Pupils getting their GCSE results today were told their A-Level places have been cancelled. The 'bombshell' news was delivered at an enrolment session at City of Liverpool College this morning, without any prior notice, and just 24 hours after the college informed its staff.
The Liverpool ECHO was contacted by a City of Liverpool College (COLC) staff member yesterday afternoon (August 18), who spoke on the condition of anonymity. They told the outlet staff had been called to a meeting by the college's leadership team, confirming the decision to cancel its A-Level provision.
The news comes as GCSE students across the country received their exam results, including many who had confirmed places to study A-Levels at COLC next month.
Decision to withdraw A-Level courses
After discussions with representatives for the college, the ECHO decided to hold the publication of today's news report, and allow the college sufficient time to inform affected students and offer them support.
The current cohort of A-Level students from the academic year 2025/26 will be able to finish their studies at COLC and take exams next year, but the college will not provide A-Level courses from 2027 onwards, according to the source. When the ECHO put this question to COLC, it said no decision had been made on its 2027/28 curriculum.
Nonetheless, the young people expecting to start their studies in September now face an uncertain future, as they look to find new places to study, or consider alternative courses at COLC.
Impact on students and staff
There are similar fears of uncertainty for COLC staff, especially faculty members who teach A-Levels, some of whom were hired earlier this year with the full expectation they would be teaching A-Levels for the next few years, and entirely unaware of any suggestions the courses could be pulled.
In relation to the withdrawal of A-Level courses, staff told the ECHO: 'It was a bombshell, to put it mildly.'
'We've had three open evenings where young people have come from schools across the city, and we've made them an offer of an A-Level place. But now, when they come in to enrol, they'll be told there's no longer any places for them.'
'A lot of the students who come to the college may have been unhappy at school, and looking forward to a new environment and a fresh start. They would have been relying on the college, and excited to start next month, but now that's been taken away.'
'Instead of preparing for the future they'd planned and had in place, their future has been plunged into uncertainty.'
'Some of our students are from disadvantaged backgrounds, who may not have had the grades to get A-Level places in other institutions, but who still wanted to get their A-Levels. What will happen to them now?'
College response
Responding to questions about how it arrived at the decision to end its offer of A-Level courses, and the impact on students, a COLC spokesperson said: 'Following an extensive review, we have taken the decision to withdraw our small A-level provision for first year students for the 26/27 Academic year, students on their second year of study will complete their A-levels with us as originally planned.'
'In reaching this decision we have considered a number of factors; including record growth in students in our technical and vocational areas, our overall student capacity to deliver exceptional teaching and learning for our students, staff utilisation and wellbeing, the economic needs of the city region, the wider UK economic direction of travel towards technical skills, declining volumes of A-Level applications and the high level of availability of alternative A-level provision across the city.'
'Our teams of experienced professionals will be on hand during the enrolment period to work extensively with those learners affected by this decision, providing guidance to alternative qualifications, including T-Levels, best suited to support their aspirations of employment or higher education both within the college and with other providers across the city, we're confident that this approach will ensure every student has the opportunity to study their desired subject area.'
In terms of its teaching staff, including those who have taught A-Levels for several years and those recently hired to teach A-Levels, the ECHO was told they expect hours to be reduced, and are worried about their future employment. Although COLC has said there will be no redundancies, staff have not had anything in writing to confirm that.
Furthermore, plans to re-deploy staff onto other courses has prompted concerns among the faculty, with some worried about their capacity and experience to teach classes outside their specialism, and how this will impact on the quality of education available to students.
As no redundancies have been suggested at this point, the ECHO understands unions officials were not made aware of COLC's decision to withdraw A-Level courses. After speaking to staff concerned about their employment prospects, the ECHO reached out to the University and College Union to find out what support and advice is available to its members. The outlet had not yet received a response by the time of publication.
