I AGREE with Amelia Washbourne's recent points concerning the importance of council-referred pupils and their education, but disagree with her regarding NMiTE and local higher education.

As principal of Herefordshire Sixth Form College, I have watched the development of NMITE closely over the last few years, at first with scepticism.

RELEVANT LETTER: 

We have a well above average proportion of students going to Russell Group universities, and with 53 Oxbridge students within the last two years, one of the highest success rates within the country.

However, the majority of our students, particularly in these rather strange times, prefer to remain closer to home and choose a local educational route.

NMITE takes a particularly egalitarian approach to admissions with its focus on the personal qualities of curiosity, creativity, grit, passion and teamwork, alongside the academic.

This often means more young people from less well off families, more inclusiveness, and a greater spread of opportunity, but with no loss of standards.

This is exactly our ethos at the sixth form college.

As such I now warmly welcome the development of this dedicated higher education provider in the county and wish it well.

Six of our former students are now at NMITE, and I expect that many more will want to go there in the years to come.

Peter Cooper
Principal, Hereford Sixth Form College

  • Do you agree with this letter writer? Have your views heard HERE