FErret is, of course, very much special in every single way, and unlike any other member of his species. How many other mammals from the mustelidae family do you know who can name the last 10 education secretaries and recite sections of the post-16 Skills Plan?
And like small, furry carnivores with a passion for post-16 education, colleges are also quite unique. No two are the same, ranging from residential institutions for adult learners to large, general further education colleges with thousands of learners.
But this week, while perusing today’s Further Education Workforce Data for England report by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), FErret came across an intriguing concept: if ever there was such a thing, what exactly would the average English college look like?
According to the ETF, the average general further education college has 6,443 students on its books, of which 2,433 are aged between 16 and 18. To teach these students, the average GFE college receives £23,162,282 in funding from the government - and yes, FErret can hear you all scurrying through your own papers to compare your colleges’ grants.
The average college employs 507 full-time equivalent staff, of whom 256 are teaching staff, with teachers making up 42 per cent of total staff employed by colleges. And did you know that 9.7 per cent of teachers at our fictitious average college teach engineering and manufacturing technologies, while 4.4 per cent of teachers teach mathematics courses?
A closer look at the staffroom in this entirely average FE college reveals, according to the ETF, that 58 per cent of staff are female, and the average college employee is 45 years old - although FErret suspects the excitement of FE life has given them a youthful spring in their step, making them look no older than 43.
And how about money? Well, the median pay of college staff, the data reveals, is £27,927 - although for teachers, that figure is slightly higher, at £32,000. FErret has pondered this all week, but is quite glad there is no such thing as an average college. After all, it is the diversity of the sector that keeps him pacing the nest with excitement on a weekly basis.
Share your gossip, scandal and intrigue with FErret by emailing ferret@tesglobal.com
