The need to put young people with SEND at the heart of recovery couldn’t be clearer

The FE sector has worked really hard to support learners with additional needs, but Covid has been so damaging, writes Paul Joyce

Recently we reported on some of the challenges that children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities have faced during the pandemic.

Our findings are based on a series of joint visits to local areas, carried out with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). They highlight just how damaging Covid-19 has been for young people with SEND, including those aged 16 to 25.

All children and young people have lost out on so much during the pandemic, and young people with SEND in further education are no exception.

But it’s clear that the sector has gone above and beyond, despite great adversity, to help young people learn and to keep them safe.

Most independent specialist colleges and general FE colleges stayed open during the three lockdowns for very vulnerable young people and key worker children.

Staff worked tirelessly to provide a service, although this tended to focus more on young people’s health and wellbeing than their education.

While many young people with SEND returned to their colleges in the autumn, it wasn’t possible for all – especially in smaller providers.

Although some learners returned briefly to college in the autumn term, they stopped again when the government’s guidance on shielding was updated.

Learners who couldn’t attend in person received remote education. Many young people coped well, but others struggled – some finding it hard to use the technology and to engage with their teachers through a screen.

We know many providers worked really hard to get paper-based and practical resources, such as cooking ingredients, to learners, delivering them by hand to their homes.

We even heard of providers taking food parcels to young people’s families who were in crisis.

Some young people with SEND had moved to a different further education provider in September 2020, but still weren’t attending in person because of health or other concerns.

Some who returned in person hadn’t made new friends, having missed out on the usual transition activities ̶ although many providers went out of their way to help learners settle in, managing transition 1:1 out of hours, so learners could familiarise themselves with the setting.

Young people told us that the pandemic had been an incredibly lonely time. Not only were they missing out on seeing friends at college, many were also shielding for health reasons.

Some had only left the house a few times since the start of the first national lockdown, and even then, this was only for medical appointments.

While some young people could chat with friends online, this wasn’t possible for others, who have difficulties communicating in this way.

Many providers recognised this, and found new ways of keeping young people in touch with their friends.

All young people missed out on academic learning and had exams and work experience cancelled. For young people with SEND, the pandemic also affected access to specialist therapies and support.

Some were able to carry on with these at home – providers used videos to help young people continue with physiotherapy, and work online with their speech and language therapists.

But in some cases, we heard that young people’s mobility and communication skills have deteriorated.

Many young people have missed out on the vital preparation and training they need to progress to the next stages of education or work, and some said they were anxious about their futures, particularly their employment prospects.

Many providers have extended young people’s learning programmes to provide them with opportunities to develop the skills that they need, particularly for independent living.

It’s clear that across the FE sector, providers have worked incredibly hard to help young people learn and to keep them safe over the past 16 months – and at times this has been an uphill struggle.

As we emerge from the pandemic, the need to put young people with SEND at the heart of recovery plans couldn’t be clearer.

In the coming months, we’ll be working closely with the CQC on new area SEND inspections.

The new approach will help bring improvement in the way education, health and care services work together to get the best possible outcomes for young people with SEND.

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: EDITION 359

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving.

Candace Miller, Non-executive director, Federation of Awarding Bodies

Start date: May 2021

Concurrent job: Managing director, SFJ Awards and executive director, Skills for Health, Skills for Justice and People 1st International

Interesting fact: She enjoys walking her dogs in the local woods and gardening, both at home and at her allotment.

Sarah McGrath, Principal, Carlisle College

Start date: May 2021

Previous job: Assistant principal for quality and curriculum, Carlisle College 

Interesting fact: She is very keen on crafts – in particular dress-making and textiles – and makes a lot of her own clothes and soft furnishings.

Paolo Fresia, Vice chair, UfiVoc Tech Trust

Start date: June 2021

Concurrent job: Investment director, 100% Network

Interesting fact: His passions include classic boats sailing and the alternative medicine Ayurveda.

Andy Green, Chief executive, Chichester College Group (CCG)

Start date: October 2022

Previous job: Interim chief executive, Greater Brighton Metropolitan College

Interesting fact: He led Chichester College students to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festivals for the last three festivals, including driving the van with set and costumes all the way from Chichester to Edinburgh.

UTCs could survive by extending year groups beyond age 18

Many struggling UTCs are lowering their age of entry, but they could have more impact by going the other way, writes David Phoenix

Technical education is critical for filling the UK’s huge skills shortages, raising productivity and giving students opportunities to learn and build successful careers.

