When I walked into Strode College to take up my first principalship in 2022, I was acutely aware of the challenging financial landscape that FE colleges operate in, especially small rural colleges.
What I wasn’t prepared for was a historical traineeship sub-contracting issue to be revealed in my first week. We were facing a year-long investigation, culminating in a multi-million-pound deficit and immediately placing us in intervention.
We worked hard to address this, collaborating with the department for education (DfE) and the further education commissioner (FEC) to stabilise cash flow and significantly boost capital investment.
For our stakeholders, we wanted it to be business as usual. Throughout the process, we grew student numbers, improved outcomes and increased local engagement – a testament to our success.
Ultimately though, it became clear that joining forces with another college would be the only way to secure a stable future for our students, staff and community.
Our decision to merge was rooted in our absolute commitment to securing the future of Strode College. So, rather than focus on the word ‘merger’, which felt daunting, we looked on the process as a strategic means to safeguard our fantastic provision.
Interested colleges were invited to submit an expression of interest, but only one was taken forward. I am confident that the resulting partnership with Bridgwater & Taunton College is the best possible way forward for our whole college community.
Here are some of the lessons we learned along the way.
Embracing change and being transparent
During times of institutional change, staff stability becomes more important than ever. Their dedication drives our students’ success.
So it was critical for us to be open and transparent about the process. We had frequent and honest conversations with all our stakeholders – including our board, staff and students. We held regular meetings, explained the challenges we were facing and were consistent with our messaging.
This was not just about communicating our merger plan, but about engaging our community in the process and actively listening (and responding) to their concerns.
Commitment to inclusion
Our aim post-merger is not only to preserve our central role for our community but to strengthen it. Listening to our stakeholders’ insights was therefore crucial to making decisions about our future and carrying forward the unique and valued aspects of our college culture.
Reassuring our community that their support systems would not just continue but would grow stronger in the merged institution (with improved capital funding and access to specialist skills and resources) wasn’t just about what we were saying, but how.
To that end, we ensured our comms were inclusive and genuinely reflective of the care we have for all our members of our community.
Finding the right partner
The key, of course, was to find a like-minded partner with aligned values. We focused on identifying a college with a similar commitment to student success, inclusion and community enrichment.
These shared values gave us reassurance that our priorities would remain intact when we become part of a larger college group. We will retain our culture, vision and ethos in the new group structure, with local accountability via a local governing body.
Better still, each institution will bring complementary strengths to the table. Joining forces with Bridgwater & Taunton College will strengthen FE provision across the region, creating more career-focused progression routes, apprenticeships and other employment opportunities.
This will enable Strode College to invest in pedagogical innovation and further enhance the student experience by expanding our enrichment programmes. This will create more opportunities for personal and academic growth.
We also have a well-established reputation for high-quality delivery at A Level and Level 3. Combining this expertise with Bridgwater & Taunton College’s strengths (stakeholder partnerships, apprenticeship delivery and national policy engagement) is an exciting prospect for us all.
Opportunities for growth
For many colleges, a merger may feel like the last-resort option. To other college leaders facing similar situations, I would say this: your resilience will undoubtedly be tested by the process, but it can lead to a stronger future for everyone involved.
Transparency, staff engagement, inclusion and alignment of values are essential to protecting what matters most: the wellbeing of our current students, prospective students, staff and wider community.
Good article but not enoigh on internal.
It is well documented that M&A’s destroy value.
Looking internal. Organisations that merge pay little attention to alignment and harmonisation. Value is destroyed through disconnected systems and processes. More of an afterthought really. From which, is generated certain behaviours and cultures over time, detrimental to the long term effective and efficient operating models….all of which underpins the drive of a strategy. All looks rosey to begin with.
This is quite often due to types of leadership (see strategic lens of a leader) and robust implementation but more often than not , having the correct level of resources to deal with the internal matters.
For over 20 years, have seen and felt the internal effects of mergers, something quite intangible to many, it doesn’t appear on any performance indicators but is soo transparent in how services undertake all the hard work to make it just work….
Great Summary John Revill of a very testing time. You and your team handled it well, and you always put the interest of learners, businesses and the local community at the forefront of your thoughts and actions. I see this as a move forwards not backwards, and in this case, a merger that can deliver positive results. keep up the good work!