Neatherd High School: Neatherd statement on the launch of the new sixth form: The decision we have made was never going to be easy, and it is inevitable that students in particular would feel unsettled by the announcement, whenever it had been made. We understand the impassioned responses which are being made, particularly on social media, and whilst everyone is of course entitled to a point of view, we would like to comment on some of the factual inaccuracies which have become currency in the debate. • This was a decision made by the Neatherd Governing Body members who agreed unanimously that this was the right way forward. The Head teacher alone cannot make such a decision. The Neatherd High School teaching staff are behind the change. • No uniform or dress code will be introduced for current Year 12s. There are ongoing discussions about whether to introduce a dress code for new students, however this would purely be on the theme of dressing for the modern workplace, something which is common to a number of sixth forms. There will not be a uniform. • No individuals stand to gain financially from this decision. Establishing our own sixth form will not generate any additional income and so will not mean any kind of pay rise for the Head teacher. • The Neatherd Sixth Form will not be an ‘elitist’ institution. We are aiming for academic excellence for all of our students, which is not the same thing. Contrary to what some have suggested, we remain committed to arts subjects. We will continue to run the subjects that students are currently studying and have opted to study. • The Neatherd Sixth Form will not be purely for Neatherd students - it will be open to students from any high school. • Suggestions that the current Director of Dereham Sixth Form College resigned as a result of this announcement are inaccurate; in fact, she resigned on 20th January; the decision to establish the Neatherd Sixth Form was made by Neatherd’ full governing body on 11th February. Finally... For the past two years, the average ‘A’ level grade achieved by the current Sixth Form College has been lower than a ‘C’. We believe that this is unacceptable, and that the young people of Dereham deserve better.