But holes in our education system are restricting students from studying higher technical education.  

The creation of UTCs in 2010 was aimed at tackling some of those challenges by offering school pupils a four-year technical education.  

Unfortunately, starting at 14 years old created recruitment challenges, which some UTCs have addressed by “extending down” to 11 or 13 years old.   

Just recently in FE Week we heard that more UTCs are extending their age range to help stay afloat. However, I believe only “extending down” present risks as well as benefits.  

At South Bank UTC, we took a different path by “extending up”, rather than down, into year 14 ̶ an extra year of learning, from 18 years old.  

That’s possible through the UTCs’ membership of the LSBU Group, a partnership between London South Bank University, South Bank Colleges (including Lambeth College) and Southbank Academies Trust, which has South Bank UTC.    

Most pupils at 18 years old go on to university or to work. Few go on to study standalone technical qualifications at level 4, which are the equivalent of the first year of a degree.  

Moreover, this year, some of our UTC students were unable to take their planned path when employers withdrew pre-arranged engineering apprenticeship places due to the impact of Covid-19.  

Faced with this challenge, the UTC collaborated with other members of LSBU Group to find a solution and quickly spotted areas of overlap across the two institutions. 

The BTEC engineering programme covered much of the content in the higher national certificate mechanical engineering course at university.  

Working together, South Bank UTC and LSBU created a new year 14 to enable UTC pupils to stay on for an extra fifth year. 

So we are enabling pupils to gain a level 4 higher national qualification and to go directly into the second year of higher education (level 5) at university if they so wish.  

South Bank UTC pupils have the option to stay on for an extra year to study for a BTEC extended diploma in engineering.  

By working with the university on curriculum content and enrichment activities, that additional year gives students the opportunity to enhance their level 3 BTEC study to meet the HNC requirement at level 4.  

Students have the option to take the exam with the fees covered by scholarships from LSBU.  

Second-year entry to LSBU is possible because we identified BTEC modules that matched the university’s first-year requirements.  

It creates a distinctive five-year programme much closer to the German model

So we equipped pupils who achieve a merit in the requisite elements of the HNC to transfer directly into the second year of our mechanical engineering degree.    

“Extending up” to year 14 creates a distinctive five-year programme much closer to the German model, enabling pupils to enter the workplace with a level 4 qualification or to complete a degree in two years.   

Any UTC could provide a year 14, but major challenges are there for those without a strong university partnership, including funding, teaching capacity and course restrictions.  

That’s how our partnership enables us to go the extra mile and offer students new learning choices. 

The benefits of “extending up to year 14” are huge. For pupils, it provides free access to a higher technical qualification without moving their institution or home and an accessible route to level 4 without committing to a full degree programme.    

For UTCs it offers a unique point of difference to other providers by enabling them to provide an easier transition from school into higher level technical education.  

And South Bank UTC’s recruitment is strong this year, with 149 enrolled pupils in year 12.   

Finally, for the government, this model helps fill gaps in the UK education system that contribute hugely to skills shortages.  

Let’s recognise the importance of specialist institutions and start extending up  ̶  not just down.

Talking about a ‘middle-class’ grab on apprenticeships could send the wrong message

The claim suggests a scarcity of apprenticeships and that only working-class people should do them, writes David Gallagher

Gillian Keegan, apprenticeship and skills minister, recently highlighted her concerns about a middle-class “grab” on apprenticeships.

She outlined government fears about degree apprenticeships growing in popularity and said that “people who would have gone to university anyway… [will] squeeze out people like me, sat in a comprehensive school at 16, with nowhere to go”.

Ms Keegan is absolutely right to want to ensure that degree apprenticeships do not become exclusively for the middle classes.

Degree apprenticeships are a great chance to bridge the gap between education and employment, and it’s pivotal that they are used to open doors for those with fewer opportunities. That’s ‘levelling up’ in action.

However, the language that is currently being used has the potential to send the wrong message.

‘Divisive and counterproductive’

In fact, conversations that pitch learners from differing backgrounds against one another in a bidding war for places are divisive and counterproductive.

By suggesting that apprenticeships and other vocational routes risk being ‘grabbed’ by the middle classes, there is an implicit judgment that vocational qualifications are usually only the reserve of the working classes.

It makes it sound like they are a fall-back option for those who can’t access university.

It makes it sound like they are a fall-back option for those who can’t access university

Through this narrative, university continues to be badged as the ultimate benchmark of success. Learners continue to be marginalised and boxed in by where they have come from, and vocational education routes continue to be stigmatised.

