North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has hit out at the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams AM, for approving plans to remove sixth form provision at John Summers High School in Queensferry, Flintshire, from today (August 31st) and 11-16 provision from 31 August 2017.

Commenting on the decision, Mr Isherwood, said: “This is a travesty, which raises serious questions about the information on which the Cabinet Secretary based her decision. This also highlights once again the flaws in the Welsh Government’s long-standing School Closure Programme. In applying normal pupil number criteria, this decision fails to address a situation in which half the pupils come from an area with high levels of deprivation or that over a quarter of the pupils fall within the School Action Plus, and statemented Additional Learning Needs categories.

“This decision has failed to listen to the local gypsy traveller communities about the learning needs of their children. It has also failed to acknowledge the massive added educational value given to pupils attending this school. It seems that the detailed, evidence-based response by school governors to the council’s Consultation Document, and my own detailed submission to the previous Minister, have been ignored.”