Agenda item

(To receive a report by Maggie Freeman, 14-19 Commissioner, which invites the Committee to consider a report on the current situation in relation to post 16 education and training in Lincolnshire)

Consideration was given to a report which summarised the current situation in relation to post 16 (up to 25 for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans) education and training in Lincolnshire.  The report would seek approval from the Executive Councillor for Children's Services for the Council's position in relation to the forthcoming area based review of post 16 education and training institutions in Greater Lincolnshire.

The outcomes from the Committee's working group which was held on 25 July 2016 were reported to the meeting, and it was confirmed that they had been taken into account within the report.  These included concerns around the need for a broad curriculum in reach of all pupils and concerns that school sixth forms and other providers, such as Bishop Burton College and University Technical College, were excluded from the review.

The Chair of the Federation of Lincolnshire Colleges was in attendance at the meeting, and advised the Committee that the federation consisted of 10 colleges across Greater Lincolnshire.  It was reported that the federation was going into the area review open minded, and had been working collaboratively on a number of bids.  A single data pack had been made available to all chief executives and principals during the week, and would be provided to other stakeholders the following week.  It was emphasised that there was a need for caution in making conclusions about what the right answer was too early in the process.  This was an opportunity to examine the way that further education was delivered across the county.  There was a need to get the best possible outcomes for young people in Lincolnshire.  However, it was emphasised that this was not about a structural merger.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers and guests present in relation to the information contained within the report, and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         Concerns were raised regarding how this review would fit into the review being undertaken by the shadow Combined Authority and the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP) and with devolution.  It was reported that the scope of devolution was aligned with the review and would be informed by the GLLEP.  It was highlighted that the colleges would make their own recommendations and the shadow Combined Authority could also put forward recommendations informed by the GLLEP which may differ to the colleges.  However, it was noted that the colleges would make their own decisions and could accept or reject the recommendations.

·         Concerns were also raised regarding Bishop Burton College and the loss of farms.  It was requested that this issue was raised with the Chief Executive and a formal response provided back to the Committee on the situation.

·         It was highlighted that there was a need for functional skills facilities to remain in colleges for those 16 year olds who did not achieve maths and English at schools, as this was an important part of the college system.  It was noted that this area of provision would be explored, but it was acknowledged that investment was needed in lots of areas of the curriculum, including functional skills.

·         The importance of life skills was also highlighted, and members were advised that there were study programmes for 16-18 year olds which covered vocational skills, but not necessarily life skills.  These programmes covered thing such as how to manage in the world of work, but there was some scope to include broader life skills. 

·         Concerns were raised regarding the need to match the curriculum with the needs of the Lincolnshire economy, and it was commented that colleges were offering too many courses in hairdressing and beauty, which were surplus to requirements. 

·         Young people had clear ideas about what they wanted to do, and there was a role for Post-16 providers to engage with young people in relation to the skills which were required locally and nationally.

·         There were concerns that sixth form colleges were not being included, and it was thought that there was a need for a holistic view, and it would be difficult to see how the best outcomes could be obtained when sixth forms were not being included in the review.

·         There was an issue around matching skills with economic growth requirements, but members welcomed this being addressed during the review.

·         There were concerns around careers guidance, as it was commented that the advice given by schools was very patchy.  It was felt that until children had the opportunity to received good advice at school they would not be able to make the right decisions.

·         It was queried whether the review would address the Ofsted grading of colleges, as the majority had either stayed the same or gone down in their grading,  Members were advised that there had been a recalibration across the country and there was now only one college rated as outstanding in the whole country.

·         A member commented that they felt reassured that there would be a more holistic approach than previously.  There was a responsibility on the authority, and post-16 providers to ensure that young people were on courses that would lead to a job.

·         It was highlighted that the wording in Appendix C regarding collaboration around apprenticeships appeared to imply that the arrangements between Boston College, Grantham College and New College Stamford would be the only one.  The Committee agreed that the wording should be made clearer to reflect that there may also be other collaborative arrangements around Apprenticeships, and it was requested that the wording be recirculated to the Committee.

RESOLVED

1.    That the Committee supports the recommendation to the Executive Councillor responsible for Children's Services as set out in the report.

2.    That the comments made be passed to the Executive Councillor responsible for Children's Services in relation to this item.