We’ve already seen the reverse take place in higher education, which has always been framed as an aspirational, middle-class pursuit straight out of the New Labour playbook.

To date, there has been a failure to tackle this issue in universities, and we need to ensure that vocational education doesn’t fall prey to similar problems.

‘Two-pronged approach’

As apprenticeships and vocational/technical qualifications are climbing the political agenda, now is the time to positively shape public perception of vocational education. Learning has the potential to be the ‘great leveller’, creating a fairer and more inclusive society through the power of education.

So there needs to be a cultural change and increased capacity on all routes in high demand, so it doesn’t result in anyone losing out. Learners from every walk of life need to feel that opportunities are opening up to them, not being closed off, and the focus should be on expanding availability to those from all backgrounds.

For this to happen, there needs to be a two-pronged approach. Most importantly, capacity needs to be increased where demand is growing so that everyone can pursue their preferred routes – “grabbing” suggests sparsity, which is counteracted by greater supply.

If a broad range of people are recognising the excellent opportunity presented by degree apprenticeships then that’s fantastic; we just need to make sure the sector is ready to meet that demand so no one misses out.

Secondly, work has to be done to dismantle stereotypes around various education routes and who should be accessing them. Central to that strategy is placing equal value on all education routes, so that learners are equipped with the knowledge and the agency to make empowering choices about their futures.

Ultimately, we need to get to a point where learners choose their next steps in education based on their passions, skills and personal ambitions, as opposed to the expectations set by those around them and by society more widely.

Learners should no longer feel hemmed in by where they come from, or what their parents do for a living.

The focus needs to be on what suits them best. Without this holistic approach, a commitment to lifelong learning cannot be put into action in any tangible sense.

I fully appreciate that a meaningful cultural change in our perception of FE and vocational education will take time. But we stand on the verge of a real step change here and we all need to do all we can to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment across all educational routes.

Speed read: Draft statutory guidance on local skills reviews published

The Department for Education has published draft statutory guidance on college governors’ new duty to review local skills provision.

The new Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, currently going through Parliament, revealed in May a new duty would be placed on colleges to review how well the education or training they provide meets local needs, and assess what action they might take to ensure it is best placed to meet local needs.

Ministers hope this will help align provision with what employers want, and the duty is being accompanied by a number of measures with similar aims, including new Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) and powers for the government to intervene in colleges not following those plans.

The ‘statutory guidance for further education colleges, sixth form colleges and designated institutions’, published today, sets out how college governors will be expected to comply with this new duty.

Here is what you need to know…

 

What the reviews ought to look like

The guidance insists the reviews should be “evidence-based” and “focus on improvement”.

Data and evidence on learner employment destinations, learner participation, and outcomes by institution and curriculum area ought to underpin the reviews, as should “readily-available evidence” like LSIPs.

Barriers to building on existing strengths, including structural, should be addressed in the report. Governors are told to contact the FE Commissioner and the Education and Skills Funding Agency early on “if any of the agreed actions following on from the review could lead to structural changes”.

The reviews ought to reflect the mission, specialisms and local areas the college or colleges serves. So providers with a wide range of provision will have a broader review than that of a specialist college.

 

Governors will be expected to collaborate with neighbours

“In reviewing provision within a local area,” the guidance reads, “governing bodies are expected to collaborate with other governing bodies also serving that area”.

The guidance places a big emphasis on local colleges’ governors working in tandem on the review, including on curriculum collaboration.

Stakeholders should also be engaged in the review, including employers, employer representative bodies which are putting together LSIPs, learners, workers, local government, Jobcentre Plus and regional school commissioners.

 

Skills reviews must be done at least every three years

Governors will be expected to undertake “regular” reviews of how well provision meets local need.

How regularly is answered in the guidance, which reads: “Governing bodies should undertake a review at least once every three years.” 

But it adds that the reviews should be undertaken “as required to ensure they remain relevant”.

For example, so they reflect changes to employers’ skills priorities, as set out in local skills improvement plans”.

 

Reviews must be published on websites

Within three months of the review being completed, it ought to be published on the college’s website, the guidance states.

Where colleges have produced a joint review, the government expects this to be published on both their websites, with reference to who their partner is.

 

When the duty comes into force

The duty on governors will come into force two months after the skills bill receives Royal Assent, when it is signed off by the queen.

