At the heart of the matter

Oustanding teaching and learning is back at the centre of leadership focus – which is where it should be, says Lynne Sedgmore

Leadership in colleges constantly receives attention. It almost has become a cliche to say that excellence in all aspects of an organisation is dependent ultimately upon the quality of its leadership.

Of course there is a correlation, but when I first came into FE as a lecturer my teaching and student learning experience was so remote from that of college leaders that they had no impact, for better or worse, on my students — or me. Luckily, all that has changed.

Leadership trends ebb and flow. Post incorporation we needed financial leaders; then, as the focus went too far away from the curriculum and student standards were questioned, the clarion call became the need for leaders with curriculum and teaching experience.

Leadership of quality then entered our parlance as we led our colleges on total quality management (TQM) and quality kite marks; then customer service dominated and the leader as communicator, marketeer and stakeholder manager filled our leadership intrays.

Amid all this, we had to be transformational, have many competencies as well as magnificent qualities, be effective change agents, performing artists and cheer leaders. We had to be trustworthy, authentic and approachable while simultaneously ensuring outstanding results and 100 per cent student, staff and employer satisfaction.

Oh, and I forgot, we all now have to be entrepreneurial leaders; to lead with ever–diminishing finances to higher standards, to be at the leading edge or centre of our locality systems and ecosystems.

I need a lie down just thinking about it all, never mind having to live it on a daily basis.

Having been a senior leader in FE since 1984, a leadership developer since 2008 and a member of the Prime Minister’s review of all public sector leadership in 2009, I have been fascinated by the holy grail of leadership, which seems to harbour as many questions as it does answers, and as many different approaches as there are leaders.

The Centre for Educational Leadership was successful because it listened to what the sector wanted, putting learning and learners at the heart of its leadership mission and developing a wide range of more than 30 different services to suit every leader and every college.

Nearly 40,000 leaders travelled voluntarily through the centre’s services in a four–year period.

So what will be the next steps for leadership, post the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)?

If I am to have only one wish from the leadership fairy godmother, it is for sector leaders to become highly skilled, exquisite leaders of teaching and learning excellence. The 157 Group, supported strongly by LSIS, has identified a range of actions and themes for leaders to bring about such excellence.

Leadership is a serious business. It really does matter how leaders lead. But, as with every profession, there is also a simplicity at the heart of everything that we do. For colleges into the future, this simplicity has to be primarily that the core focus of all leadership has to be about outstanding teaching and learning, and about leaders being expert in and conscious of how and when to create the ‘right’ environment for learners and staff to flourish to their maximum potential.

Consistently spoken rhetoric, maybe, but we are only beginning to articulate systematically the answers needed to ensure outstanding teaching and learning throughout every layer and aspect of our colleges, and to find real and grounded solutions.

I recommend the work of 157 in this arena, and I recommend a new publication, soon to be launched, sharing the excellent work of Highbury College in Portsmouth.

I look forward also to being a key partner with the the FE Guild to ensure that leadership excellence and the leadership of excellent teaching and learning continues to be a top priority within the sector.

Lynne Sedgmore, executive director of the 157 Group and former chief executive of the Centre for Excellence in Leadership

Time to shine a spotlight on college governance

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock and Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw have both drawn attention to the importance of FE governance.

The minister spoke of the contribution made by governors when he addressed a gathering of 130 FE governors and chairs of governors, at Lancaster House, London, early in the year.

“I am deeply grateful for the commitment and energy you bring to your roles as governors,” he said.

“Just over a year ago, New Challenges, New Chances advocated an increasingly important role for college governors in their institution’s decision–making.

“I have been impressed with the way the best colleges have taken ownership of this approach and responded positively.

“I know that achieving effective college governance is not easy.

“Colleges are large and complex businesses serving a wide range of customers, striving to meet the aspirations of learners and employers alike, as well as performing a vital role at the centre of their local communities.”

