An extra £20 million in post-16 capacity funding to help Leeds and Greater Manchester cope with “rising numbers” of 16- to- 19-year-olds in education has been announced today, as the government confirms how it is handing out £302 million to improve college buildings. The Department for Education (DfE) said the funding will help repair colleges’ “leaky roofs, broken windows and dilapidated buildings” to ensure they can “continue to break down barriers to opportunity”. It is six months since the funding was first announced at last October’s budget and the first condition allocation in two years, according to the government. In a statement to Parliament, skills minister Jacqui Smith also announced an extra £10 million each for Leeds City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority “to support capacity for rising numbers of 16- to 19-year-olds expected in 2025-26”. She said: “This additional capacity will ensure young people continue in their education and training spreading opportunities across the country.” The funding The £301,999,999.98 in further education college condition allocations (FECCA) will be shared out between England’s 179 college groups based on a methodology that takes into account learning hours last academic year, space requirements for each subject, modelled non-teaching space, residential space, local construction costs and total expected space. While the methodology does include apprenticeship delivery, it excludes learning aims such as distance learning, higher education, T Level occupational specialisms or end-point assessments. Large college groups such as NCG and Capital City College will receive more than £7 million each, while 48 smaller institutions such as Calderdale College and Capel Manor College will receive less than £1 million each (see full list of allocations below). According to Smith, the £322 million package confirmed today is part of the DfE’s £6.7 billion capital allocation, confirmed in the autumn budget. She added: “This is a 19 per cent real-terms increase from 2024 to 25 demonstrating the government’s commitment to protecting education priorities against a tough fiscal context.” Eligible and ineligible costs Spend guidance published alongside the FECCA allocations says colleges have the “discretion” to decide how funding should be spent towards “improving the condition and preventing deterioration” of buildings and grounds. A spending deadline of March 31, 2028, has also been attached to the grant, with colleges encouraged to plan and deliver “as soon as possible”. However, the grants cannot be used to fund expansion of premises or to purchase land, and should not be spent on assessing potential future projects if this would lead to a “backlog of condition improvement problems”. While the money can be used for IT infrastructure that is in “poor condition”, including stripping out and replacing cables, it cannot be used for new equipment or software. Colleges have also been told to prioritise meeting net zero targets, sustainability and energy efficiency. Smith said: “Further education colleges are at the heart of our mission to grow the economy and train the next generation of skilled workers under our Plan for Change. “But the college estate we inherited is simply not fit for purpose. “Today’s funding addresses these issues, allowing colleges to focus on what they do best: breaking down barriers to opportunity and inspiring the workforce of the future.” Association of colleges deputy chief executive Julian Gravatt said: “This £302 million investment is significant and a crucial step towards ensuring that our colleges can maintain and improve their estates, providing a safe and conducive learning environment for students and staff. “We are particularly pleased to see the government’s commitment to addressing the deterioration of college buildings and grounds.” Gravatt also welcomed the DfE’s use of a formula to allocate the funding “for the first time in 20 years”. Mayor boost for some cities Leeds City Council welcomed the funding as a “major boost” in its efforts to provide enough learning space for students amid what Luminate college group’s principal calls a “capacity crisis” due to a population bulge, a shortage of spaces on courses, and a lack of strategic planning. The city expects its 16- to- 19-year-old population to continue rising until 2030, to