England’s smallest designated sixth-form college is “not sustainable as a stand-alone entity”, a report from the FE commissioner has said. The college has been placed in supervised status with immediate effect.
Commissioner Richard Atkins’ team’s report, published today, concludes that St Mary’s College in Blackburn is operating in “an extremely difficult environment”. It concludes that the college is not sustainable as a stand-alone entity beyond the current year and “urgently requires a structural solution”.
At the time of the visit, it had 653 students on its books and a capacity of 1,250. “Student numbers have been declining over a period of time”, the report adds.
The report says the college’s income from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is insufficient to sustain the mainstream level 3 programme, and it has only been able to maintain operations because of the income it receives from its nursery and HE provision. “These external income streams cannot be relied upon. There is a net cash outflow in the current year to the extent that cash is almost exhausted at year-end,” it states.
Background: ‘Radical change’ needed at ‘inadequate’ HS2 college
More: Meet the serial fixers parachuted into failing colleges
News: FE commissioner: college’s finances ‘terminal’
Likely merger
According to the report’s recommendations, the commissioner’s team should carry out a structure and prospects appraisal to assess options for structural change, and that should begin this month and conclude by May. The report adds: “It is likely to lead to a merger.”
The commissioner’s report stresses that the college provides good academic experience and outcomes to students. It points out that governance is in transition and in its current form is not strong enough to support structural change. While communication with staff is effective and facilitates a community spirit, the process of structural change will bring added pressure and a requirement to ensure adequate leadership and support is in place.
In his letter to college chair Mark Conboy, former Department for Education minister Lord Agnew said the FE commissioner’s report made it “clear that previous efforts to secure the college’s financial position since being placed in intervention have failed”. “Due to the instability of the college’s financial position, I fully support the FE commissioner’s recommendation for St Mary’s to be placed in supervised status with immediate effect,” the letter adds. “Whilst the February structure and prospects appraisal begins to assess options for structural change, I urge you, the board and the principal to work with your bankers, the ESFA and FE commissioner’s team to secure short-term stability and solvency to the college.”
‘Inadequate’ Ofsted report
Today also saw the publication of the commissioner’s intervention assessment report for North Lincolnshire Council following an “inadequate” Ofsted report last summer for its adult education and community learning provision.
The report says that the commissioner’s team’s visit to the council had “shown that there are clear examples of good practice, especially in family learning provision and in cross-agency working”.
It goes on to say that senior leaders from director level throughout the council are driving improvements and are clear about the need for change.
“As a result, and due to the recent restructure, people across the service have a renewed sense of purpose. This is balanced by a realistic understanding of how this needs to translate into high-quality provision. The governing board is fledgling, having only met once so far, however, the progress board is providing robust challenge to the governing board in its development stages. Local stakeholders’ employers and staff have been involved in developing the revised curriculum offer which is now wholly organised around the needs of the local residents, especially those living in the most deprived areas. Data is being used more effectively however tracking and monitoring of all learners needs to become routine and embedded.
“The council has the capacity to improve. Actions taken to date are encouraging and the impact is beginning to show.” The commissioner’s team recommends that the council needs to “maintain the momentum and the enthusiasm for change, but make sure that the increased pace does not compromise the approach to quality assurance”.
