be able to offer lower sixth entrance this September, just as the new school year was starting.

The East Anglian Schools Trust sent a letter to parents of new Year 12 pupils as they were going back to school at Bungay High in Suffolk on Wednesday.

Parents were told "lower than expected numbers" meant the curriculum would be "too adversely affected" to provide A level students with "the experience they require and deserve".

A spokesperson for the trust said only 19 lower sixth students enrolled, but it would ensure the current Year 13 pupils continued to receive "high quality" education.

"We are deeply saddened to have had to make this decision but have done so in the interests of our students," the trust said in a statement.

"In recent years, there has been an increase of post-16 provision and Bungay High School has successfully continued to provide quality education for increasingly smaller cohorts.

"However, with only 19 students enrolled, the curriculum offer and learning opportunities would be too adversely affected to provide these students with the experience they require and deserve."

The trust is now offering support to affected students with "the majority" now enrolled in other local colleges and sixth forms.

The school's website said it offered a range of subjects to study in the sixth form, including English, maths, science, drama, French, history, product design, art and philosophy.

Adrian Ramsay, Green MP for Waveney Valley, described the situation as "awful".

"I have written to the headteacher to ask how this has happened and what support is in place for the students and teachers affected," he said.

"The focus has to now be on helping the students find suitable alternatives as speedily as possible."