The Deepings School sixth form ‘will not go ahead this year’

A school has dropped its lower sixth form academic provision just days before pupils were due to start A-level studies.

The Deepings School in Park Road, Deeping St James has had a sixth form for more than 30 years.

But parents say they were contacted on Friday (August 30) to say education provision for children in Year 12 would not restart this week at the school as planned.

The school’s headteacher has explained why the decision has been taken.

Only 12 children had selected The Deepings School as their Year 12 sixth form provider for the new academic year.

The Deepings School has had several headteachers in the past decade.

Richard Lord resigned in 2022 after six years and Alun Ebeneezer was appointed interim headteacher for a few months.

In January 2023, Matthew Wattling was appointed by Anthem Trust, and Kirstie Johnson as the deputy headteacher. Mr Wattling became executive three months later, and Ms Johnson became headteacher.

Four teaching jobs are being advertised on The Deepings School website with a closing date of September 30, for the subjects of geography, computer science, design technology, and food technology.

The school ‘requires improvement’ according to Ofsted inspectors, who visited the school in September last year.

Has your child been affected by the school’s decision not to have a sixth form this year? Email suzanne.moon@iliffepublishing.co.uk