Celebrating Colleges

Celebrating Colleges
Winning capabilities:
research into AoC Beacon Award winners

Pat Hood, April 2008

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Foreword

by Martin Doel and John Bingham
Martin Doel John Bingham

Fifteen years after the launch of the AoC Beacon The Association of Colleges is committed to ensuring that
Awards, we are delighted to be able to present “Celebrating Colleges” reaches the widest possible
audience and that the capabilities of Colleges are
the outcomes of research aimed at identifying recognised as an absolutely critical element in the
key indicators of success in the Colleges that economic and social well-being of the United Kingdom.
were successful in winning Beacon Awards.
Finally, we should like to acknowledge the excellent and
Since their inception in 1994, the AoC Beacon Awards thorough work carried out by the research consultant, Pat
have a deserved reputation for being a respected means of Hood, and thank her for bringing together this report on
reflecting excellence and innovation in Colleges. This behalf of the AoC Charitable Trust.
excellence and innovation has been critical in enabling the
Colleges to adapt to changing social, economic and
political landscapes by ensuring support for the local
communities that they serve and in the process helping
millions of individuals realise their potential.

As well as recognising the achievements of Colleges, we
hope that “Celebrating Colleges” will also serve as a
source of data for researchers interested in the Martin Doel John Bingham
development of Colleges in a period of possibly Chief Executive, AoC Chair, AoC
unparalleled change and development; whether it be to
map the way in which new technologies have been
embraced and harnessed by Colleges or to demonstrate
the relationship between the AoC Beacon Awards and
QIA Beacon status or Ofsted grades, for example.

Celebrating Colleges - Winning Capabilities: research into AoC Beacon Award Winners 1

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Contents
Executive summary

Introduction
3

4

The research 5

Winning capabilities 6

Celebrating colleges 8

Mapping the future: challenges facing colleges for
the next five years and beyond 54

What do winning colleges demonstrate in their Beacon Awards applications? 56

Acknowledgements 57

Sponsors 58

2 Celebrating Colleges - Winning Capabilities: research into AoC Beacon Award Winners

ng Colleges
Executive Summary
Celebrating Colleges is the report of the first
research into the Association of Colleges’ Beacon
Award colleges. The aim was to celebrate
colleges’ achievements, and to ask what it was
money for learners and for tax-payers, and make a
considerable contribution to the country’s prosperity and
well-being.

that colleges had done in the past, and were The futures map
doing now, that would serve them well for a The research identified eight features of a futures map –
successful self-regulatory future. the challenges which winning colleges expect to tackle in
the next five years and beyond. The features are:
The research, undertaken by Pat Hood, involved: • keeping the focus on teaching and learning
• analysis of the nearly 900 winning, and highly • continuing to be creative
commended applications and assessors’ reports • sustaining a genuine culture of self-improvement
produced since 1994 when the Awards began • addressing the new localism
• seminar discussions at AoC’s 2007 Annual Conference • contributing to social justice
• working meeting with sponsors • positioning to maximise opportunities
• interviews with principals and other leading sector • achieving sustainability
figures • meeting the challenges of globalisation

Research findings Research conclusion
The research found that winning colleges shared six The research concludes that colleges have the capabilities
capabilities which fit them to lead a self-improving, they need to tackle the future with flair and success.
innovative sector, instrumental in forging its future during Colleges are confident that their past and current
a period of transformational change. The capabilities are:
achievements fit them for their futures as active players in
• visionary leadership
a self-regulatory sector. The evidence of their Award-
• innovative and creative
winning work provides sure ground for their optimism.
• responsive
• collaborative
• delivers personalised, inclusive learning Benefits of the AoC Beacon Awards
• challenges and changes expectations The research demonstrated the considerable benefits to
the sector of the AoC Beacon Awards. Colleges said the
The capabilities represent the essential attributes of benefits included:
successful colleges – those things which distinguish them • national recognition for excellence and innovation in
from other providers. teaching and learning
• acknowledgement for the talents of staff at all levels
Celebrating Colleges illustrates the six capabilities with in a college
commentaries, analysis, and thirty six profiles of • encouragement for winners to further develop their
innovative work in Beacon Award colleges. innovative work
• sharing of best practice between colleges
The research and profiles provide evidence that creative • opportunities for pioneering colleges to benchmark
colleges: their work nationally
• contribute significantly to local and regional • development of a ‘critical mass’ of excellence which
economic regeneration acts as a catalyst for change and innovation within
• help build and sustain prosperous, harmonious the sector
communities
• contribute to social justice through their
The Beacon Award winners are examples of what can be
inclusiveness and promotion of equality and
diversity achieved; they inspire other colleges to emulate their
• excel in working in complex partnerships successes.
• reshape themselves in order to respond to new
demands Other research outcomes
• deliver personalised, inclusive learning As well as the report “Celebrating Colleges”, the research
• blaze the trail in finding new ways of doing things produced some four hundred analytical profiles of
• share their expertise and learn from each other winning colleges. These will be made available on-line by
the Association of Colleges, for use by colleges and other
By doing all these things, colleges provide value for organisations.


