A SCHOOL has revamped its sixth form courses in a bid to help students study closer to home.

Harwich and Dovercourt Sixth Form, based at the school in Hall Lane, has added eight new courses for its next intake of teenagers in 2019.

Deputy headteacher, Martin Higgon, said he is passionate about improving the quality and amount of further education offered to youngsters in the town.

It comes after a drop in the number of students choosing to stay at the school past the age of 16.

He said: “We went down to 35 from over 100 students.

“I don’t personally believe anyone from Harwich should have to travel to Colchester to get a good education.

“It’s a minimum two-hour commute to get to the Sixth Form College in Colchester from Harwich on public transport.

“That could be better spent studying or doing extra-curricular activities or on a better life/work balance.

“We know we can’t compete with Colchester, which has 3,000 students, but we are hoping to build up to 100 or 200 students over the next few years.”

The Harwich Sixth Form will offer a range of qualifications, including A-levels, BTEC National Diplomas and Cambridge National Diplomas, in both traditional academic subjects and more modern vocational courses.

New courses added include construction, which includes bespoke work experience opportunities, the same as offered with hairdressing and sport courses.

The idea is for students to be able to find suitable courses at Harwich to help them to find employment and training locally from the age of 18 or a place at a Russell Group university.

There are A-levels or equivalents in art, English literature, geography, history, sociology and psychology as well as Cambridge National /BTEC Diplomas in health and social care, performing arts, media and sport and NVQs in hairdressing ad construction.

All Sixth Form students are also eligible to join the Chelsea Football Club Academy, including regular training with a Chelsea FC Foundation coach and opportunities to take part in careers talks, open events and other Chelsea FC promotions and sessions.

Mr Higgon added: “I’m from Harwich and my brother and sister went to the sixth form here and did well.

“I passed the 11-plus and went to the grammar school, but my brother got better A-levels than I did.”

He said: “We want to have a sixth form that caters to the students in Harwich.

“What we haven’t had is anything for someone wanting to go into a trade.

“There are jobs locally and people aspire to be in trades, so we have introduced courses for that such as building maintenance.

“We are going to be developing an existing facility for that.”