just under 30,000 people. Councillor Helen Hayden, executive member for children and families, said: “The pressures we face are not unique to Leeds, with all core cities nationally grappling with similar challenges, but we remain committed to finding a solution. “To that end, we have made great strides so far to address the pressing need for further places, working closely with FE providers, community stakeholders and the Department for Education. “This £10 million additional funding is a major boost in helping us to provide the physical spaces and learning environments needed to enable more students to continue their education and enjoy the best possible opportunities here in Leeds.” Colin Booth, chief executive of Luminate Education Group, called the £10 million in funding for Leeds a “positive development” that could go “some way” in tackling rising numbers of young people not in education, employment or training. He added: “Over recent years, post-16 capacity constraints in Leeds have resulted in growing numbers of young people being unable to access suitable forms of post-16 education. “Today’s announcement represents forward-thinking investment that could benefit both the local economy and young people right across the city.” However, he warned that funding should be “targeted” at growing capacity for high demand courses such as level 1 and 2, and some technical courses such as health and care, rather than local sixth forms and A-levels. He said: “In Leeds, there is an oversupply and competition between, sixth forms for A-level students. “But in the most disadvantaged postcodes of Leeds, fewer than half of 16-year-olds are able or want to study A-levels.” Gravatt added: “With 16 to 18 student numbers having risen by 7 per cent this year and forecast to rise by 5 per cent nationally, the government needs a plan for technical education growth. “The funds for Leeds and Manchester will help but there are pressures in other cities and towns across the country.” Further Education College Condition Allocations announced today Provider nameAllocationNCG£7,555,502.94Capital City College£7,391,320.54New City College£5,861,633.26Chichester College Group£5,216,864.85HRUC (Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges)£4,571,725.41Luminate Education Group£4,277,801.33Activate Learning£4,188,176.34South Thames Colleges Group£3,979,320.51Bedford College£3,961,219.53Nottingham College£3,813,156.90Exeter College£3,605,425.46Newham College of Further Education£3,378,156.47LTE Group£3,159,807.60EKC Group£3,119,951.90Sandwell College£3,046,994.97City of Sunderland College£3,036,150.45United Colleges Group£2,989,412.78TEC Partnership£2,892,520.30The Sheffield College£2,880,549.97West Nottinghamshire College£2,863,288.30West Herts College£2,851,718.78Barnet and Southgate College£2,735,182.61Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group£2,619,198.86East Sussex College Group£2,559,455.81South and City College Birmingham£2,430,673.58South Essex College of Further and Higher Education£2,426,969.56Salford City College£2,413,150.88Inspire Education Group£2,398,063.10Derby College£2,374,476.76Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education£2,356,653.99The Trafford and Stockport College Group£2,354,139.57DN Colleges Group£2,352,725.27City of Portsmouth College£2,337,544.29Loughborough College£2,312,121.34Middlesbrough College£2,309,076.55The City of Liverpool College£2,305,918.63Birmingham Metropolitan College£2,279,243.53Barnsley College£2,228,601.42South Hampshire College Group£2,207,150.54Leicester College£2,205,344.80Solihull College & University Centre£2,196,589.99Cheshire College – South & West£2,182,061.44London South East Colleges£2,171,653.60Bridgwater and Taunton College£2,167,449.46Dudley College of Technology£2,162,122.72Blackpool and the Fylde College£2,143,871.64Truro and Penwith College£2,102,964.77Walsall College£2,094,754.65Hartpury College£2,082,090.16North Kent College£2,080,003.50Windsor Forest Colleges Group£2,075,288.50Heart of Yorkshire Education Group£2,040,194.71Wigan and Leigh College£1,992,454.52South Gloucestershire and Stroud College£1,991,638.07Colchester Institute£1,960,835.08Bradford College£1,952,883.40Northampton College£1,925,661.59Havant and South Downs College£1,896,594.20Oaklands College£1,895,551.75Cornwall College£1,886,773.70City of Wolverhampton