'Out of borough' youths causing mayhem at Twickenham station (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

'Out of borough' youths causing mayhem at Twickenham station

11:11am Wednesday 12th November 2008 in

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Sir – It is a great shame that a minority of the out of borough students of Richmond upon Thames Tertiary College, or as one eminent educationalist once called it "the tertiary transit camp", occasionally cause mayhem at Twickenham station.

From what we are led to believe the college has great academic success.

It would seem that its reputation is being tarnished by the less academic students whose antics are giving the place such a bad press.

When I used to examine there in the early 80s, it was an excellent sixth form college, attracting well motivated students from local schools.

This was after the abolition of the grammar schools and excellent secondary schools, with flourishing sixth forms.

Is it not interesting to note that all these changes to the educational system of the former boroughs of Richmond and Twickenham were carried out during a Tory administration at about the same time Twickenham Pool was closed and all its plants removed?

I have witnessed the harassment and rudeness endured by the railway employees and the shopkeeper at Twickenham station by youths on their way to and from the college.

I find it strange that so many Twickenham sixth formers opt for Esher College rather than our own tertiary college, despite its wonderful facilities, and that there are so many out of borough students, since they are obliged to travel here by train from boroughs as far away as Wandsworth.

Is there no sixth form provision in these boroughs?

DAVID KING
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