Call for Tyne Coast College management to stand by its staff amid sixth form college closure

Queen Alexandra Sixth Form College was a key part of Tyne Met College in 2017, with its own campus, when South Tyneside College merged with Tyne Met to form the new Tyne Coast College. Prior to the merger, senior managers at the college gave a commitment that it would 'operate across all existing sites in South Tyneside and North Tyneside'.

The union has sent a letter to chief executive Dr Lindsey Whiterod asking for those commitments to be upheld in the face of the closure of a vital local education resource.

Jon Bryan, UCU regional support official said, "'We are pleased that the chief executive and the board of governors have agreed to make good on their commitment to teach all those students at QA Sixth Form who have yet to complete their studies. We have written to the college and asked them to make the same commitment to staff.

'Staff at Queen Alexandra Sixth Form College are well qualified and dedicated staff, committed to the education of their students. They were shocked and devastated to recently be told that the provision was closing and are pleased at the partial reversal that has taken place. The college has made a commitment to the students, and we are looking for them to make good on that by now committing to the staff.

'While we welcome the decision to delay the closure of the A Level provision, the announcement that Tyne Coast College is to close Queen Alexandra Sixth Form is still one that we regret as it deprives the community in north Tyneside of vital post-16 educational provision.'