But ultimately, he said, institutions with effective practice and successful governance were those in which decision–making was “transparent, properly informed, rigorous and timely, where there are appropriate and effective systems of financial and operational control.”

Mr Hancock said: “Above all, where there is a strong commitment to providing a quality service for all those that the college serves.”

He said that being a college governor was “a serious job”. It needed a lot of commitment especially from chairs. “It is therefore timely to consider how we support governors” he said. “We want to work with you to look at this matter.”

The minister reminded governors that it was their responsibility to ensure their board contained the breadth of skills that it needed, and to take up their new freedom to form a wider range of strategic partnerships.

“Much has already been delivered, but there is more to do,” he said. “Rest assured, we will help you in whatever way we can to ensure that you get the support and development that you need.”

Meanwhile, Sir Michael spoke about the role of governance for schools and colleges at the Association of School and College Leaders’ annual conference on March 15.

He said: “It is important governors support heads who are trying to make a difference and play an active part in challenging the school to do better.

“Consequently, Ofsted is reporting on governance in much greater depth and with much greater rigour.”

Sir Michael acknowledged the “consternation” caused by his proposal to offer payment to attract more professional governors to boards that failed to hold schools and colleges to account, but said it was an option that should not be ruled out.

“All our evidence at Ofsted shows that in the best governing boards, it is often a small core of governors who lead the other members of the governing board and take on the greatest burden of work,” he said.

“However, where this small core of people does not exist or is hard to recruit, especially in our most difficult schools and areas, then we should incentivise good people to do this job.”

Caption for featured image: Skills Minister Matthew Hancock at Lancaster House, London, earlier this year

The leadership challenge

It’s a time of transition in FE as high profile principals retire and a new generation of college leaders emerges. But what does it take to run an effective and successful organisation? Does a principal need experience of teaching or does he or she simply need a flair for management?

It’s not an easy time to become an FE college principal. Salaries might stretch to £200,000 for some elite posts, but changes in priorities, funding and politics mean that college leaders need to be more responsive than ever to comply with policy, to balance budgets, and to develop and motivate staff — while also ensuring that students leave fit for work.

Pauline Waterhouse OBE, retiring after nine years as principal at Blackpool and The Fylde College, looks back fondly on her time with the college. “It’s a great job and a true privilege to be a leader within FE,” she says. “It’s the area of education that has the greatest capacity to impact positively on people’s lives.

“The job’s changed since I first began my post; a principal now has more scope than ever to make a difference, not just to individuals but to whole communities.”

However, she accepts that the job is not without its challenges. “As a ‘dynamic nucleus’ within the community, colleges have the opportunity to contribute to economic growth and social inclusion,” says Waterhouse.

“However, it’s difficult for certain colleges — particularly within big cities — to gain a ‘seat at the table’ as a strategic partner rather than just a provider.

“It’s also a risk to be viewed as a strategic partner — as well as a great opportunity. There’s the danger that colleges could become distracted from their core purpose.”

With years of experience behind her, Waterhouse says that her ‘top tip’ would be to determine the right balance between strategic, external commitments and time spent inside the college with staff. “A good principal needs to have a strong focus on teaching, learning and the quality of learner experience. That’s what matters,” she says.

And does she have any thoughts on principals who enter the profession from outside the sector?

“It’s perfectly possible to be a good principal without working up the ranks in FE,” she says. “There are lots of careers that prepare you for being a strong leader and give you transferable skills.

“The only thing I’d say is that you might gain more credibility from your staff if you have teaching experience. But I wouldn’t say that it’s a necessity — you just need to be able to lead with the learner experience at heart.”

Data from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) shows that more than 90 per cent of principals in 2010–11 were over  40, suggesting a wealth of experience is key for this line of work. It’s no surprise; incoming principals face a number of challenges in the current climate and some might be discouraged by the intense pressures of the job.

It’s an honour to be at the helm of an organisation that exists to shape lives and futures”

Mandie Stravino, recently appointed principal of Derby College, is one new leader who’s not deterred by the job’s pitfalls.

