T-levels dropped by education secretary’s former sixth form ahead of 2020 launch

The education secretary’s former sixth form college has pulled out of offering two T-level pathways ahead of their launch next year, according to the Department for Education.

Officials said today that Scarborough Sixth Form College, where Gavin Williamson studied, will no longer deliver the construction or digital pathways in 2020.

They have will also no longer take part in the T-level transition programme, as they “feel it would not suit its students”. The college still plans to offer the education and child care pathway.

“It is proving difficult to secure sufficient work placements”

Principal Phil Rumsey has contested part of the DfE’s announcement, claiming that his sixth form college had “never planned to offer the construction pathway”.

He told FE Week that Scarborough Sixth Form College has decided not to offer the digital pathway in the first year as, “due to our geographical location, it is proving difficult to secure sufficient work placements to meet the demands of the digital T-level and it is also difficult recruiting good quality teachers in what is a shortage subject”.

“We will continue to only offer courses that allow our students to achieve the best possible results and progress to a high-level destination,” he added.

“We currently have an outstanding level 3 course provision in child care and education, results for which were again in the top 20 per cent nationally this summer so we are completely confident in our ability to offer the equivalent T-level next year.”

The DfE said today that the Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education, which was already set to offer the education and child care pathway from next year, will now also deliver the digital pathway.

“We always expected there to be a certain amount of fluctuation of providers, and the pathways they offer, as we progress towards September 2020,” a DfE spokesperson said.

“However, we continue to have an excellent group of high-quality providers offering a variety of pathways across the country.”

Both Grimsby and Scarborough College have been approached for comment.

The changes mean there will still be 50 providers in the first wave of T-levels delivery.

But those set to pilot the transition programme has dropped to 36.

The changes come at an awkward time for Williamson, who studied A-levels in history, British government and politics and economics at Scarborough Sixth Form College, after he pledged yesterday to “supercharge” FE and overtake Germany in technical education over the next 10 years.

Making a success of T-levels will be vital to this plan, but they’re expected to have a difficult rollout.

Senior leaders in FE have long expressed concern that young people, especially in rural areas, will be unable to pass the T-level owing to a lack of local and lengthy placement opportunities.

The DfE added some flexibilities earlier this year, including allowing multiple placements at different employers, but some fear this does not go far enough.

“We always expected there to be a certain amount of fluctuation of providers”

In January, the chief executive of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, which has taken on responsibility for T-levels, reiterated his concern that the delivery timeline is still “worryingly tight” even though everything is “on schedule”.

T-levels were originally meant to be rolled out from September 2019 but skills minister Anne Milton announced a delay of a year in July 2017.

Williamson’s predecessor, Damian Hinds, then rejected a request from the DfE’s permanent secretary, Jonathan Slater, for another year-long delay rejected in the first ever ministerial direction issued by an education secretary last May.

Today’s changes are not the first to affect the T-levels wave one provider list: Big Creative Training and the London Design and Engineering UTC were removed in February.

And in October 2018, the DfE removed three schools from the first wave after one received a low Ofsted grade and two others “decided not to” take part. It also added Suffolk New College to the list of those delivering T-levels.

“Right from the start, we committed to taking a phased approach to the introduction of T-levels so they can grow in a managed way,” the DfE spokesperson said today.

“This means that young people, parents and employers can be confident that the courses on offer will be high-quality, will provide the skills students need to progress, and provide industry with the workforce it needs for the future.”

Sector reacts to education secretary’s promise to ‘supercharge’ FE

The education secretary Gavin Williamson put FE centre stage during an impassioned speech at the Conservative Party Conference today.

While promising to deliver a “revolution” in technical education and pledging to overtake Germany in this area over the next decade, he also unveiled a £120 million boost to open up another eight Institutes of Technology, as well as plans for an expert skills and productivity board.

Leaders from the FE and wider education sector have shared their mixed thoughts on his performance.

“The government’s announcements are a welcome start, but there is so much more to do”

David Hughes, the chief executive of the Association of Colleges, said it was “very encouraging to the see the secretary of state today back up his strong support for colleges with more investment”.

“His speech reinforces the prime minister and chancellor’s commitment to technical and vocational education,” he added. “The second funding announcement in as many months shows the tide, rightly, is changing.

