THE Government’s spending cuts could cost top-rated Hereford Sixth Form College £1 million over four years, according to its principal.

Dr Jonathan Godfrey told BBCTVs The Politics Show that some small sixth forms – and even some smaller colleges – will become “financially unviable”.

The Sixth Form Colleges’ Forum is concerned about a reduction in entitlement funding – which pays for extra-curricular activities – when the government wants to see more money spent on additional places and an increase in apprenticeships instead.

Dr Godfrey, who sits on the forum, says colleges should take their share of the cuts, but what was proposed was a significant cut in 16-19 education.

Mr Godfrey said: “My college, for instance, will see a reduction of £1m over four years and the suggestion is we save money in terms of our non-examined curriculum.

"I think some small sixth forms, and some small colleges, will become financially unviable if these continued cuts go ahead.”

The government has suggested that the nonexamined curriculum should bear the brunt of the savings.

This covers pastoral support, tutorial provision, student services and careers education, in addition to extra-curricular activities such as drama, music and sport.

But Dr Godfrey told the Hereford Times that such provision was “an integral part of the overall student experience”

and played a vital role in ensuring students gain the outstanding results for which the college is well known.

He added: “Sixth form colleges are aware they need to accept some reductions given the pressures on the public purse but have objected to the size of the cuts they face relative to the cut in per pupil funding for school and the unfairness of the methodology used to determine disadvantage funding.”