THE history of Hereford Sixth Form College is covered in a new book which looks at its early development.

In The Founding of Hereford Sixth Form College: an Episode in Change Management 1964-73, Geoffrey Barnes traces its growth as an institution.

“In the 1960s, with the debate on school reorganisation at its height, Herefordshire’s decision to open a purpose-built secondary college had achieved a kind of success d’estime et de scandale, attracting reactions of interest and scepticism in equal measure,” writes Dr Barnes, the college’s first principal, who lives in Lugwardine.

He adds that the college’s success deserves some account of its beginnings and the contribution of individuals to its establishment.

Dr Barnes believes the survival of the college as an institution should not be taken for granted in an age of constant change. Many sixth form colleges, he writes, survived for only a limited period.

“Hereford Sixth Form College is one of a number which have adjusted to the demands of the times, in Hereford’s case growing and flourishing to the extent of achieving 35 years of service to the community,” he writes.

The book also looks at how the college overcame the problems as it worked towards becoming the institution we know today.

The discovery of source material also reveals detail about the workings of local government.