ABINGDON and Witney College is scrapping A-Levels at one campus due to falling demand.

Students in Witney will no longer be able to study for the qualifications from September after demand dropped 50 per cent to just 25 students last year.

The Holloway Road college said it would now focus on vocational qualifications instead.

Its Witney campus is undergoing a £7.5m revamp to create new TV and radio studios, two hairdressing salons, science labs, library and IT facilities. Some buildings are expected to open in April.

College spokesman Tina Lillington said: “We decided we will not be continuing A-Levels for applicants who would have started their course this September. We have noticed that applications have been very low this year and there are a couple of local schools which offer excellent provision.”

Current A-Level students will not be affected and courses will still be available at the college’s Wootton Road, Abingdon, campus. No teachers have been made redundant.

Ms Lillington said: “This will not affect anyone who is currently studying their A-Levels at Witney. Their course will carry on as normal.

“All the subjects will be available at the Abingdon campus and within the district through the West Oxfordshire Learning Partnership.”

She added:“The focus of the new campus is going to be very strongly on high quality vocational training. The college is really committed to Witney.”

Henry Box School headteacher Nicky Edmondson said the college change would not have a major impact on its pupils.

He said: “We have arrangements with Wood Green School so that students are able to study between both schools and get a good choice of subjects.

“Over the last few years we have already been adding to the subjects students are able to study at both schools.”

Henry Box has a capacity of 1,469, with 1,331 students currently on the roll, and Wood Green has a capacity of 1,297, with 1,098 on the roll.