Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick has thrown his weight behind the campaign to save Crickhowell High School’s sixth form from closure.

The Liberal Democrat MP signed a petition at a packed public meeting on Monday night, joining hundreds of residents in opposing Powys County Council’s Option 3 proposal in their post-16 education review – which would see all English-medium sixth forms in the county shut and replaced by two post-16 centres in Brecon and Newtown.

Speaking after the meeting at Clarence Hall, Mr Chadwick described the plan as “devastating” and said the arguments put forward by the council “simply don’t hold up”.

“I believe firmly that Crickhowell sixth form should not be under consideration for closure,” he said.

“The school ranks among the best in Wales and offers a wide range of opportunities for local pupils.”

Crickhowell’s sixth form is one of the few in Powys where post-16 numbers exceed the Welsh average. This year, it has 252 students across Years 12 and 13, with 292 projected next year. In recent years, the school has also ranked among the top-performing sixth forms in the UK, according to national benchmarking data.

Citing Crickhowell’s reputation as the best-performing sixth form in Powys, and among the best in Wales and the UK, Mr Chadwick pointed to its high student retention, broad curriculum, and positive student outcomes as reasons the sixth form should remain open.

He also noted that students from neighbouring counties, such as Monmouthshire and Blanaeu Gwent choose to attend Crickhowell due to its exceptional reputation.

“There are longstanding failures in education across Wales and Powys,” said Mr Chadwick. “But closing down a high-performing school is not the right way to address those – and is certainly not what residents want either. A high-performing school attracts young families to our area. That will help us address problems like rural depopulation.

“The arguments put forward by the council simply don’t hold up. Not only does the sixth form perform exceptionally well; it actually generates income for the council thanks to students coming from outside the county. It also has the highest post-16 retention rate in Powys and is the only school in the county where post-16 numbers exceed the Welsh average.”

Mr Chadwick added: “I will be standing alongside local residents every step of the way to oppose any potential closure of Crickhowell sixth form.

“I urge Powys County Council to drop any plans that consider the closure of Crickhowell sixth form.”

The MP’s intervention follows a meeting on Monday where speakers including pupils, staff, town councillors and local business owners made the case for keeping the sixth form open.

Powys County Council says the current sixth form model is financially unsustainable due to falling learner numbers, reduced subject choice, and growing transport and staffing costs. But campaigners argue Crickhowell is the exception – and a model that should be supported, not dismantled.