Browse Sections

• Education 
• Business
• Blog
• Special reports

Weather

Partly cloudy

3 day forecast

| Submit Comments

What's this?

• Email
• del.icio.us
• Digg
• reddit
• Facebook
• StumbleUpon
• Newsvine
• Google Bookmarks
• Netscape
• Technorati
• Windows Live
• Yahoo! MyWeb
• Ma.gnolia

Atifa with Tony Blair
advertisement

MP Atifa’s sixth form call

YOUTH MP Atifa Shah says plans for a new sixth form in the centre of Rochdale could spell a brighter future for thousands of students.
Rochdale's elected member on the UK Youth Parliament and chairman of the Rochdale Youth Council believes that some students are forbidden by their parents from travelling out of the borough for a better education.
She says a purpose-built centre to specialise in A level subjects would improve their chances of going to university.
Nineteen-year-old Atifa (pictured above with the Prime Minister is keen to know the views of other young people.
Atifa, from Deeplish, says a large consultation could be held by the youth council for pupils affected by the changes.
This would take place at the request of Rochdale Council.
She said: "This issue is going to be very high profile. So if the council wanted, a big consultation meeting could be held by the youth council for young people and the public."
Atifa, who is studying management and computing at Manchester University, says the proposals are all the more important to her because of her own experience.
She said: "Rochdale College doesn't offer the A level provision that young people need.
"I started out at Oldham Sixth Form College because it had a good reputation. But because I had TB and I got tired so easily, I transferred to Oulder Hill High School because it was nearer.
"I think that if you can get more academic subjects it would give young people a wider access to learning.
"They can do vocational courses but universities don't look at them the same way.
"I have spoken to students who only go to Rochdale College because their parents won't let them go further afield."