“Colleges have the knowledge, teaching staff and initiative to deliver the ‘revolution in technical education’ Williamson described so passionately.”

Mark Dawe, the chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, said his organisation takes “real encouragement from the secretary of state wanting to take a good look at the productivity gains from skills programmes”.

“We’re confident that his group of economists will give him the information he needs about the value of apprenticeships in this respect and why more investment in SME apprenticeships is necessary,” he added.

Chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, Bill Watkin, welcomed the “government’s commitment to the FE sector and the secretary of state’s explicit commitment to both technical and vocational education”.

Matthew Fell, chief UK policy director at the Confederation of British Industry, said: “The CBI has been calling for investment and reform of our skills system to be put centre stage. The education secretary is right to make colleges and further education a top priority.

“What would ‘overtaking Germany in technical education’ even look like?”

“Today’s announcement, coming hot on the heels of further funding announced in the Spending Review, shows the government is rising to the challenge.”

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the Learning and Work Institute, said it was “good to see” Williamson’s “personal commitment to FE translating into funding and action”.  

However, “our research shows improvements in skills have stalled over the last decade with the UK poised to fall further down the international league tables by 2030”.

“We can only improve relative to Germany and other countries with significant and sustained investment alongside a clear lifelong learning strategy – we argued for ten year plan with a £1.9 billion per year boost to adult learning,” Evans added.

“The government’s announcements are a welcome start, but there is so much more to do.”

Sue Pember, former director of FE at the Department for Education and now director of policy at adult education network HOLEX, welcomed Williamson’s “optimism and ambition” but warned that “without better financial support for students, this ambition will not be met”.

“The secretary of state could make immediate changes now and that would help, for example, removing the existing cap on FE post-19 loans and allowing FE students to have access to maintenance loans,” she added.

“The other area that needs immediate action is the progression route into higher level skills – a continuous level two platform in all vocational subjects is needed now – without that rung on the ladder 30 per cent of our young people and adults are barred from taking part.”

University and College Union head of further education Andrew Harden said it is “of course encouraging that further education formed a central plank of speech today”.

“Warm words and a pledge to match Germany are something of a rite of passage for any new minister, but what we desperately needs is proper funding and support,” he added.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, echoed similar thoughts: “The ambition for Britain to offer better technical education than Germany in ten years’ time will come to nothing if more funding is not found.”

“The second funding announcement in as many months shows the tide, rightly, is changing.”

Commenting specifically on Williamson’s pledge to overtake Germany in technical education, Sam Freedman, the chief executive of the Education Partnerships Group, tweeted: “In a crowded field this is the most meaningless announcement I’ve ever heard from an education secretary. What would ‘overtaking Germany in technical education’ even look like?

“Germany has a completely different economy and an entirely different structural relationship between training institutions and employers. It shows such little understanding of the issues I don’t even know where to start.”

And Tom Richmond, adviser to former skills minister Matt Hancock and founder and director of think-tank EDSK, told FE Week: “Gavin Williamson’s ambition is certainly eye catching. The obvious question is how will his plan be measured?

“The three million apprenticeship starts target was easy to measure and well intentioned, but it was ultimately a disastrous approach that has reduced the quality and credibility of apprenticeships instead of enhancing it.

“Unless this new approach is carefully designed and delivered, ministers could yet again fall into a similar trap.”

DfE to tender for 8 new Institutes of Technology

A further eight Institutes of Technology are to be created by the government through a new £120 million tender, Gavin Williamson is to announce.

Plans for a second wave of specialist institutes are expected to be unveiled by the education secretary at the Conservative Party conference today.

It comes after the FE Week revealed geographical issues with the first 12 IoTs, which are set to open this year, as there were none planned for the north west and the east of England.

The first wave of IoTs are being created through a £170 million pot of capital funding. A collaboration between colleges, universities and employers, they will specialise in delivering higher level technical training at level 4 and 5 in STEM subjects, including digital, advanced manufacturing and engineering.

Writing in The Guardian, Williamson said he wants “every big city to have at least one great institute of technology that can act as a focus to drive forward technical and vocational qualifications, working closely with industry and higher education institutions”.

He is also expected to announce new 16 to 19 specialist maths colleges, with the intention of opening at least one in every region, following the opening of the Exeter and King’s College London maths schools.

