Tech City College is set to close after a short-supply of students means it is “financially unsustainable.”

Islington Gazette: Tech City CollegeTech City College (Image: Archant)

The academy trust which runs it, Aspirations Academies Trust, has got an agreement in principle to shut the school in Clerkenwell after applying for permission from the Department for Education (DfE).

The closure will come into place from the end of the current school year in July, following a consultation.

The DfE’s “listening exercise” will give a chance for students, parents and other stakeholders to put forward their views on the closure and transitional agreements.

The college had appeared to bounce back after a series of poor Ofsted reports, strikes by teachers and a college in turmoil in recent years.

When the trust took over the college in City Road in 2015 its bosses admitted it was in a “chaotic state,” and the school was rated inadequate.

However in June 2017 it moved up the rankings to “requires improvement” as Ofsted recognised the college’s leadership team, including principal Nasrin Farahani, had raised standards.

In a statement from the college today, a spokesperson said it had made “rapid and significant improvement.

“However, with saturation in post 16 provision in the local area, it has been difficult to recruit students to the college and with only 49 students currently on roll the college is financially unsustainable,” they continued.

They said the Trust would “make every effort” to minimise disruption, and will offer current Year 12 students free transport to other Aspirations Academies to complete their education.

The trust will also look to employ staff at other academies elsewhere in the trust.