Update for parents: School leaders expand on details of sixth form merger at Harrogate schools

Existing Rossett sixth form students will be unaffected but September will see 65 students join the larger 650-strong sixth form at Harrogate Grammar School.

The move is the first signs of the close relationship between the two schools as Rossett School prepares to join the Red Kite Learning Trust, which already includes the Harrogate Grammar School.

When asked by the Harrogate Advertiser whether the move might not be welcomed by Ofsted inspectors who recently issued a critical report to Rossett labelling the school as 'requiring improvement', Rossett's prospective new headteacher Tim Milburn said: "This measure is being taken for September 2023 and will only affect students starting Year 12. Students who begin Year 13 in the new academic year will remain unaffected and will continue their studies at Rossett School Sixth Form.

"Rossett School will still have a Sixth Form and we will be doing our utmost to ensure that the quality of provision is the very best it can be,” added Mr Milburn, who was previously deputy headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School.

Addressing the same question, Richard Sheriff, chief executive of the Red Kite Learning Trust, said: "It’s not an issue for Ofsted, they are interested in the quality of education.

"They would be much more concerned if the school was trying to run a post-16 provision with unsustainable group sizes and a limited curriculum offer,” added Mr Sheriff, a former headteacher of Harrogate Grammar School.

This Thursday's meeting will be a small private meeting only for parents of those Y11s who have applied to Rossett Sixth Form, partly in order that parents can feel comfortable to be able to raise their specific concerns.

When asked by the Harrogate Advertiser whether there was any concern over the criteria facing prospective sixth formers at Rossett set to go to Harrogate Grammar School in future, Mr Milburn said: “Entry requirements are very similar between the two schools.

"This is as result of some partnership work that was done previously.

"To support the transition, Rossett School students will have meetings with Harrogate Grammar School staff prior to the summer to ensure they are on the chosen courses for September.”

Addressing the same question, Mr Sheriff said: “The criteria both schools use are very similar apart from in a couple of subject areas.

"As partners we are able to use the professional judgement and deep knowledge of the students to place them on the right courses for them.”

Rossett School has already made the case plain that the sixth form merger is an essential part of turning the school's fortunes around and addressing challenges to its finances and students numbers.