Brooklands College will remain a standalone institution, the FE Commissioner has decided following a six-year review.
The decision for the Surrey college, now called Brooklands Technical College, comes after a structure and prospects appraisal (SPA) which explored whether a merger would be the best strategic option to secure its long-term future.
The review concluded that remaining as a standalone institution was the “most effective way” for the college to provide the “very best for students, continue to deliver financial resilience, and deliver responsiveness to local skills needs”.
It marks the end of direct oversight from the FEC that began in 2019 – a period that was triggered by a subcontracting scandal which resulted in Brooklands repaying the Department for Education over £20 million.
The college is technically still in government intervention but expects to move into post intervention monitoring shortly.
Principal Christine Ricketts said the SPA outcome “gives the college and our community the certainty and stability needed to continue the transformational work of the last few years”.
“I want to thank the FE Commissioner team and our stakeholders for their constructive engagement and support throughout what was a thorough and transparent process,” she added.
“Most importantly, I want to recognise our staff, whose commitment and resilience have been remarkable throughout this extended process.”
Brooklands’ recovery has been closely watched since the 2019 financial crisis and repayment order, which came after a government probe discovered one of the college’s subcontractors had created “ghost” learners and was illegally using funding to pay wages.
Ricketts, who stepped up from deputy to principal after the scandal came to light, and her leadership team have been credited with pulling the college back from the brink.
Brooklands is partway through a £45 million redevelopment of its Weybridge campus – a project that is funding the government’s clawback. The first new facilities are already open, with further phases due for completion over the next 18 months.
The college reported a 5 per cent increase in enrolments this academic year, which it said reflects “growing confidence” from students and employers.
Ricketts added: “The FE Commissioner’s conclusion that Brooklands should remain standalone is an endorsement of the progress we’ve made and the strong position we now hold. With stability secured, we can move forward with confidence – continuing to invest in our people, our facilities, and the learners and businesses we serve.”
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