**Chepstow School to Suspend A-Level Subjects Amid Financial and Enrolment Concerns**
A wave of uncertainty has swept through Chepstow School in Monmouthshire as a number of A-level courses, including geography, are set to be paused this September. The decision, which stems from persistently low student uptake, has stirred concern among parents, pupils and local officials, with financial pressures amplifying the school’s predicament.
School leaders have stated that several sixth form courses will not be offered for the coming academic year as they seek to address what has been described as a ‘significant deficit’ in their operating budget. The school’s headteacher, Kelly Waythe, communicated these changes to families, advising them as early as possible to allow for adjustments and further education planning.
Councillor Laura Wright, Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet member for education, provided further context, explaining that post-16 funding is closely linked not only to enrolment numbers of students aged 11 to 16, but also to the broader educational landscape—including provision at alternate institutions in both Wales and neighbouring England. This model, Cllr Wright argued, puts extra pressure on schools like Chepstow when pupil numbers are low or fluctuate year-on-year.
Emphasising the scale of financial challenges faced by Chepstow School, Cllr Wright commented that it has become uneconomical to run certain courses with very few students enrolled, as these classes have a knock-on effect on the overall school budget. She reassured, however, that the capacity to reinstate these courses in future is being maintained, should student demand rise.
Among the subjects affected, A-level geography’s removal from the curriculum has become a particular flashpoint. Conservative councillor Rachel Buckler, representing Devauden, pressed for an explanation, noting that students had already selected their subjects based on the prospectus, only to discover later that key courses like geography would not run after all. Geography, she pointed out, is not only a popular choice but also regarded as a ‘facilitating subject’ by prestigious Russell Group universities, which could impact university applications for affected pupils.
The absence of such core subjects, Cllr Buckler warned, might drive some students to seek education opportunities outside Monmouthshire, potentially even across the border into England. This could have further repercussions for the local area, risking a cycle of declining student numbers and resources that is difficult to reverse.
While acknowledging these concerns, Cllr Wright maintained that such curriculum decisions ultimately rest with headteachers and governing boards, based on a combination of operational realities and strategic planning. She pledged to carry Cllr Buckler’s perspective into future discussions with the headteacher of Chepstow School, with the intention of updating stakeholders as outcomes emerge.
In light of these challenges, Monmouthshire is expanding its participation in the e-sgol initiative—an online learning platform linking the county’s four secondary schools. This allows students to study less commonly chosen subjects, such as computer science, Spanish, and Welsh second language, remotely. While not a replacement for in-school provision across the board, such schemes offer alternative avenues for continued academic breadth.
The changes at Chepstow School highlight the complex balancing act facing many educational institutions in the current climate—where finances, student choice, and the drive to maintain a diverse curriculum sometimes pull in different directions. The coming year will be a test of how local authorities and schools adapt to these shifting pressures while keeping students’ best interests at the heart of their decisions.
As discussions continue and community members await further updates, the situation underscores the ongoing debate about the funding and sustainability of sixth form education in smaller towns and rural communities, a theme echoed across Wales and the UK.