She says: “I’d describe my new role as exciting. It’s an honour to be at the helm of an organisation that exists to shape lives and futures. Naturally, there’s an anxiety that comes with it — it’s a big responsibility to be accountable for the lives of 30,000 learners. But it’s a great opportunity.”

Stravino considers that the main challenges are in her collaborative work with employers to ensure that students leave the college fit for work. “It’s an exciting challenge to build a package of education for young people that will prepare them for the competitive labour market,” she says.

“And, of course, the future holds new challenges of its own; the pace of change this year has been huge with the raising of the participation age, the study programme, learning loans, opening up FE colleges to students as young as 14 . . . But the good thing is that you can be instrumental in change through consultation a lot of the time–  policies aren’t imposed on you as you’re central to the discussion.”

Stravino was well equipped for her role having completed teacher training, training in leadership and management and an MBA in business studies, something she found useful preparation for the ‘chief executive’ part of her job that requires a business brain.

However, she says that peer support has been invaluable: “Most of all, I’ve learned so much from experienced principals in other colleges who are leading successful organisations,” she says. “Even principals from local competitor colleges have been forthcoming in offering help, advice and support. The LSIS induction programme was also worthwhile in terms of establishing a network of other new principals.”

Verity Hancock also recently made the leap to college principal at Leicester College, having worked as executive director of the Skills Funding Agency and personally developing the National Careers Advice Service. She has never worked in teaching, so college life is a new experience.

“I’ve been a college governor and worked with colleges but not in one,” she told  FE Week last year. “I feel it’s very much incumbent on me to gain credibility and I’m conscious that most people expect you to have come up through the ranks.

“However, I’m confident that I have the leadership, financial skills and knowledge to make it work.

“I’m not complacent but not full of trepidation,” she said.

“I expect to work very hard as principal. I’m looking forward to the responsibility of steering the ship — I’m really excited.”

It seems that Hancock’s situation is unusual within the sector as the Association of Colleges’ director of employment policy, Emma Mason, comments: “Where there is movement, it tends to be within the sector and, most commonly, senior managers move internally or on to other colleges. The largest proportion of senior management departures is due to retirement.”

She says that internal transfer is the major source of recruitment at senior level in colleges and that succession planning is key in organisational development strategy.

This is supported by national programmes, such as the Sector Management College offered by AoC Create, and other similar initiatives to develop leaders and managers across the sector.

LSIS confirms the importance of tailored training. Gill Reynolds, head of improvement services: leadership and curriculum design, says its programme for aspiring principals prepares potential principals for life as a college leader.

“We’re also working on a talent mindset framework that’s intended to give the sector some approaches, tools and techniques for maximising potential, rather than focusing just on succession planning,” she says.

“Our senior leadership and management development programme aims to prepare second and third–tier leaders for executive posts, should they have the ambition to seek further promotion.”

Caption for featured image: From left: Pauline Waterhouse OBE,  principal of Blackpool and The Fylde College, Mandie Stravino, principal of Derby College and Verity Hancock,  principal of Leicester College

‘Getting to the summit was a mixture of sadness and celebration’

A Stourbridge lecturer tells Chris Henwood why he decided to climb Mt Kilimanjaro – and why his successful ascent wasn’t as celebratory as he thought it might be

Midland lecturer Steve Woollock was prepared for a gruelling trek up Mt Kilimanjaro. What he wasn’t prepared for was the death of a fellow climber.

The fatality happened as 41-year-old Steve reached the summit — 5,895m above sea level — leaving him with mixed emotions.

“It was awful. He collapsed two or three hours into the last day,” said Steve, a carpentry and joinery lecturer at Stourbridge College.

“I passed him as they were trying to bring him back to life. I didn’t know him, but I’d spoken to him briefly earlier in the trip. There were 30 of us in the group but, like me, he was doing it by himself.