The education secretary, who is leading on the FE and skills brief at the Department for Education, told The Guardian he will also establish a new skills and productivity board to advise him.

“It’s wrong if we are in a situation where we are selling people courses that aren’t going to lead them into employment. The whole purpose of this is to drive up the level and type of courses that people are taking,” Williamson said.

“The reason I am setting up a skills and productivity board is to focus on what the economy needs and how I can best spend money to equip people with those skills, so we are providing the employers of Britain with the people they need for the modern economy.”

He added that prime minister Boris Johnson had been “incredibly supportive” towards vocational and technical education.

Williamson pledges to ‘supercharge’ FE and overtake Germany within a decade

The education secretary has promised to deliver a “revolution in technical education”, and announced a target of overtaking Germany in this area over the next 10 years.

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference this morning, Gavin Williamson said: “I am setting a new target to supercharge further education over the next decade; our aim is to overtake Germany in the opportunities we offer to those studying technical routes by 2029.”

This was part of a promise to “deliver nothing less than a revolution in technical education”, as doing so was “vital for our country and most importantly, vital for all of our children”.

Williamson, who is leading on the FE and skills brief at the Department for Education, continued: “I promise to make technical and vocational education the first choice for anybody with the aptitude, desire and interest to make pursue it.

“Apprenticeships, technical and vocational education: these are just as important, and as valuable as going to university and are just as important to our economy to make sure Britain succeeds in the future.”

During his speech, the education secretary announced a new wave of institutes of technology, funded by £120 million in investment, that he said “had the potential to transform high-level technical education” by bringing together further education colleges, universities and employers.

It comes after 12 of the flagship providers were announced earlier this year, with Williamson saying today he wants an institute of technology in every major city of England.

Furthermore, an expert skills and productivity board of leading industrialists and labour market economists will provide strategic advice on skills and qualifications.

He also announced an intention to open at least one new specialist maths 16 to 19 free school in every region in England.

The future of colleges: lessons from Scotland’s regionalisation

In the first of a series of features exploring the themes raised by the College of the Future Commission, JL Dutaut looks at regionalisation, a Scottish government policy that transformed further education there, and is very much on the commission chair’s mind.

It is five years since Scotland’s policy of rationalising its further education sector came to an end. The three-year roll-out transformed Scotland’s FE landscape, merging 26 colleges along regional lines into ten so-called “super-colleges”.

In remarks at the College of the Future Commission’s first public event last week, chair and Scottish educational grandee Ian Diamond said regionalisation and the merger of the four Edinburgh colleges was a “good thing”.

From March last year to this August, Diamond was chair of the Edinburgh College board of management. He has since stepped down in order to become the UK’s chief statistician. His brief tenure at Edinburgh came six years after it was created from the conglomeration of Jewel & Esk, Stevenson and Telford Colleges, a process that saw the complete regionalisation of the city’s further education offer.

The Scottish experience

Edinburgh College was the last of ten super-colleges created as part of a dramatic realignment of FE provision across Scotland. As of 2018, it had approximately 19,000 students on roll across four campuses.

There is robust evidence on the benefits and drawbacks of the regionalisation agenda, but it includes no numbers for Edinburgh College. The Scottish Funding Council states that “although savings were realised through voluntary severance, the impact of the merger is difficult to separate from the ongoing financial challenges faced by the college post-merger”. Some of these issues, the report adds, are directly related to the merger.

In Edinburgh at least, regionalisation has not been straightforward. Notwithstanding, two years later, the SFC were able to show that the cost of delivery had been £71.6 million over four years. It calculated that annual recurrent savings for the nine new super-colleges for which data was available added up to £52.2 million, or some £210 million over the same period.

At the most basic level, Scotland’s education map has been re-drawn

The bulk of these savings have come from reductions in staff costs delivered through voluntary severance schemes. Others have been achieved through back-office efficiencies, increased purchasing power and estates costs.

The benefits of the policy included more effective leadership and governance, clarity of vision, strategy and objectives, and increased focus on learner needs. Across the merged colleges, a culture of flexibility was seen to be developing, and a major barrier to progress was (and in places remains) the creation and implementation of new working practices that take into account the multi-campus nature of such super-colleges.

Different models. Same challenges?

