Staff and students fight loss of A-levels at London college helping disadvantaged learners

The Guardian

3 days ago

Teachers and students are fighting to preserve A-levels at a college that works with disadvantaged young people who have failed their GCSEs, some of whom have gone on to complete Oxbridge degrees.
The sixth form college in Hackney, known as BSix, has offered one of the lowest entry requirements in the UK for pupils who want to pursue A-level courses. The entry requirement is just one GCSE pass grade. Help and support is given for exam retakes, allowing those who pass to take A-levels.
The vast majority of students come from minority ethnic backgrounds. Some students have been in care, in young offender institutions or in pupil referral units.
BSix has now been taken over by New City College, a large institution with campuses across east London and Essex. It has been renamed Hackney Sixth Form campus and internal proposals recommend discontinuing A-levels in favour of more vocational courses, along with dozens of redundancies, including compulsory job losses if too few staff take up voluntary redundancy.
Hackney National Education Union officer David Davies described the proposals as an act of 'educational vandalism'.
On Thursday staff are going on strike in protest against the proposed restructuring, the threat of compulsory redundancies and unacceptable workload. A change.org petition has been started calling for current provision at BSix College to be protected.
One current 17-year-old student said: 'I have been at other places but felt very boxed in. BSix is the first place that has really seen me as a person. I am willing to fight in any way I can to save these teachers' jobs. They are doing remarkable work.'
The teachers and students have backing from Diane Abbott, the local MP, along with the rapper and activist Akala and various black academics who have come to the college to give talks to the students. The late poet Benjamin Zephaniah was also a supporter of and visitor to the college.
Leanne Gayle, 28, a former student at the school who gained a 2:1 in history and politics at Cambridge before studying law. She has now secured a training contract with a top law firm.
'There was a different vibe at this place,' Gayle said. 'BSix gave me a second chance. There were so many enrichment opportunities here. A group of six of us wanted to get into Oxbridge, five of us succeeded.'
Another former student, Emmanuel Onapa, 25, had previously attended a secondary school where he failed to achieve academically before moving on to BSix. 'Before I went to BSix I didn't feel seen or heard,' he said. 'Thanks to this college including enrichment programmes like the Knowledge is Power course I was able to gain a voice.'
Onapa went on to gain A-levels and then attended University of Exeter where he secured a 2:1 degree and is now working as a journalist.
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Staff and students fear that the Knowledge is Power course, which teaches students about their history, will be downgraded as part of the NCC reorganisation plan. But NCC denies this will happen.
Akala, who has attended education sessions at the college over the years, said he has been inspired by the dedication of the teachers and resilience of the students. 'The college is in the spirit of what universal education is about,' he said.
Stafford Scott, the director of Tottenham Rights community group, said: 'BSix has built a powerful legacy of working with students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have been written off elsewhere and helps them reach top universities across the UK. It doesn't just teach, it believes in young people.'
A spokesperson for NCC said: 'It is common for schools and colleges to periodically review the curriculum they offer and their staffing structure. A current internal review is under way with the sole purpose of driving opportunity and increasing student achievement while addressing some specific areas of low achievement at the previous BSix campus, so that local young people are not disadvantaged.
'No decision has yet been made regarding A-level provision at the campus. Whatever the outcome of the review, every student is expected to stay at the college and complete their course. We are committed to all our learners' best possible outcomes.'