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Edition 116: Chris Toon and Jacqueline Grubb

Two new deputy principals have been appointed at opposite ends of the country.

Chris Toon has taken up post at Gateshead College, while Jacqueline Grubb has done the same at Basingstoke College of Technology (BCot).

Mr Toon, who had spent the previous two years at Liverpool’s Knowsley Community College, has more than 15 years’ experience of the education and skills sectors.

A qualified teacher and experienced lecturer, he was appointed to an advanced practitioner post within four years of starting his career in FE.

Mr Toon, whose official job title is deputy principal — curriculum and quality, said: “I am thrilled to be joining this forward-thinking college at an exciting, challenging time in FE.

“Gateshead College recognises that the sector is changing and is adapting the way it delivers education to coincide with this change, making sure students are employment-ready with the qualifications and skills needed to support our economy.”

Judith Doyle, principal and chief executive at Gateshead College, said: “Chris is exactly the type of entrepreneurial, innovative individual we were seeking to appoint.

“I’m confident that he’ll help us to continue to support and inspire our staff to deliver world-class teaching, ensuring that our students are the most highly prized in the jobs market.

“There were some strong candidates for the position but Chris’s skills and experience made him the ideal choice. We were impressed with his commitment and passion for Gateshead College and his unwavering dedication to the staff, students and community that we serve.”

Ms Grubb’s title at BCot is deputy principal for curriculum, performance and innovation.

She joins from Swindon College and brings with her 27 years of FE experience that includes work as an Ofsted Inspector.

“Enjoying a successful career in the hair and beauty industry including owning my own business, I was approached to undertake some part-time lecturing alongside this and discovered a passion for teaching and learning,” she said.

“Part-time lecturing became full-time lecturing, curriculum and quality management and then into senior leadership, alongside this I was an External Verifier and am still currently working with Ofsted as an Inspector.”

She added: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at BCot in this new role and will continue to grow the college’s reputation and deliver a quality product, focussing on performance and innovation.”

EFA boss Lauener to head up SFA

Peter Lauener is to take over as chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) — while continuing to head up the Education Funding Agency (EFA), the government announced this afternoon.

He will take up the new role on Monday, November 3, replacing interim chief executive Keith Smith (pictured right).

A government statement said Mr Lauener would have separate accountability for each agency’s budget — and stressed that the EFA and SFA would not be merged.

He said: “I am delighted to take on this role and am looking forward to the challenge of making a difference in the skills sector.

“I have a long-standing interest and commitment to apprenticeships and skills and I am keen to be involved in the next stage of reform.”

Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “I am pleased to welcome Peter to his new post. He brings a wealth of experience in skills and in working with employers.

“In his new role leading both SFA and EFA he will help to join up our programme of reform across the education and skills sector.”

Mr Lauener has been chief executive of the EFA since it was formed in April 2012, having also been chief executive of predecessor organisation the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA).

He was the subject of an FE Week profile interview in November 2011, when he said of the YPLA job: “I’d applied for other things which I’d missed out on, but when this one came along I thought ‘well, this is the one I really ought to go for and so I went for the interview and was lucky enough to get the job.”

Mr Smith, who has been performing the role since previous chief executive Barbara Spicer (pictured left) departed to run Liverpool-based housing agency Plus Dane Group in September.

Ms Spicer took the role at the SFA on a nine-month contract after the departure of previous chief executive Kim Thorneywork in November last year.

Stewart Segal, chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said: “We are pleased to see the announcement that Peter Lauener has been appointed to the permanent position of chief executive of the SFA.

“Peter has a long history of working with the skills and employment sector including independent training providers. This appointment will enable Peter to join together a number of policy development areas across the 16 to 18 and 19+ sectors.

“We will be delighted to work with Peter to realise the ambitions to grow the skills programmes such as English and maths, traineeships and apprenticeships. Peter’s commitment to ensuring that the apprenticeship programme is a real option for the 16 to 18 cohort will be very important as the apprenticeship reforms take shape.

