A statement regarding the Westfield Sixth Form consultation

[Hereford Voice]

Herefordshire Council would like to apologise to parents for the short notice of the public meeting regarding the Westfield Sixth Form consultation. 

This was an administrative error and we would like to reassure parents that the consultation runs until Tuesday 20 July, so there is time to provide feedback. We will host another public meeting on Friday 16 July at 3pm. Details of how to join the virtual meeting and the online consultation can be found on our website

Herefordshire Council is consulting about the future of Westfield School Sixth Form in Leominster, which provides high quality education for the young people between the age of 16 and 19 with severe, complex, multiple and profound learning difficulties. In recent years, the school has had approximately 12 pupils within its sixth form phase across the three year groups (Year 12, 13 and 14).  

Herefordshire Council proposes to commission all sixth form places for young people with severe, complex, multiple and profound learning difficulties at a new specialist sixth form college in Hereford City, called the Beacon College. The opportunity to build the new college arose in 2017, when we successfully bid to the Department for Education for the funding. The Beacon College opens in September 2021, and will be run by the Accordia Academies Trust (formerly Barrs Court Trust). 

It is anticipated that within three years of opening, Beacon College will offer sixth form education to approximately 60 students with specialist needs. The new college has been built to be able to provide sufficient places for all young people in Herefordshire requiring a specialist sixth form place, including those few pupils who may wish to attend from neighbouring counties.

You can find more information and complete the consultation questionnaire on our website www.herefordshire.gov.uk/consultations