Sixth formers to take pick of town schools

SIXTH form students in Dover will be able to choose from the subjects available at any of the town's schools from September.

The post-16 consortium will be expanded to include Astor College of the Arts, giving pupils a wider range of A-levels and vocational qualifications to choose from after GCSE.

Julia Bell, head teacher at both the boys and girls grammar schools, said: "All the schools are very keen to work together for the benefit of Dover.

"If you look at the Dover schools and compare them to other towns, all the schools are full to the brim and they are all successful. I think one part of that is that we are all very open to working together."

The post-16 consortium started in September 2003 and several students from the grammar schools, Archers Court and St Edmunds have been studying subjects at more than one site to get their ideal selection of subjects without leaving their school.

The grammar schools have allowed sixth form students to study at either site to get the right combination of A-levels for many years.

Mrs Bell added: "I don't think there will be an academic or vocational subject that won't be offered to students in the area."

Transport links, mainly taxis, are being arranged to make sure the students can travel between sites.