Of course, mergers and their consequences are not new in the English further education sector. Between 2015 and 2018, a period shaped by a DfE post-16 area review that encouraged colleges to countenance mergers, the Association of Colleges reports that 52 college-to-college mergers took place , peaking at 29 in 2017. Ten further such mergers have taken place this year, and more are planned for 2019-20.

Sir Ian Diamond

In itself, this is simply an acceleration of a process that has been ongoing since 1993, and many of the mergers do represent regional rationalisations. City College Norwich merged with Paston College in 2017, and is currently consulting on a desired merger with Easton College. In FE Week’s last edition, principal Corrienne Peasgood made clear the process there was driven by the needs of the local community. Other mergers had in fact been declined on those grounds.

The slow growth of Cornwall College Group is another example. In 1993, St Austell College was formed from the merger of St Austell Sixth Form and Mid-Cornwall College. By 2015, Bicton College was the latest to join the group that arose from that initial merger. Such absorption of smaller providers accounts for 80 per cent of all mergers, suggesting a relatively predatory market, in which it doesn’t pay to be small. Regionalisation is nothing new to Cornwall, nor to many other regions.

By contrast, those who have created Newcastle College Group have little regard for localism and appear far more driven by the savings described in the SFC report. If regional rationalisation was ostensibly the original intent, its continued growth is testament to something else entirely. Today, NCG stretches from Carlisle to Southwark, via Kidderminster.

Stronger together?

This month, the DfE published its report The Impact of College Mergers in Further Education. Its headline finding was that, “on average, the effect of merging is statistically indistinguishable from zero”. That is to say, mergers led neither to improvement nor deterioration of college performance on average.

Averages easily disguise differences, and the researchers found that the differences in post-merger performance of colleges was large. Unfortunately, their analysis inexplicably lacked crucial information and as a result was not able to conclude which factors made mergers successful or not. Its conclusions are predictably asinine: the best that can be said so far from 26 years of mergers in England is that on average they have done no harm.

Meanwhile, like the DfE’s researchers, the Auditor General for Scotland has also bemoaned a clarity of baseline data against which to judge the regionalisation reforms. Nevertheless, the sector as a whole exceeds its targets for learning.

But regionalisation in Scotland was part of a broader package of reform that also saw further education colleges reclassified as public bodies, brought back national collective bargaining and brought in a new funding model. Regionalisation was not an end in itself, but a means to realising a political vision. It isn’t a silver bullet, and as far as evidence is concerned, it is at best neutral, and at worst entirely unknown.

What regions, exactly?

At the most basic level, Scotland’s educational map has been re-drawn, and that is the kind of policy Karen Spencer might appreciate. In response to Ian Diamond’s comments, the Harlow College and Stansted Airport College executive gave the chair a taste of the English way of things.

Karen Spencer

“I have a 900-year-old boundary, 900 metres from both of my colleges. I have four LEPs, two devolved authorities, one unitary authority, and we also work across Kent and Sussex. My nearest neighbouring college is in Tottenham, north London, not Essex. So when people talk about regionalisation, it’s complex.”

Regionalisation appeals to ideas of localism and community, bringing with it the benefits of a responsive and adaptable curriculum offer to suit the needs of learners and employers alike. But when courses disappear from the college up the road, lecturing jobs are lost and support staff contracts reformed, while executive pay rises and better resources are further away, regionalisation doesn’t carry the connotations Ian Diamond may have had in mind last week.

In Edinburgh at least, regionalisation has not been straightforward

This is the central tension of a policy that has already shaped the FE landscape in England for three decades with its ebbs and flows. Like Scotland, any future of colleges that entails a full and final reckoning with regionalisation will do well to do so as part of a broader and bolder reform agenda, whichever political and economic persuasion determines the vision.

Either way, the policy’s success will hinge on places like Harlow, and the legacy of borders, boundaries and botched policies that hamper its ability to collaborate meaningfully. Supra-regional entities like NCG will likely adapt, and redrawing the map might just be the rationalisation the sector really needs.

First college to win Careers and Enterprise Company award

Westminster Kingsway College has become the first ever college to win a gong at the Careers and Enterprise Company’s annual awards.

The London-based college was announced as the 2019 winner for ‘Most Progress from a School or College’ out of a shortlist of three finalists in a ceremony at The Royal Society of Chemistry in Piccadilly, London.

