SIXTH forms at all schools across Medway could be scrapped to make way for one giant sixth form college.

In a review of post-16 learning in Kent and Medway, the Learning and Skills Council a Government lead body for sixth form education has concluded that progress is not good enough.

And the LSC says that if there has not been significant improvements by the end of the 2006/7 academic year, it will consider radical changes for 16-19 education and training.

That could mean one college for the whole of Medway responsible for all academic and vocational education for 16-19-year-olds.

At this stage there are no suggestions as to where such a college would be built but the move would affect more than 6,000 students.

Furious head teachers have vowed to fight the changes.

Keith Williams, Rochester Math head, said: "It would be a disaster. There's no reason why successful schools should be destroyed. We are not going to let that happen without a massive fight."

The giant college is a long-term plan but the LSC is considering immediate substantial changes.

One option being considered is the creation of a single sixth form centre within each of five secondary school consortia in Medway.

That would mean all sixth forms in schools would close to be replaced by five regional sixth form centres; one each in Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham and North Medway (Hoo and Strood).

Head of Greenacre Andy Reese, chairman of the Rochester and Walderslade Consortium, said: "The LSC has no idea of the disruption this would cause. We would have to look very carefully at all the courses on offer, how we fund and most importantly staff them and of course decide where the sixth form would be located."

Medway's education boss Rose Collinson said the review had not been all bad. The LSC had acknowledged good collaboration and consortium arrangements between Medway and headteachers.

She said: "I do not think that if Medway builds on that spirit of collaboration then it will be in a different place in two years' time.

"One of the options that the LSC has available is it could choose a single college for Medway but I think it is because of a confidence in Medway schools that they've not chosen to do that now."

The LSC consultation period finishes on April 30.