I have only ever worked in schools with a Sixth Form.  I also went to a school with its own Sixth Form and so I know how a school Sixth Form supports students in a way that a large Further Education College cannot.  The tight relationships, the pastoral care, the deep understanding of a student’s ability and personality; these are qualities that take time to develop. 

Colleges certainly have lots to offer; the focus and specialisation on just the one Key Stage and the economies of scale mean that the marketing can often be very slick and eye-catching.  There is, of course, a place for both institution types in a mixed market place. 

But the school Sixth Form has to be fought for and defended in the face of tight funding and competition.  At Hessle, we have a thriving Sixth Form but it takes lots of hard work and dedication of staff to ensure that we can continue to meet the needs of our students that are more likely to flourish in a setting such as ours rather than at the large colleges in the area. 

This year we have recruited 87 students, mostly from our own Year 11 but also a growing handful from other schools in the area.  This is thirteen more than last year and means that the Sixth Form remains viable. 

It would only remain so because of the long-standing partnership we have enjoyed with Cottingham and Wolfreton Schools.  For those that are not aware, we work closely together to provide as many courses as possible and then transport students between our schools to give them access to those courses, and specialist teachers.  This has enabled us to compete against specialist colleges for many years.  But it has been tough. 

This week, a consultation was opened on the possible closure of Cottingham Sixth Form with effect from September 2025; along with the Sixth Form at Holderness Academy, another school in our Trust.  These decisions are not taken lightly and have only occurred after several years of hard work and creativity to find ways to survive, which I have witnessed at close hand as Headteacher of one of the schools in the partnership. 

Cottingham, in particular, face fierce competition right on their doorstep in the form of Wyke College.  This move, if it comes to pass, will enable the school to focus on preparing students for GCSEs and will also allow leaders at Hessle and Wolfreton to prioritise an even better offer delivered by our two schools in partnership.   

I want to reassure all parents/carers of students currently studying at Hessle in whatever year, that our Trust and school leaders are utterly committed to a Sixth Form at our school for many more years to come and we have already drawn up plans of how we can promote our offer outside of our own school to enable us to look to expand our provision further. 

We will be visiting our other Secondary Schools in the coming weeks to promote that offer and welcoming as many people as possible to our Open Evening on Tuesday 15th October, as well as that of Wolfreton on Thursday 10th October. 

If you have a child in Year 11, you will already know about this but I would welcome any parent/carer who wishes to hear more about what a school Sixth Form can offer, to pay us a visit (5pm to 7pm) and hear from our superb Head of Sixth Form, Mr Jarman, as well as myself and many of our teachers. 

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Last night, one of the highlights of the year, was our Year 5/6 Open Evening.   Despite the inclement weather, the pre-sale of Coldplay tickets starting at 6pm and a slightly reduced 2025 catchment area, we still attracted almost 350 families to look around our school. More importantly, the feedback was terrific. 

Although this is not a popularity contest (well, maybe a little bit!), it is always reassuring on many levels to have affirmation that we continue to be very popular in the local community.  And this has a very practical effect too, in that we are almost assured of being full once again into Year 7, with all the stability benefits that accrue from that in terms of finance, staffing and curriculum delivery. 

As current parents and family members, you play an important role in maintaining our reputation in the community as you talk about the progress and development of your children who attend our school.  I have always found our parent community incredibly fair and honest.  When we get things wrong, you will tell us but we are also given the chance to put things right and that also feeds a reputation for having open communication between school and home.  The high numbers to our Open Evening are as much your success as anyone that works at the school, and I thank you for your support. 

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Sunday marks the final day of the domestic cricket season and, although the windy and wet conditions might seem a bit incongruous, my son and I are planning to go to Leeds to watch Yorkshire seal promotion.  We will be huddled in coats and hoodies most probably but it will still be a good way to symbolically mark the end of summer.  I may even listen on the way to one of my favourite songs about summer – Summer’s End, one of the final songs recorded by the late and remarkable John Prine.   

Have a lovely weekend and thank you again for your support. 

Mr Groak

Headteacher