203 college leaders write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State

In an unprecedented move, the leaders of every general further education college in England have joined forces to write an open letter to the Chancellor and Secretary of State for Education urging them to “answer the calls from business” and respond to the “challenges of technological change and Brexit” by urgently investing in the country’s technical and vocational education system by implementing the main recommendations of the government’s recent Post-18 Education Review (the Augar Review). The 203 leaders are responsible for institutions that educate and train 2 million people each year, employing 180,000 staff and they have a combined turnover of £6 billion per annum. The Augar Review called for, amongst other things, an end to the 17.5% cut in education funding for 18-year-olds, support so that everybody, regardless of age, to achieve to at least level three, and a rebalancing of the traditional post-18 educational landscape. Key extracts from the letter: “[The Post-18 Review] understands that employers and communities need more high quality technical and professional education and training, industry standard facilities, expert staff and the unique curriculum that colleges already provide. It sees colleges as the key vehicle for the flexible, local delivery of national strategies, supporting industrial policy, productivity, skills development and genuine social equity. It clearly acknowledges that all this requires real investment.” “In many respects the Augar Review represents a wider emerging consensus across England. We are sure that you will agree with us and other key stakeholders that further education colleges have been neglected, and that there is now a growing appreciation of their unique role, value and potential. What we now need are decisions and commitments: with your political leadership, support and resolve, colleges will be able to build on what they already do to reach more employers and more adults and make the differences our economy and society need. “ Bev Robinson OBE, member of the Independent Panel and co-author of the Augar Review said: “The government’s response to the outcomes of the well-received Augar Review is arguably a watershed moment for the British government. Choosing to enact the recommendations would demonstrate the government’s commitment to the much-needed skills revolution which our country needs, which industry is crying out for and which will promote social equity for all adults, not just the 50% as it is now.” Alun Francis, Principal and Chief Executive, Oldham College said: “The technical and professional education which our colleges specialise in, is a hidden strength of this country. There is some astonishingly good provision, but the system overall has been held back by a clear view of its role backed by a serious investment plan. Implementing the Augar Review will genuinely change lives, communities and the economy for a generation. Now is the time to act.” David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges said: “It is extraordinary to have every leader in every general further education college in the country collaborate like this. But then these are extraordinary times. These college leaders are uniquely placed at the hearts of their communities, working closely with local, national and international business, supporting individuals to get on in life, and driving the social mobility agenda. Government needs to listen to them if they’ve got any chance of tackling the major issues this country faces, now and in the future. Lowell Williams, CEO Dudley College of Technology said: "There are many examples of colleges in the UK delivering technical learning which is simply amazing. But these examples are too often the exception and not the rule. On the eve of the fourth industrial revolution we have the opportunity to make really great technical learning the norm in every UK college. The Augar Review clearly shows us how. Implementing the Augar Review should be the main focus for the government's skills agenda." Shelagh Legrave, CEO and Principal, Chichester College Group said: “The Augar report comes at a critical time for further education institutions and recognises the central role which Colleges are playing in providing a skilled workforce to businesses. It is crucial that the report’s key recommendations for further education are implemented to address the shortfall in technicians in the UK economy” The letter in full: As college leaders, we are pleased that the Augar Review understands the importance of a more coherent tertiary system. It makes many positive recommendations that will support the economy by upskilling and reskilling the adult population of England, through investment in more flexible higher, technical and professional education and training, answering calls from business and in direct response to the pending challenges of technological change and Brexit. The report and the recommendations are based on sound analysis of the current state of further and higher education in England. It also sets out the compelling need for a fairer society which works for everyone, based on a strong economy in which businesses can be even more