“He died due to altitude sickness so getting to the summit was a mixture of sadness and celebration. It was very subdued.”

The Tanzanian adventure, between February 22 and March 3, helped Steve, who has been at Stourbridge College for around seven years, raise £4,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.

However, it also took him away from his 41-year-old girlfriend, Becca Knowles — whose father, David, died of prostate cancer three years ago — and their six-month-old daughter, Daisy.

“It was tough leaving Daisy,” he said.

“I took a picture of her with me. I wanted her to be with me at the top.”

Steve, who is on paternity leave until June, added: “As I approach the age when men are diagnosed with the disease, it seemed fitting that I do something to help cure and care for those suffering with prostate cancer.

“Becca’s father died of prostate cancer and she’s got a few friends whose fathers have also died from it.

“I work in construction, which is quite male-dominated, and spend a lot of time with students, so I thought it was important to raise awareness about the disease.”

Steve said his aim was to raise £4,000 through a variety of small events in the run-up to the climb. He was “really pleased” to have achieved both goals.

“The ascent was a lot tougher than I thought it would be, with six days of between six and 14 hours of constant trekking uphill,” he said.

“I’d like to thank everyone who supported me in my efforts, including staff and students at Stourbridge.”

And fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK looks unlikely to stop at Mt Kilimanjaro for the adventure sports fan from Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham.

“I’d like to climb the Old Man of Hoy sea stack in Scotland for charity next,” said Steve.

Funding rate for 16 to 19-year-olds announced

Providers delivering education to 16 to 19 year olds will receive a national basic rate of £4,000 per full time student the Education Funding Agency has announced.

The agency published the national funding rate for 2013/14 in a letter sent out to schools and colleges across the country from Peter Mucklow, national director for young people at the agency.

Up until now providers were funded per qualification rather than per student and providers have eagerly awaited the final figure working on the basis it would be around £3,900.

The new rate is based on an average programme of 600 hours per year for a full-time student, says the letter dated March 21.

From September the sector will also be expected to deliver study programmes to develop the needs of each 16 to 19 year old student, including English and maths for those who have not already achieved grade C at GCSE.

The letter reveals how “monitoring reports” will be introduced by the agency over the next 12 months, to “alert institutions where this requirement is now being met”, the letter says.

Mr Mucklow says in the letter: “We are putting together more information on possible approaches to designing study programmes which we will make available from mid-April onwards. We will be inviting bids for shared learning grants to support good practice. Further details can be found in the DfE response to the consultation.”

The document adds that the agency would “shortly” publish a detailed “Framework for Delivery” setting out how Traineeships would be introduced in 2013/14. Traineeships — study programmes for 16 to 24-year-olds with work experience placements and English and maths where appropriate — were created in response to Alison Wolf’s Review of Vocational Education.

The year ahead will also see providers plan for “rigorous linear A-levels and a standalone AS qualification” to first be taught in September 2015 as well as the introduction of the government’s recommendations following the Richard Review on apprenticeships.

New funding arrangements for high needs students aged 16 to 18 and 19 to 24 for those with a Learning Difficulty Assessment were also revealed. The first £6,000 of their additional support costs would be allocated to providers by the agency for a specified number of students, the letter says, with additional places being met by the student’s local authority through top-up funding.

The letter also says how funding reforms would mean eligible FE and Sixth Form colleges could enrol full time 14 to 16 year-olds from schools and be directly funded by the agency.

 

The future of FE leadership services

Leadership, management and governance will be “a priority” for the FE Guild — but the future training for such skills remains in question.

With the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) to cease operating at the end of the current academic year, the future of senior FE management development programmes has been thrown into doubt.

David Hughes, chair of the guild steering group, said it was “too early to be very specific” about the new organisation’s role.

But he suggested it was unlikely the guild would be a major provider of leadership and management development.

Mr Hughes, also chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, said: “It is a bit too early to say yes or no to this or that programme, but what we can say at this stage is that it’s really very clear that leadership, management and governance are a priority for the guild.”

