A new scheme to provide "choice" for school leavers looks to be on shaky ground after government funding for A-Level courses was refused.

Borough schools recently banded together to create the Richmond 14-19 Partnership in a bid to provide courses for the 430 extra youngsters who will seek further education in September 2008.

The move came after the Learning for Skills Council (LSC) said that competition for Esher and Richmond colleges must be introduced to allow the extra students greater choice.

The LSC recently gave the partnership the green light, but now it has revealed it will not fund A-Level provision as it considers it would "duplicate existing local provision".

The partnership had intended to form two consortia of borough schools, with Teddington School and Orleans Park acting as administrative centres.

This now looks unlikely as the scheme will lose £6million earmarked for a 200 place sixth-form centre at Teddington School.

Vincent Cable MP said the scheme was "a dog's breakfast". He added: "It has been clear for a long time that what was required was a free-standing sixth form, but petty agendas stopped this happening.

"Now we have this half-baked proposal from a competition - which had only one entry - organised by the LSC. It is totally unclear and will satisfy nobody."

Councillor Malcolm Eady, cabinet member for education, said: "The whole thing was constructed on sand - but the competition was the competition and we must take this forward now."

According to Coun Eady, a third provider of A-Level courses would destabilise existing provision.

"We can't have our cake and eat it. The competition raised expectations; it should not have done and now people are left a bit upset," he said.

Coun Eady confirmed that the partnership would "probably" not offer A-Level courses as part of their curriculum.

Instead the consortia will offer 14-19 vocational diplomas in engineering, construction, creative and media lines and IT from September 2008.

Central funding of £30,000 will be awarded for each diploma offered to help train and recruit staff.

Dave Talbot, Headteacher of Orleans Park School, said: "We remain committed to meeting the needs of all post 16 learners in Richmond, extending the choice available and being a fundamental part of the provision established for them.

"We shall be meeting representatives of the LSC shortly to re-state that commitment and to plan the way forward."