This new category received the largest subscription of any of the 12 award categories with over 30 entries, out of 200 submissions overall.

The judges praised the incorporation of employer partnerships and inclusive policies of Westminster Kingsway College’s new careers strategy, which demonstrated “clear progress and strategic direction” towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Now in their second year, the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) awards celebrated the work of colleges, schools, businesses and careers professionals.

In a statement, the judging panel said of Westminster Kingsway: “This FE college has established a very thorough programme with an impressive relationship with employers who are now involved in shaping the curriculum.

“Vulnerable learners and those with complex needs are at the forefront of planning.”

The National Student Survey, an annual poll which asks learners about their training provider, found that 100 per cent of respondents from Westminster Kingsway College knew their next steps and 87 per cent knew where to get advice on what to do next.

The London college said that it overcame barriers to embed careers learning into the curriculum to address the needs of students who wanted an alternative to university. It was a relatively new area for the college which, “with time and dedication”, made structural changes to provide this support.

Two new careers leaders were appointed by the college within its centralised cross-college Careers and Employability Service before the start of the 2017/18 academic year: the employability lead evaluated and enhanced employer partnerships and developed a programme across curriculums, while the careers and progression lead focused on personal guidance and progression.

In addition, a tutorial scheme of learning was introduced from 2018/19 to support delivery of careers education in the classroom. Activities included a one-to-one service, employer visits, a university fair, and Q and A sessions.

Matthew Weatherby, regional community engagement manager at Willmott Dixon Construction, provided a testimonial about the college’s work. He said: “We support the construction skills learners with an employability programme, work placements, workplace and site visits, and the annual apprenticeship fair.

“With the employability lead we identified the key challenge of ensuring learners have the actual skills they need to get onto apprenticeship jobs and implemented the programme to address this. Last year we had 12 successful placements and next year we hope to double this number and continue expanding the employability programme.”

Westminster Kingsway College’s Careers Strategy 2018 – 2020 is based around the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. In its submission, the college singled out its development of the work experience strand during 2018/19: “A key factor in this delivery was our use of the Navigate platform, so that pupils could create a record of their work experience and careers provision,” it said. “Because of this, we will be able to measure distance travelled in employability skills development as a KPI [key performance indicator] of the careers programme.”

CEC chief executive Claudia Harris said: “Congratulations to the winners and shortlist of the Careers Excellence Awards 2019. The organisations and individuals recognised are setting the bar in careers provision across England and changing the lives of the children they work with.”

Main pic: From left: Jasbir Sondhi – Westminster Kingsway College director curriculum and learner services, Charlotte Hoets – careers and progression lead, Carlo Liu – employability and progression lead

Click below to see the full list of winners.

Hull College Group ‘independent’ investigation into leadership led by college’s own lawyer

The independent investigation into Hull College Group is being led by a lawyer who has a long history with the college, FE Week understands.

Law firm Stone King confirmed this afternoon that it has been “instructed” to carry out the inquiry following allegations of nepotism and inappropriate use of funds by college bosses.

The firm’s further education team is led by Tom Morrison, who joined in January 2019 and has links with Hull College going back at least eight years.

Between September 1999 and December 2018, according to his LinkedIn page, Morrison worked at Rollitis, a business and private solicitors in Yorkshire and the Humber which sponsors and presents an annual business and enterprise award to a Hull College student.

He was pictured, in 2011, presenting the award to one student. In 2017 he was one of the main guest speakers at the college’s graduation.

Tom Morrison (fourth from the left) at Hull College’s graduation ceremony in 2017

Morrison also appears in the college’s prospectus for 2018/19 and 2019/20. In the latter he is quoted as saying: “Our business has benefited immensely from sourcing talented and enthusiastic students directly out of college.”

Morrison’s biography on the Stone King website states that he “recently joined as head of further education for the firm’s national FE practice and the Leeds Office lead for the education team”.

“Tom specialises in advising education providers on strategic and contractual/commercial issues,” it adds.

“He has particular expertise in leading projects, handling contract negotiations, drafting agreements and advising on information law compliance.

“Tom speaks at sector conferences and delivers sector-specific training at various events throughout the country, including those organised by the Association of Colleges, the Education & Training Foundation, the College Finance Directors Group and the Governance Professionals’ Special Interest Group.”