He added that the two–week consultation on the sector’s expectations of the guild had confirmed how essential leadership, management and good governance were for the health and professionalism of the sector.

However, Mr Hughes said the guild was likely to play a role of guidance rather than provision of training.

“We don’t see the guild as the provider of all leadership and management development in the sector because that doesn’t feel like the right thing to do, or realistic given the amount of money the guild might have available,” he said.

“So the guild might play a role to promote good leadership and management, provide opportunities to discuss what good leadership and management looks like and what good leadership and management development will look like, possibly sign posting providers that do it really well, or providing forums for people to discuss how to improve.”

Mr Hughes pointed out that there were commercial programmes available, such as a level five diploma and an MA in FE sector management provided by the Association of Colleges.

“All the best colleges should, and do, have their own programme for leadership and management, and their own development of good governance.

“What we want to try and do is to provide as much guidance, support and promotion of that as possible,” he said.

However, he agreed with LSIS chair Dame Ruth Silver, who said continuity between the two organisations was vital for the sector.

“We’re very keen to pass on what we’ve learned, and very ambitious for the next phase of the sector and its improvement bodies, its improvement, and hopeful the sector can build on the systems that do well,” she said.

Mr Hughes said: “LSIS has done really good work around leadership, management and governance and what we’re doing is working very carefully with them to ensure we learn from that and try to create continuity where we can in terms of the work they’ve been doing around the sector.”

Caption for featured image: From left: Martin Doel, Peter Davies, David Hughes and Graham Hoyle on the FE Gulld panel at the  Association of Colleges annual conference and exhibition in Birmingham last year

Ofsted boss commends ‘high standards’ at MidKent College

Kent media production learners got to quiz the chief inspector of schools when he was shown around their campus.

Ofsted head Sir Michael Wilshaw was interviewed by media students, and spoke with staff on his two-hour tour around MidKent College.

MidKent principal Stephen Grix said he invited Sir Michael to Medway to gain valuable feedback on the college’s initiatives.

He added: “We were delighted to welcome Sir Michael to MidKent College and are pleased he enjoyed his visit.”

Sir Micheal saw the college’s state-of-the-art facilities including its kitchens, beauty salons and engineering workshops.

He said: “The college has high standards of accommodation and great facilities, and it’s clear from the teachers and students I’ve spoken to that they seem happy and are having a good experience.

“I think the College is heading in the right direction but what’s important is that it doesn’t take its eye off the ball and continues to focus on the quality of provision.”

Hull College in a league of their own

Hull FC League have given Lincolnshire sports students the chance to tackle a day’s sporting skills and leadership training.

North Lindsey College students on a range of sport-related courses took part in physical and classroom activities to gain a rugby league leadership award.

Chloe Myers, 17, who is studying a level three subsidiary diploma in sport, said: “I want to go on to university and then
become a physiotherapist or PE teacher. Today’s course has been really useful —
and good fun.”

Danny Scott, ‘Grow the Game’ officer with Hull FC, said:  “Everyone gains a vocational qualification in a day, enabling them to assist with coaching in the community.”

He said the lessons learned could be adapted to any sport or job, and would enable the students to develop their leadership skills. “As well as learning coaching skills, individuals develop their confidence and gain transferable skills, which are great to put on a CV,” said Mr Scott.

‘Brilliant’ event backs Fairtrade

High street names such as Sainsbury’s and  cosmetics brand Lush took part in a Devon college’s Fairtrade Festival.

Second year hospitality and event planning students at City College Plymouth, which is committed to using Fairtrade products, hosted the event late last month.

Other departments that took part included hair and beauty and skills for life.

Student Robyn Lockhart, 19, helped to organise the event, which  featured live music, cooking demonstrations and face-painting.

She said: “We are all thrilled to have had the opportunity to plan and host such a brilliant event.

“We have never planned such a big event before. It gave us invaluable experience that we can take into the workplace.”