It is currently in the House of Lords and will enter the committee stage, where a detailed, line by line, examination of the bill takes place, in the House of Lords next week.

 

Guidance to be reviewed in 2025

The guidance says it will next be reviewed four years from now.

‘Important’ new FE data collection will start this month

A workforce data collection “project” for the further education sector promised in the skills for jobs white paper will start this month, it has been announced.

In a letter to FE providers published today, apprenticeships and skills minister Gillian Keegan wrote the data collection will open on 12 July for eight weeks.

“I want to underline the importance of ensuring your organisation’s continued engagement in this vital project,” her letter reads.

The Skills for Jobs white paper set out in January the Department for Education’s plans to introduce a mandatory, comprehensive data collection on the FE workforce, the same as they do with schools and higher education.

This collection will include demographic and personal data such as on ethnicity and disability and will be in addition to existing collections from the sector, such as submissions of learner data.

The new data, the white paper said, “will enable us to plan better and understand the impact of our policies on diversity in further education staffing and leadership”.

This is after FE Week found fewer than seven per cent of college principals in 2019 were from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background.

Philip Augar’s review of post-18 education recommended government should improve data collection for FE to improve college leadership and workforce management.

This was after its panel was struck “by the paucity of data available to the college sector compared to both higher education and schools”.

Keegan

In her letter, Keegan stated she was “aware more will be asked of the sector as a result of our bold reforms,” though the white paper had promised the new collection would be co-designed to make it coherent with other data inputs.

“Your continued participation in this new collection is absolutely essential as it will ensure that the quality of the data describing the composition of the current FE workforce is as accurate as it can be,” Keegan wrote.

The data will be available to all participants in an anonymised format to “help you to compare and benchmark your institution against other relevant providers”.

She thanked providers for their contribution to “this vital work”.

Sluggish start for government’s free IT qualifications

Take-up of the government’s flagship free digital skills qualifications, which will replace all low-level IT courses studied annually by over 100,000 people from next month, flopped in their first year.

Announced five years ago and finally launched last August as a free “entitlement” alongside English and math courses, just 270 people had achieved an Essential Digital Skills Qualification (EDSQ) by June 2021.

The new Ofqual-regulated qualification was developed by consultants on behalf of the government, is available at entry level and level 1 and typically takes a few weeks to complete. Only one awarding body, Gateway Qualifications, has so far issued certificates.

Colleges and training providers that spoke to FE Week said EDSQs are best delivered face-to-face, especially for learners who lack very basic digital skills, and blamed Covid restrictions for the slow start.

In many cases they have chosen to continue delivering the IT course that will have funding approval removed from August, with one college saying they are better for remote learning.

But many also complained that most of the EDSQs were not made available at the start of the current academic year, which meant they could not plan them into the curriculum.

Only Gateway Qualifications received sign-off from Ofqual by August 2020 for their EDSQ to be delivered. Seven other awarding bodies have eventually received sign-off but at different points throughout the year. They claim they are seeing some colleges and providers starting to deliver the qualifications this term.

The Department for Education said no targets had been set for the number of people taking the qualifications.

Colleges, providers, awarding bodies and the DfE all expect starts to increase substantially from September.

 

‘Covid-19 hampered the introduction of these qualifications’

A spokesperson for Bedford College Group, which historically delivers high numbers of IT courses to adults, said: “We didn’t offer EDSQ this year because we felt that ITQs for IT users fitted the needs of our learners better, as it covers more Microsoft Office applications.

“We are planning to offer the qualifications in the next academic year and are anticipating that over 300 learners will enrol.”

Highbury College explained: “The introduction of these qualifications has been hampered by Covid-19 disruption and the fact that most of the EDSQs were not available from the start of the 2020/21 academic year.

“We have plans, subject to the impact of any further disruption, to start delivery this summer.”

Another, Brockenhurst College, told FE Week it has chosen not to deliver EDSQs so far because it was not prepared to launch a new qualification during a pandemic. The qualifications are, however, on their radar and the college plans to deliver them in 2021/22.

The DfE has pushed to make digital skills as important as English and maths skills, going so far as to enshrine the entitlement to EDSQs in law, with the 2017 Digital Economy Act.

An unweighted base rate of £300 is paid by the department for each of the qualifications, which can be either entry level or level 1, funded from the adult education budget.

Skills that adults learn on the course includes creating and editing documents, how to use emails and video calls, completing online forms and purchasing items, and resolving simple technical issues with software and hardware.

