Ahead of the new college insolvency regime coming into force next year, it’s been a difficult term for many in the sector.

We’ve seen Northumberland College go into FE commissioner intervention, and notices of concern from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) slapped on North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College and Vision West Nottinghamshire College.

And the resignation of Dame Asha Khemka, long-serving chief executive of the latter, was only one of a number of high-profile departures from the sector. Others included: Joe Docherty of NCG; Terry Jones of Peterborough Regional College; John Connolly of RNN Group; Maria Thompson of Havering College; and, last but not least, Andrew Cleaves of Birmingham Metropolitan College late last month.

Road to nowhere?

The latter is a case of particular interest. Mr Cleaves was one of the number of high-profile college CEOs appointed in recent years with no prior experience of the sector. He joined Birmingham Met in 2014, having previously worked as managing director of National Express’ international division.

It’s fair to say that the journey since then for Mr Cleaves - third on the list of highest-paid principals in 2016-17, with a salary of £266,000 - has not been entirely smooth.

The college has been subject to a notice of concern over its finances from the ESFA since July 2015. In a report published at the time, then FE commissioner Sir David Collins said its turnover had “declined significantly and the bottom line has also deteriorated, having moved from a surplus in 2009-10 to a significant deficit in 2014-15”. During that same period, learner numbers had dropped by over 30 per cent.

Wrong direction

According to its accounts, the college reduced its workforce by almost 400 between 2014-15 and 2015-16. It also received a £16 million loan from what was then the Skills Funding Agency in an exceptional case of financial support.

As if things weren’t difficult enough for the college, FErret has learned that Birmingham Met last week received a visit from Ofsted. And the signs are ominous: in March 2017, it was rated “requires improvement” for the second time in a row.

Minutes from a meeting of the college’s governing board in July reveal concerns that A-level results “were not progressing at the required rate”. They also reveal a “red” warning had been issued over its curriculum offer being “not fit for purpose”, with its digital offer having “shrunk although this was an area of job growth”.

Problems under the bonnet

An ESFA representative at the meeting, Michael Nicol, said it was “his view that [the college] had ‘kicked on’ considerably in the past six months but there were still some areas where there was a residual risk on quality”. AS levels were forecast to improve - but to remain below the national average - while A-level achievement rates were predicted to drop.

Throw concerns of “low” levels of staff satisfaction into the mix and all does not appear rosy at the institution. A drop in the college’s overall grade to “inadequate” would mark a new low point. We’ll have to wait until at least next month to find out whether this comes to pass. FErret will be keeping his eyes peeled.