“We would like to congratulate Peter on his appointment and look forward to working with him in this new and challenging role.”

Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said: “Peter Lauener is very capable and a trusted figure within the FE sector. Therefore his appointment to become chief executive of the SFA is sensible and pragmatic.”

Campus 31

Ainsley dishes out FE team of the year award

High achieving FE staff were recognised at national teaching awards.

The hospitality and catering department at Yorkshire-based Selby College, led by catering manager Adrian Dawes, were given the team of the year award by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott at the Pearson Awards ceremony at London’s Guildhall on Sunday (October 26).

Mr Dawes said: “It has taken total dedication and a great deal of hard work from all of the team to achieve this.”

Kirklees College curriculum team leader for teacher training Corrine Scandling (right) collected the FE lecturer of the year award from Hugh Quarshie, who plays surgeon Ric Griffin in BBC medical drama Holby City.

She took the title ahead of computing lecturer Joe Abdulgani and early years tutor Tanya Gardener, both from Weston College, music teacher from City College Plymouth Colin Seddon and travel and tourism lecturer from Exeter College Andy Waite.

Mrs Scandling said: “It was mindblowing winning the award.

“I would like to thank my current and past students for nominating me. You don’t realize how much you touch people’s lives through teaching until something like this happens.”

Picture Caption: Ainsley Harriot with award winners.

Fright night at Student Union

Learners from Worcestershire-based Pershore College decorated their Student Union bar with coffins, blood stained walls and creepy cobwebs for a Halloween party.

Dozens of learners who attended dressed as murderous clowns, zombies, devils and psycho killer Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th films.

Matt Hood, aged 25, treasurer of Pershore College Student Union, said “It went really well with around 80 people in a wide range of amazing scary costumes.”

Picture Caption: Students from Pershore College enjoying themselves at the Halloween Party.

Art week paintings depict women’s role on First World War home front

Paintings by level three art students depicting women’s role in keeping Britain’s farms going during the First World War will go on public display.

Bracknell and Wokingham College level three art learners Georgia Nosal, aged 17, and Alex Welch, 19, created the artworks for the tenth annual Binfield, Warfield and Winkfield Arts Week.

Their paintings will be unveiled at Brownlow Hall, in Warfield, on Friday (October 31) and will also be displayed at South Hill Park Arts Centre, in Warfield, before being exhibited at the college.

Georgia said: “It was a fun project which started with a lot of research about war propaganda and artists from the time to help us plan out our work.”

Alex said: “I really enjoyed working on this and I’m proud of my final painting.

“I think my family and friends will go along and have a look at it so I am glad it has turned out so well.”

Picture Caption: From left: Georgia Nosal and Alex Welsh

Public Accounts Committee announces 16 to 18 participation hearing

The Public Accounts Committee will hold an inquiry into the issue of 16 to 18-year-olds participating in education and training, it was announced today.

It will, on Monday from 3.15pm, look at how the Department for Education aims to pay for an increasing number of learners, while at the same time reducing spending.

A committee spokesperson said: “The DfE is responsible for setting national policy and funding for the education and training of 16 to 18-year-olds. Although the vast majority of young people participate, 81 per cent of around 2 million 16 to 18-year-olds, young people who are not in education and training have been a source of concern to the DfE for some time.

“The DfE is implementing reforms in this area, including a requirement since September 2013 that young people stay in full-time education or training for a full academic year after Year 11. From 2015, they will have to continue learning until their 18th birthday.

“The DfE is implementing its reforms at the same time as reducing spending on 16 to 18-year-olds. In 2013-14, the DfE’s core budget of £7bn for this age group was 8 per cent lower in real terms than in 2010-11.

“This inquiry will look at the challenges the DfE faces, the progress it has made to date, and how it can get better information about the effectiveness of its reforms to increase participation and quality further in future.”

So far, DfE Permanent Secretary Chris Wormald is the only witness to have been called, but a committee spokesperson said the details were subject to change.

