Nick Letchet at Swindon CollegeSWINDON'S two colleges have revealed plans to merge creating just one college for over 16-year-olds in the town.

New College and Swindon College are putting together a proposal, which will have to be approved by the Government's Learning Skills Council.

It is not known whether a joint site would be created or if the different courses offered by both would continue to be provided on different sites across the town.

Nick Letchet, acting principal at Swindon College, and New College principal Graham Taylor gave us a joint statement.

It read: "This is only an outline proposal and, if the LSC approve this, would be followed by a process in which the educational and financial implications of a potential merger would be thoroughly investigated.

"There would also be a full public consultation before any further decisions were taken.

"It is far too soon to predict the outcome of the research and consultation.

"The colleges and the LSC's only interest is in producing the best further education for Swindon."

Headteachers in Swindon have backed the proposals, which they say will create better post-16 educational facilities.

Andrew Fleet, headteacher of Hreod Parkway School, said: "We have a very good relationship with both colleges but it seems that in terms of the provision they have there would be a lot of sense in bringing them together.

"It does make economic sense.

"Both colleges have their own market in terms of the students they provide for.

"Swindon College tends to be seen as a college of further education with a more vocational bias.

"New College is seen as a sixth form college with a more academic bias.

"They complement each other in that way and if they were brought together the two units would learn from each other."

David Williams of Kingsdown School, said: "Dealing with one college instead of two might improve the lines of communication and make the provision of courses even better.

"The colleges run some of the same courses at the moment so a merger would create a more efficient provision of education for 16 to 18-year-olds."

Phil Baker is secretary of the Swindon branch of the Association of Teachers and lecturers.

He believes there is currently too much of a divide between Swindon College and New College students.

"I think this is absolutely fantastic news for Swindon.

"A merger would ensure a more efficient provision of post 16 education in Swindon and it would also ensure that there's not such a division among young people according to which college they go to.

"New College is seen as a bit more upmarket whereas Swindon College is sometimes looked down on.

"The merger would enable all the students in Swindon to be taught under one umbrella.

"And it would be more economically viable for courses that are taught at both colleges to be taught at one site.

"This is excellent news for Swindon I'm very excited about it."

Garry Perkins, lead member for education at Swindon Council, said: "I think at the moment that the colleges have been competing against each other in certain areas in terms of grants.

"I'm hoping this will be a positive step forward for post 16 education in Swindon."

A spokeswoman for the Learning and Skills Council, said: "The Learning and Skills Council look forward to receiving the initial proposal for amalgamation of New College, Swindon and Swindon College.

"Our main concern is to ensure that learners in Swindon receive the best in education."

How they perform

ACADEMICALLY New College is more successful than Swindon College.

This year New College came fourth in the A level league tables for Swindon, which included Ridgeway School, Wootton Bassett School, Cirencester College, St Joseph's RC School and Swindon College. It's pupils scored an average 228.6, compared to 229.2 last year.

Swindon College came sixth in this year's league tables with an average of 165.3 an improvement on last year's 144.9. Swindon College is still searching for a buyer for its Regents Circus site but has decided to go ahead with the extension to its North Star site.

Diana Milne