STAFF and students paid a bittersweet farewell to Robert Owen Academy at a celebration event, with leaders raising their concerns about the provision for vocational education in the county.

The school, on Blackfriars Street, officially closes its doors for good today following the government’s decision in March to shut the school.

The school opened in 2013 to provide both academic and vocational education to students aged 14 to 19 who have struggled in other schools.

The final annual meeting and celebration event took place last Wednesday and saw the principal Paul Cordey and Chris Morgan, chair of the Robert Owen Trust, share their reflections on the school and celebrate its achievements over the past five years.

Mr Cordey emphasised the importance of vocational skills to prepare students for the world of work, especially in rural Herefordshire.

He pointed to the shortage of care workers and engineers in the county and how the school could have continued to play a vital role in plugging the skills gap.

Trustees argued that more needs to be done to help young people whose needs are not met by mainstream schools and also in rural communities where job prospects are poor.

Chris Morgan said: “Herefordshire is in serious danger of becoming a backwater. The only option for many of our youngsters is to leave.”

The event included an awards ceremony for students past and present to celebrate their achievements.

Alex Jones, 17, won Principal’s Award for overall contribution to the school.

He now works as a lifeguard at Hereford Leisure Park and credits the staff at Robert Owen Academy with opening up opportunities for him.

He praised the school for creating a community and said: “We all know each other. You can’t walk down the corridor without speaking to someone.

“We all went to different schools but we know what each other is going through. The bonds are unbreakable.”

The closure has meant that each student has been placed in a new school, a task that school leaders say proved difficult.

Student Louise Doyle, 17, has had to change her plans due to the closure.

She intended to stay on at Robert Owen Academy after finishing her GCSEs but will now have to apply to different colleges in Hereford.