It comes after committee chair and Labour MP Margaret Hodge (pictured) raised concerns about the take-up of traineeships following the publication of a report on participation by the National Audit Office in September.

Although the report found that the rate of participation of 16 to 18-year-olds in education and training had increased, it criticised careers advice and lamented the low take-up of traineeships by eligible providers.

For more information, see edition 116 of FE Week, dated Monday, November 3.

Former soldier’s college research could help save lives of future troops

A former soldier who served in Afghanistan and Iraq has been recognised for research he did at Bournemouth & Poole College that could save troops’ lives, writes Paul Offord.

Robert Lewis knows all about the shortcomings of the body armour worn by soldiers.

The 27-year-old, who joined the Army aged 16 after leaving school without any qualifications, wore the bulky and uncomfortable protective suits under his uniform during tours of duty in Bazra, Iraq, in 2005, and Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2007.

Robert left the Army five years ago and enrolled on an access to higher education science diploma at Bournemouth & Poole College in September 2013.

He had the idea of researching whether non-Newtonian fluids, which harden when they come into contact with solid objects, could be used in body armour for a three-month project that counted towards his studies.

Robert carried out a series of laboratory and practical tests at shooting range over three months with fellow students Paul Malonowskui, 38, and Nevy Baze, 20.

They proved that a combination of silicon and polyethylene glycol combined to make a gel could repel bullets and knife attacks.

Robert said: ““We were warned we were going to be given a special project. But there was nothing out of the options we were presented with that really excited me, so I asked if I could come up with my own idea and drew up the proposal overnight which they liked. I was interested in Newtonian fluids and thought to myself ‘I wonder if it could be used for body armour?’

“We had to prove the concept was viable in the lab, but then did the tests by shooting at it in a firing range.”

He added: “The substances we researched could be used instead of the metal or ceramics, making the armour a lot lighter and more flexible.”

The research earned the trio special recognition from the Royal Society of Chemistry in London.

Anthony Wright, college director of adult education, said: “Rob went in harm’s way for his country and that inspired him to apply some of the basic science he learned at the college in the context of a practical problem every soldier faces — how to get the best protection when under threat.

“People working in perhaps less stressful environments than Robert can now follow his example and to contribute to the science knowledge base in this way.”

All three of the learners completed their college courses in June and have now started science degrees at Bournemouth University.

“My mum Jill is proud of me. She probably didn’t think I was very academic after I left school without any qualifications, but thought the Army would sort me out,” said Robert.

“My interest in science started in the Army. I was always fascinated with, for example, the measurements used to assess how to hit targets with artillery fire — you have to take into account things like trigonometry and the magnetic pull the earth has on shells.”

Robert hopes to work in defence after he graduates from university.

He said: “I have been in contact with the Ministry of Defence about taking our research further so we will see.

“It would be nice to think our research could help protect soldiers one day.”

Picture Caption: From left: Paul Malonowskui, Robert Lewis and Nevy Baze

Death of teenager inspires river safety campaign

City of Bath College students are campaigning to improve safety along the River Avon following the death of a local teenager.

More than 50 level three IT students are working with community leaders to come up with innovative ways, including a possible new app that would track movements of groups of friends and send out texts if anyone gets separated, to make sure people get home safely after a night out.

They will work with Bath and North East Somerset Council and Avon and Somerset Police to launch a city-wide campaign aimed at young people, particularly students.

The college was approached following the death in September of local teenager Sam Amin (pictured left), aged 18, who was friends with some of the learners.

His body was recovered from the River Avon after he became seperated from friends on a night out in Bath, making him the sixth person to die in the stretch of river since 2009.

Level three information technology student Matthew Elliot said: “Something needs to be done to improve the situation. There have been too many deaths already.”

IT Lecturer Geraldine Hudson said: “We are just urging everyone in a group of friends to stay safe.”

Picture Caption: From left: City of Bath College students Callum McGarry and Jack Griffin, both aged 17, and Matthew Elliot, 30, by the River Avon in Bath