A FOREST headteacher has said his school is ready to step in and offer A-Levels if Gloucestershire College drops the courses.

Steve Brady, the head of Dene Magna School in Mitcheldean, says the school is ready to consult on running A-Levels from September next year if plans by the college to drop them go ahead.

Gloucestershire College has said A-Levels at its Forest campus at Five Acres near Coleford are no longer viable financially or educationally because of low take-up.

The college’s consultation on the proposal not to take new A-Level students from September is due to end soon.

Mr Brady, whose school is rated ‘outstanding’ by education watchdog Ofsted, said governors at Dene Magna recognised it was essential to have outstanding A-Level provision and they have discussed how that can be achieved.

The school has continued to work alongside Gloucestershire College during its consultation and will be meeting with experts to bring the plan to fruition.

There have also been discussions with headteachers from other schools in the central Forest area to look at numbers and the viability of the project.

Mr Brady said: “We have always had the desire and vision for the highest quality A-Level provision for young people in the Forest of Dean and have worked with Gloucestershire College in the planning for the new college as part of the Northern Quarter regeneration scheme.

“We recognise our strengths as a school and feel that it is only right that we explore how we can ensure the young people in this area do not lose out in their access to the very best A-Level provision.

“The school will start its own period of consultation to see how we can make this happen.

“We will continue to work alongside Gloucestershire College and will also be meeting with experts in this field to realise this plan.

“There have been discussions between headteachers in the central Forest of Dean area to look at numbers and the viability of such a project and all involved can see how this is vital for young people and also for the schools.

While this is early days, Dene Magna feels that it is important to inform people that this is very much in their plans and we would be looking toward 2018 for any start date.”

Currently there are only two schools in the Forest offering A-Levels and they are Newent and Wyedean at Sedbury.