A spokesperson for Stone King said it could not comment other than to say it has been “instructed” to investigate Hull College.

Hull College has not responded to requests for comment.

FE Week revealed last night that the government is “carefully monitoring” the independent investigation into allegations regarding the management of Hull College Group, which received a £50 million bailout last year.

This newspaper has spoken to numerous current and former employees and understands that a whistleblower has contacted the FE Commissioner alleging nepotism and inappropriate use of funds.

FE Week understands the commissioner’s team will be going into the college on Monday.

Lord Agnew, who was announced as a minister for FE earlier this month and now oversees the FE Commissioner, said: “The Education and Skills Funding Agency has been made aware of allegations regarding the management of Hull College Group. The college has launched an independent investigation into these issues. The ESFA has contacted the college to seek assurances that the investigation is independent and is monitoring the situation.”

Main pic: Tom Morrison speaking at Hull College’s graduation ceremony in 2017

Ofsted watch: Popular Italian restaurant chain served delectable report

A popular Italian restaurant chain has been served a complimentary report by Ofsted during a week of mostly positive reports in the FE sector.

Criticism was reserved for an NHS trust in London for its apprenticeship delivery and a private training provider which runs train driver and conductor apprenticeships.

The Azzurri Group, a market leader in Italian casual dining and operator of ASK Italian, Zizzi and Coco di Mama restaurants, was found to have made ‘significant progress’ in two out of three themes in an early monitoring visit.

Leaders and managers were praised by inspectors for designing “a well-rounded hospitality apprenticeship,” currently delivered with the level 3 hospitality supervisor standard, “that prepares apprentices very well for managerial positions”.

Its current cohort of 13 who all work at ASK Italian receive “high-quality coaching and mentoring” to help them complete their studies, take on responsibilities and gain additional qualifications, including in food safety and health and safety. 

Azzurri Restaurants Limited, which became a prime contractor for apprenticeships in October 2017, subcontracts to HIT Training to deliver the functional skills component of the apprenticeship.

Kickstart2Employment Ltd also received positive feedback from inspectors.

The Wrexham based independent learning provider received three scores of ‘significant progresses’ out of four in an early monitoring visit – there were 39 learners and 15 apprentices on the programme at the time.

Inspectors reported Kickstart2Employment uses their “well-developed links with partners, such as Jobcentre Plus and ex-offender referral agencies, to provide training opportunities for those who have been away from the workplace for extended periods of time”.

Individual and challenging sessions were designed by tutors, who have “excellent rapport with learners,” and apprentices “demonstrate excellent practical skills.”

Both providers were deemed to have made reasonable progress in ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements are in place.

An early monitoring visit of Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, in Marylebone, found it to have made ‘insufficient progress’ in two out of three areas in its apprenticeship programme.

The report stated leaders and staff “do not plan all the elements of the apprenticeship” to ensure the programme is completed within agreed timescales, and apprentices do not receive consistent access to planned off-the-job training. As a result, “the vast majority of apprentices do not make good progress”.

It also found that “managers have not implemented adequate teaching for English and mathematics functional skills”.

An independent learning provider, EMA Training Limited, requires improvement following a full inspection.

Most apprentices in scope for the inspection were on train driver and conductor apprenticeships with a single employer in the south east – their training is subcontracted to a private provider.

It requires improvement in the effectiveness of leadership and management as well as the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

The apprentices make “slow progress” in developing written English and maths and completing their apprenticeship. Planning is “poor” and “leaders and managers do not ensure that subcontracted provision is good.”

However, all apprentices achieve their qualifications and all learners move into employment.

All other providers that received early monitoring reports this week scored reasonable progress across the board.

These were: Always Consult LTD, Blue Sky Assessing & Consultancy Ltd, Centrepoint Soho, FE Business Limited, Introtrain & Forum Limited, Universal Learning Streams (USL) Limited, Certas Energy UK Limited and Skanska UK PLC.

Trinity Solutions Academy was the only 16-19 academy to be inspected during this period while Lifebridge ASEND was the only Independent Specialist College. They both were found making ‘reasonable progress’ in every category of a monitoring visit following previous grade three ratings.