productive. It recognises the role that further education colleges must have in aligning the skills system with the needs of the economy, and in delivering high quality alternatives to traditional three-year residential bachelor's degrees as well as enabling more adults to progress to intermediate skill levels. It understands that employers and communities need more high quality technical and professional education and training, industry standard facilities, expert staff and the unique curriculum that colleges already provide. It sees colleges as the key vehicle for the flexible, local delivery of national strategies, supporting industrial policy, productivity, skills development and genuine social equity. It clearly acknowledges that all this requires real investment. In many respects, the Augar Review represents a wider emerging consensus across England. We are sure that you will agree with us and other key stakeholders that further education colleges have been neglected, and that there is now a growing appreciation of their unique role, value and potential. What we now need are decisions and commitments: with your political leadership, support and resolve, colleges will be able to build on what they already do to reach more employers and more adults and make the differences our economy and society need. Our concern is that, having waited so long, the key weakness of the Augar Review might prove to be its timing. It has emerged at a moment when its insights and proposals might easily be lost. That is why we are urging you to make the investment in upskilling and reskilling the whole of the adult population in England a priority in your spending decisions this autumn, and to implement the Augar recommendations promptly. We stand ready, individually and collectively to deliver; eager to meet the challenges and excited at the prospect of helping to achieve a fairer society and successful future for our nation. The 203 Signatories: ESTABLISHMENT PRINCIPAL/CEO Abingdon & Witney College Di Batchelor Activate Learning Sally Dicketts Ada National College for Digital Skills Mark Smith Askham Bryan College Tim Whitaker Birmingham Met College Cliff Hall Barking and Dagenham College Yvonne Kelly Barnet & Southgate College Darren Mephan Barnsley College Yiannis Koursis Basingstoke College of Technology Anthony Bravo Bath College Laurel Penrose Bedford College Ian Pryce Berkshire College of Agriculture Gillian May Bexhill College Karen Hucker Bishop Auckland College Natalie Davison-Terranova Bishop Burton College Bill Meredith Blackburn College Fazal Dad Blackpool and The Fylde College Bev Robinson Bolton College Bill Webster Boston College Jo Maher Bournemouth and Poole College Diane Grannell Bradford College Chris Webb Bridgwater and Taunton College Andy Berry Brighton Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College William Baldwin Brockenhurst College Di Roberts Brooklands College Christine Rickettes Brooksby Melton College Dawn Whitemore Buckinghamshire College Group Karen Mitchell Burnley College Karen Buchanan Burton & South Derbyshire College Dawn Ward Bury College Charlie Deane Buxton and Leek College Len Tildsley Calderdale College John Rees Cambridge Regional College Mark Robertson Capel Manor College Malcolm Goodwin Capital City College Group (WKCIC) City & Islington College College of Haringey, Enfield & N E London Westminster Kingsway College Roy O’Shaughnessy Andy Forbes Kurt Hintz (Interim Principal) Kim Caplin Carmel College Mike Hill Central Bedfordshire College Ali Hadawi Chelmsford College Andy Sparks Cheshire College South & West Jasbir Dhesi Chesterfield College Julie Richards Chichester College Group Shelagh Legrave Cirencester College Jim Grant City College Norwich and Paston College Corrienne Peasgood City College Plymouth Jackie Grubb City Lit Mark Malcomson City of Bristol College Richard Harris City of Wolverhampton College Malcolm Cowgill Colchester Institute Alison Andreas College of West Anglia David Pomfret Coventry College Gill Banks Craven College Joanne Sherrington Croydon College Caireen Mitchell Darlington College Kate Roe Derby College Group Mandi Stravino Derwentside College Chris Todd DN Colleges Group Doncaster College North Lindsey College Anne Tyrrell Kathryn Brentnall Mick Lochran Dudley College of Technology Lowell Williams Ealing, Hammersmith and West London College Karen Redhead East Coast College Stuart Rimmer East Durham College Suzanne Duncan East Kent College Group Graham Razey East Riding College Mike Welsh East Surrey College Group Jayne Dickinson East Sussex College Clive Cooke Eastleigh College Jan Edrich Easton & Otley College Jane Townsend Exeter College John Laramy Fareham College Andrew Kaye Farnborough College of Technology Virginia Barrett Fircroft College of Adult Education Mel Lenehan Furness College Andrew Wren Gateshead College Judith Doyle Gloucestershire College Matthew Burgess Grantham College Paul Deane Greater Brighton Metropolitan College Nick Juba Hadlow College Graham Morley Halesowen College David Williams Harlow College Group Harlow College Stansted Airport College Karen Spencer Hartlepool College Darren Hankey Hartpury University and Hartpury College Russell Marchant Havant & South Downs College Mike Gaston Havering Sixth Form