But those providers that have managed to begin delivery have sung the praises of the EDSQs, citing cases of homeless people developing skills for employment, and retirees becoming apt with computers to complete day-to-day activities.

 

‘I’m definitely less terrified now and I do have more confidence’

One adult to benefit from the course is Martin Shephard, aged 26. He was until recently homeless, suffered with a drug addiction and poor mental health. He chose to take his EDSQ with J and K Training in Middlesbrough.

“I think I probably value this course more than most. Doors and opportunities have mostly been locked to me, but now I’m able to see that with the right teaching in the right environment, I can do things – it’s been a bit of an eye opener,” said Martin.

Sisters Ruth Smith (pictured above right) and Catherine Allen (picutured above left), who are both retired and in their 60s, took their EDSQ with Middlesbrough College.

While both were “anxious” about doing the course, Catherine, a retired nurse, explained that because they both now volunteer for a charity they wanted to “grasp the nettle” and upskill.

Ruth added: “This course has been a great experience, I’m definitely less terrified now and I do have more confidence. I’ve learnt that computers are logical, that I shouldn’t overthink things and I’m brave enough to experiment.”

Lee Morton, aged 38, also took the course at Middlesbrough College. She said: “My aim was to improve on knowledge that I use in my everyday workplace and learn new skills to help me improve what I do. To be honest, the course proved valuable straight away. It’s helping me work more efficiently and it’s helping me on my own personal journey.”

 

‘It has been challenging this year to deliver EDSQs at volume’

Delivery hasn’t been plain sailing for colleges and providers, however.

Joanne Dye, deputy director of adult, community and ESOL at Leeds City College, said: “It has been challenging this year to deliver EDSQs at volume, due to the Covid pandemic and related lockdowns and restrictions.

“This has affected adult learners in many ways, in particular being able to attend face-to-face support which many of our adult learners prefer, especially those with lower levels of digital skills.

“We have, however, delivered to cohorts remotely, providing support through the loan of digital equipment and the means to get connected to the internet.”

When asked about the sluggish switch to EDSQs, a DfE spokesperson said: “Now more than ever, it is vital more adults have the opportunity to learn and develop the digital skills they need to thrive in everyday life and work.

“That’s why we’ve introduced a new generation of essential digital skills qualifications, and removing approval for funding for existing ICT qualifications, which are based on out-of-date standards that do not reflect the world we live in.

“The pandemic delayed rollout and take-up of EDSQs. We expect take-up to increase in the next academic year.”

 

Virtual Natspec games prove a hit

Students enjoyed some of their “best experiences” at the first fully virtual Natspec Games last week.

Organisers are even looking at using a mix of virtual and in-person events for future games, which are run by the specialist providers’ organisation Natspec, with help from AoC Sport.

Over 40 specialist colleges took part in the games, which are held annually and involve sporting events and exercise sessions based on disciplines such as yoga, ball sports, movement and music.

 

Games session ‘one of my best experiences’

games
Ava McAuley

One of sessions was led by Ava McAuley, 24, from St John’s School and College in Sussex, and incorporated singing, body percussion and learning the sign language Makaton.

The session started off with a ‘hello’ song, she told FE Week, to make sure people with restricted mobility, such as those in wheelchairs, could be included.

This was followed up by a body percussion exercise – where participants generate sounds through actions like stomping, patting, clapping hands and snapping fingers – to perform a song called “I Like the Flowers”.

During the session, she also gave a lesson on the Makaton sign language, which involves the person speaking the words as well as signing them.

She called it “definitely one of my best experiences”, and reception from colleges has been rapturous. “I got feedback saying that people liked my grounding in meditation, people enjoyed the sing-song, and I taught quite a few people Makaton signs that they are now going to go and show other
people.”

Bridge College in Manchester is even trying to get her to go on Good Morning Britain with them, which Ava is looking forward to, as “I get to be famous”.

Ava has been studying peer mentoring and will be moving on to a level 3 course in supporting teaching and learning next academic year.

Her tutor Steve Elston said it was “really amazing” to see her deliver the session, and was particularly impressed by how she routinely asked if people were OK and gave encouragement to participants, saying: “Oh I can see this college smiling and joining in”.

 

Students faced number of sports challenges

In addition to sessions like Ava’s, the games featured a number of challenges. For instance, one challenge run with Boccia England tasked participants with knocking over as many skittles in five throws of a ball as they could, which was won by National Star College.

Another challenge was to design a mascot for the games – which was won by Jess Lowe from Sense College in Loughborough and Olly the Owl.