 

Independent Learning Providers Inspected Published Grade Previous grade
Always Consult LTD 21/08/2019 24/09/2019 M N/A
Blue Sky Assessing & Consultancy Ltd 29/08/2019 27/09/2019 M N/A
Centrepoint Soho 14/08/2019 25/09/2019 M N/A
EMA Training Limited 29/08/2019 27/09/2019 3 M
FE Business Limited 21/08/2019 27/09/2019 M N/A
Introtrain & Forum Limited 28/08/2019 23/09/2019 M N/A
Kickstart2Employment Ltd 14/08/2019 23/09/2019 M N/A
Universal Learning Streams (USL) Limited 21/08/2019 25/09/2019 M N/A

 

Sixth Form Colleges (inc 16-19 academies) Inspected Published Grade Previous grade
Trinity Solutions Academy 13/09/2019 25/09/2019 M 3

 

Employer providers Inspected Published Grade Previous grade
Azzurri Restaurants Limited 20/08/2019 25/09/2019 M N/A
Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust 14/08/2019 26/09/2019 M N/A
Certas Energy Uk Limited 21/08/2019 23/09/2019 M N/A
Skanska UK PLC 14/08/2019 26/09/2019 M N/A

 

Specialist colleges Inspected Published Grade Previous grade
Lifebridge ASEND 13/09/2019 27/09/2019 M 3

Administration. The new normal for struggling colleges?

After a new report has revealed that government-backed mergers haven’t been a silver bullet for colleges in financial distress, further education leaders need to focus on student attainment in order to avoid educational administration

For some time now, the perceived wisdom has been that a struggling college’s financial performance can be improved if it merges with a more successful institution. Now, a new report from the Department for Education (DfE) looking at the impact of college mergers is challenging this assumption.

The study found that, on average, government-backed college mergers resulted in no significant change to financial performance and, perhaps more insidiously, can lead to lower levels of student attainment. The findings will undoubtedly inform the DfE’s position, and further education leaders must realise that the option is less likely to be offered as a lifeline if they find themselves in financial difficulty.

Until the publication of this report, it’s reasonable to say the DfE viewed mergers as a preferred rescue measure for colleges in precarious financial positions.  Now, with clear evidence this isn’t as effective as thought, the DfE is likely to be more willing to wind down struggling colleges, declaring them insolvent and placing them into educational administration.

Difficulties arise when problems unique to one institution are transferred to another

Educational administration carries significant personal risk to the institution’s leadership. In August, West Kent and Ashford College became the second college to fall under the DfE’s insolvency regime. The Insolvency Service is now set to determine whether governors and members of the college’s board are liable for financial mismanagement or guilty of additional statutory offences, which could lead to criminal charges. While this is an exceptional case, it highlights the stark reality of insolvency proceedings.

Another recent report from the DfE evaluating area reviews (a far-reaching programme that led to many colleges being consolidated to improve further education provision regionally) could compound a change in approach from the department. It found that £433 million had been made available to make bespoke and often protracted mergers work. It wouldn’t be surprising if the DfE now judged this money better spent elsewhere with more demonstrable effects.

However, if it becomes less common for the DfE to incentivise mergers, it doesn’t mean further education leaders shouldn’t consider the route as a viable way to improve their financial position. Mergers usually referred to as Type A (when a college merges with another, similar-sized institution) can have benefits, creating a leaner and generally more financially efficient operation.

Difficulties arise when problems unique to one institution are transferred to another, a reality underlined by the DfE’s report. This means due diligence needs to be comprehensive – factoring in financials, but also placing greater importance on student attainment and experience. By giving each of these equal weight, colleges looking to pursue a merger to strengthen their financial position will cultivate an attractive environment for successful partnerships.

The shadow of the government’s Augar Review also looms large in this context. It recommended that the Office for Students should become the national regulator for non-apprenticeship education provision at levels four and above. This means colleges could soon be subject to the same league tables as universities. If this happens, a college that ranks poorly in areas such as student satisfaction and attainment is not likely to be judged as an appealing proposition for a merger. 

Colleges continue to operate amid challenging conditions. Last week, a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies found further education spending per student remains lower than in 2010 in real terms. While this must be treated with the seriousness it deserves, there is a danger that sector leaders get distracted. As with any other sector, the important thing is to get the core business right. Following this will put colleges in a strong position and make mergers, if progressed, more likely to be successful.