College£1,878,646.14New College Swindon£1,837,955.81Halesowen College£1,823,014.19West Suffolk College£1,819,223.23Warwickshire College Group£1,815,020.90Waltham Forest College£1,802,163.27Sparsholt College Hampshire£1,787,223.98City of Bristol College£1,774,733.55Kirklees College£1,769,919.73Cambridge Regional College£1,766,758.13York College£1,757,466.76New College Durham£1,756,550.45Lincoln College£1,749,430.71MidKent College£1,738,647.27Wiltshire College and University Centre£1,734,133.69Runshaw College£1,733,469.00Gateshead College£1,716,380.53Burnley College£1,690,301.41Croydon College£1,665,082.55RNN Group£1,659,896.39City College Plymouth£1,648,690.96Weston College£1,643,226.85Bolton College£1,614,858.18Gloucestershire College£1,607,086.48Bury College£1,606,683.93Preston College£1,597,841.04The Bournemouth and Poole College£1,592,337.52South Bank Colleges£1,562,931.59Tameside College£1,527,057.02Myerscough College£1,523,694.00Hopwood Hall College£1,521,206.50Nelson and Colne College£1,511,500.77Blackburn College£1,503,291.07Barking and Dagenham College£1,498,564.67Milton Keynes College£1,470,772.37East Surrey College£1,418,411.08Riverside College Halton£1,408,301.21South Devon College£1,392,127.61Hull College£1,390,938.74Reaseheath College£1,385,478.00USP College£1,369,323.31Brockenhurst College£1,362,524.38Harlow College£1,355,731.15Coventry College£1,352,714.97Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College£1,348,071.40Chesterfield College£1,342,129.75The Oldham College£1,314,421.37The Education Training Collective£1,308,869.13Buckinghamshire College Group£1,291,856.33St Helens College£1,270,594.08South Staffordshire College£1,248,099.40North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College£1,239,660.71Bishop Burton College£1,222,305.19East Coast College£1,218,589.15Suffolk New College£1,202,352.94The College of West Anglia£1,177,945.52Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College£1,162,670.12Heart of Worcestershire College£1,157,331.97Moulton College£1,152,975.15Wirral Metropolitan College£1,152,649.57Tyne Coast College£1,121,357.57Warrington and Vale Royal College£1,111,718.07West Thames College£1,087,296.88Abingdon and Witney College£1,085,927.92Hertford Regional College£1,068,211.18Farnborough College of Technology£1,062,333.94Chelmsford College£1,052,519.18Hugh Baird College£1,049,272.36North East Surrey College of Technology£1,030,014.85Bath College£1,012,757.75Telford College£1,004,813.49Calderdale College£999,585.98Stoke-on-Trent College£990,329.88The SMB Group£961,438.13North Hertfordshire College£944,745.50Morley College London£924,595.30Boston College£903,236.01Askham Bryan College£891,724.23Petroc£867,455.28Southport Education Group£858,839.95Yeovil College£851,694.19Plumpton College£844,731.42Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College£842,771.90Burton and South Derbyshire College£842,471.05Darlington College£834,170.76City Lit£820,089.09Kendal College£816,829.60Stanmore College£810,891.36Hartlepool College of Further Education£790,990.87Leeds College of Building£786,854.45East Durham College£751,754.62The Isle of Wight College£745,492.80Workers’ Educational Association£715,420.88Brooklands College£668,750.79Basingstoke College of Technology£663,449.25Lakes College – West Cumbria£610,361.86Macclesfield College£591,966.58Craven College£544,605.58Derwentside College£538,377.41Lancaster and Morecambe College£529,144.06Newbury College£506,958.36Capel Manor College£495,734.23WM College£493,066.54Strode College£478,869.08Richmond and Hillcroft Adult and Community College (Rhacc)£471,309.91Furness College£470,320.73Shipley College£437,287.96Bishop Auckland College£361,003.98Grantham College£340,183.88The Northern School of Art£276,896.22Writtle College Limited£273,481.84Northern College for Residential Adult Education Limited£253,462.99Hereford College of Arts£244,485.84The Mary Ward Centre (AE Centre)£180,121.47Ada National College for Digital Skills£108,256.08Hereward College of Further Education£102,955.98Fircroft College of Adult Education£41,959.99Ruskin College£31,025.31The Marine Society College of the Sea£3,967.62 Source: DfE
brenda mcleish 1 April 2025 Interesting that once again the ITP’s who are delivering significant support in tackling neets with higher volumes of study programme learners than most colleges listed are once again ignored!!