College Paul Wakeling HCUC Group Harrow College Uxbridge College Laraine Smith Pat Carvalho Heart of Worcestershire College Stuart Laverick Hereward College Paul Cook Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College Ian Peake Hertford Regional College Tony Medhurst Highbury College Portsmouth Stella Mbubaegbu Holy Cross College Daveth Frost Hopwood Hall College Julia Heap Hugh Baird College Yana Williams Hull College Michelle Swithenbank Isle of Wight College Debbie Lavin Itchen Sixth Form College Alex Scott Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College Tony Day Kendal College Kelvin Nash Kensington & Chelsea College Andy Cole King Edward V1 College Uly Lyons Kingston Maurward College Luke Rake Kirklees College Marie Gilluley Lakes College Chris Nattress Lancaster & Morecambe College Wes Johnson Leeds City College Colin Booth Leeds College of Building Derek Whitehead Leicester College Verity Hancock Lincoln College Group Gainsborough College Lincoln College Newark College Gary Headland London South East College’s Group Sam Parrett OBE Loughborough College John Doherty LTE The Manchester College UCEN Manchester John Thornhill Lisa O’Loughlin Michael Walsh Macclesfield College Rachel Kay Mid Kent College Simon Cook Middlesborough College Zoe A Lewis Milton Keynes College Julie Mills OBE Moulton College Ann Turner Myerscough College Alison Robinson National College for High Speed Rail Clair Mowbray NCG Carlisle College Kidderminster College Lewisham College Newcastle College Newcastle Sixth Form College Southwark College West Lancashire College Chris Payne Grant Glendinning Andy Dobson Asfa Sohail Tony Lewin Gerard Garvey Annette Cast Denise Williamson Nelson & Colne College Amanda Melton New City College Gerry McDonald New College Durham John Widdowson New College Stamford Janet Meenaghan New College Swindon Carole Kitching Newbury College Iain Wolloff Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group Karen Dobson Newham College London Paul Stephen NESCOT Frances Rutter Northampton College Pat Brennan-Barrett North Hertfordshire College Kit Davies North Kent College David Gleed North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College Marion Plant Nottingham College John van de Laarschot Oaklands College Zoe Hancock Oldham College Alun Francis Peterborough Regional College Rachel Nicholls Petroc Diane Dimond Plumpton College Jeremy Kerswell Preston’s College Lis Smith Reaseheath College Marcus Clinton Richard Huish College John Abbott Richmond & Hillcroft Adult & Community College Gabe Flint Richmond Upon Thames College Robin Ghurbhurun Riverside College, Halton Mary Murphy RNN Group Rotherham College and North Notts College Dearne College Jason Austin Runshaw College Simon Partington Salford City College Michael Sheehan Sandwell College Graham Pennington Scarborough TEC Ann Hardy Selby College Phil Sayles Shipley College Nav Chohan Shrewsbury Colleges Group James Staniforth Solihull College & University Centre John Callaghan South and City College Birmingham Mike Hopkins South Devon College Stephen Criddle South Essex College Angela O’Donoghue South Gloucestershire and Stroud College Sara-Jane Watkins South Staffordshire College Claire Boliver South Thames College Group South Thames College Carshalton College Kingston College Peter Mayhew-Smith Southampton City College Sarah Stannard Southport College John Clarke Sparsholt College Group Andover College Tim Jackson SK Group St Helens College Knowsley College Monica Box Stanmore College Sarbdip Noonan Stephenson College Nigel Leigh Stockton Riverside College Group Phil Cook Stoke on Trent College Denise Brown Strode College Katy Quinn Suffolk New College Viv Gillespie Sunderland/Northumberland College Ellen Thinnesen Swindon College Steve Wain Tameside College Jackie Moores Telford College Graham Guest The City of Liverpool College Elaine Bowker The College of Richard Collyer Sally Bromley The Cornwall College Group Elaine McMahon The Northern College Yultan Mellor The Sheffield College Angela Foulkes The TEC Partnership Group (formerly the Grimsby Institute Group) Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education Scarborough TEC Gill Alton Debra Gray Ann Hardy The Windsor Forest Colleges Group Langley College Strode’s College Windsor College Kate Webb Trafford College Group Trafford College Stockport College Lesley Davies Truro and Penwith College David Walrond Tyne Coast College Dr Lyndsey Whiterod CBE Unified Seevic and Palmers College Dan Pearson United Colleges Group City of Westminster College College of North West London Keith Cowell Vison West Nottinghamshire College Andrew Cropley Wakefield College Sam Wright Walsall College Jatinder Sharma Waltham Forest College Joy Kettyle Warrington & Vale Royal College Nichola Newton WCG/Warwickshire College Group Angela Joyce WEA Ruth Spellman West Herts College Gill Wogan West Kent and Ashford College Graham Morley Weston College Dr Paul Phillips CBE West Suffolk College Nikos Savvas Weymouth College Nigel Evans West Thames College Tracy Aust Wigan and Leigh College Anna Dawe Wiltshire College & University Centre Amanda Burnside Wirral Met College Sue Higginson WMC – The Camden College Helen Hammond Yeovil College John Evans York College Lee Probert