The 3-Step Challenge run with the FA tasked students with moving around a square with a football as many times as possible in one minute. This was won jointly by CSC Doncaster and Bridge College.

The Aurora Group’s Foxes Academy won England Netball’s challenge to throw and catch a ball as many times as possible in one minute.

And David Lewis Centre won the task set by Harlequins Rugby Foundation to move to a ‘try’ line and back with a ball as many times as possible in one minute.

Each of the winners received a £50 sports equipment voucher.

The event also included a question-and-answer session with blind England footballer Azeem Amir and deaf England Rugby Sevens and Sale Sharks Women’s player Jodie Ounsley.

 

Virtual event will have lasting change on the Games

AoC Sport’s disability development officer Shannon Howarth said the event, which ran from Monday 21 to Friday 25 June, with funding from Sport England, had been “brilliant”, with a “real mix” of sessions.

games
Shannon Howarth

She said that organisers had not had time last year to put together a virtual event after having to cancel the in-person competition; but this year’s – the fifth Natspec Games – used a mix of live and pre-recorded sessions.

The virtual sessions were designed so they can be delivered in the classroom, as “some colleges don’t necessarily have the big sports halls or sports facilities”.

So, from now on, she thinks, “colleges will be more confident to be able to deliver within the classroom.”

She says the switchover to virtual will “definitely” have a lasting change on the games, and organisers are looking at a “hybrid” model of in-person as well as virtual delivery in the future.

Pictured, top: Students from CSC Doncaster doing one of the pre-recorded workout sessions

£80m rebuild puts troubled college’s merger on hold

A multi-million-pound redevelopment which put a college’s finances at “significant risk” has now delayed its much-needed merger.

Richmond-upon-Thames College had been due to merge with HCUC (Harrow College Uxbridge College) on July 30, 2021 but announced on Tuesday this had been called off with no new date in sight.

A spokesperson told FE Week the delay had been caused by local authority planning issues regarding two new sports halls, which are part of a two-phase £80 million campus redevelopment.

While the plans for one sports hall are ready to be submitted, the other one has “required some changes and this is causing a delay to the dual submission.

“We are confident that this will be resolved, and we are working with all stakeholders and partners to meet the required planning conditions.”

 

Merger comes after ‘significant risks’ to college’s sustainability

The college has said the challenges “present unresolved financial issues for both HCUC and RuTC”. The redevelopment had already plunged Richmond-upon-Thames into supervised status and forced it to drop plans in January 2020 to deliver T Levels.

The project involves a 100-customer restaurant, 3D prototyping laboratory and STEM Centre.

merger
Keegan

Skills minister Gillian Keegan wrote to the college’s chair in March 2020 to warn that the “increasing financial commitments required by the ongoing campus redevelopment project” had made her “greatly concerned this presents significant risks to the college’s working capital and its future sustainability”.

This was after an FE Commissioner report, published that same month, found budgetary control issues had emerged since May 2019 and there were increasing concerns about the underlying cash position and losses on core college provision.

“Serious shortcomings in financial management and control during 2018/19 have meant that the full extent of financial underperformance is only now being fully identified,” the report read.

The college’s financial turnover had halved over the past seven years, and although it did not have any commercial loans, there were substantial advance capital grants and receipts from asset sales, which had led to “exceptionally high levels” of restricted cash.

The college generated a £5.1 million deficit in 2019/20, and a £6.2 million deficit in 2018/19.

 

College hopes for only ‘brief delay’

It had seen the departure of a number of senior leaders in the period immediately £80m rebuild puts troubled college’s merger on hold before the FE Commissioner’s report, including the principal Robin Ghurbhurun, the vice principal for finance and enterprise, the clerk and deputy principal.

A new chair, head of governance, and two vice chairs were also appointed. The college is currently being run by an interim, Elaine McMahon, who succeeded another temporary leader, former Petroc College boss Diane Dimond, in September.

A structure and prospects appraisal to “identify options for structural change including merger” was ordered after the commissioner’s intervention, which led to the announcement last November that RuTC would be joining HCUC.

Despite the hold-up, both colleges have said they remain “committed” to the merger, with Richmond chair Ian Valvona writing in a June update on the college’s website: “It is the intention that merger will go ahead with only a relatively brief delay until the issues are resolved.”

HCUC’s chair Nick Davies said the partnership between the two providers “remains strong,” as they believe “we can develop a far stronger educational offer by working together”.