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Introduction
Colleges in the UK lead the world in the
innovative breadth and inclusiveness of their
provision, their deep commitment to their
not spring into being in colleges just in the last few years,
so there are references and short descriptions of the work
of earlier winners whose achievements often sowed the
seed for more growth. Not everyone is here, though the
communities, and their creative response to the four hundred short analytical reports also produced
individual learner. Their achievements deserve during the research, and to be made available on-line,
to be celebrated. provide a comprehensive survey of the sector’s creative
excellence since the Awards began.
The Association of Colleges wanted to do just that when,
in 1994, it established the Beacon Awards in order to The hope is that all colleges will recognise aspects of their
recognise the very best innovation in the sector, and to own creativity and innovation in ‘Celebrating Colleges’.
provide inspirational benchmarks for colleges. Colleges
say there is nothing else like the Awards. Winning one is Research findings
cause for delight, pride, and tears of joy, as anyone who The research found that winning, innovative colleges
has attended the annual Award ceremony will testify. share six capabilities which fit them to lead a
Colleges consider the Awards to represent honour and self-improving, creative sector, instrumental in forging its
peer-recognition at the highest level. They value them own future during a period of transformational change.
because they are hard to achieve. The capabilities enable colleges to:
• contribute significantly to local and regional
The credibility of the Awards resides in the core values economic regeneration
which guide the assessment and selection process: • help build and sustain prosperous, harmonious
integrity, transparency, consistency, and fairness. Colleges communities
recognise the credentials and expertise of the assessors,
• contribute to social justice through their
and respect the rigour of the process.
inclusiveness and promotion of equality and
diversity
Sponsors’ contributions are vital to the esteem in which
the Awards are held. Sixty-seven sponsors have brought
• excel in working in complex partnerships
to the Awards their external perceptions and expectations • reshape themselves in order to respond to new
from the worlds of business, voluntary organisations, and demands
national agencies and government departments. Nearly • deliver personalised, inclusive learning
all sponsors take an active part in the selection process, • blaze the trail in finding new ways of doing things
eager to find out what colleges are doing, and to give • share and learn from each other
something back.
The research identified the main features of a futures map
AoC Beacon Awards envisaged by winning colleges, and concludes that the
sector’s past and current winning achievements fit it for a
• 351 Awards given since 1994 successful future.
• 225 Highly commended colleges
• 3,661 applications The report
• 87% of colleges in England, Scotland, Wales and The report includes:
Northern Ireland have applied • brief description of the research
• 67 sponsors have supported the Awards • outline of six winning capabilities and some
indicators
A list of sponsors is given at the end of the report • six sections of comment, analysis, and college
profiles grouped under each of the capabilities
Celebrating Colleges • the futures map as envisaged by principals
‘Celebrating Colleges’ is the outcome of the first research • ten things that winning colleges do in their
into the winning colleges. It describes the six essential Beacon Awards applications
capabilities demonstrated by these colleges, and illustrates
their creativity and innovation in 36 analytical profiles The next section describes the research.
drawn from the winning and highly commended entries
of the last two or three years. Of course, innovation did


ng Colleges
The research
In summer 2007, the AoC Charitable Trust
commissioned Pat Hood to undertake research
into Beacon Award-winning colleges. The
intention was to produce a report which
The research activities included detailed analysis of all the
archive materials, a seminar with principals as guest
speakers at AoC’s annual conference, a working meeting
with sponsors, and inspirational interviews with
principals and other sector leaders.
celebrated colleges’ achievements and
demonstrated their capacity to map their own As well as this report, the research produced a database of
futures. some 400 short analytical profiles of selected winning and
highly commended and commended entries, to be made
The AoC Beacon Award Award archives are a rich available on-line by AoC for use by colleges and other
resource for the sector, with nearly 900 Award organisations.
applications, supporting testimonials from learners,
employers and other partners, assessment visit reports,
and summary profiles of winning colleges. The materials
capture what is best about colleges by illustrating great
teaching and learning, inspiring vision and leadership,
and vigorous capabilities for innovation and creativity.


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Winning capabilities
Three ideas acted as starting points for the
research:
it’ supremely well that the capabilities attempt to capture.
The capabilities are listed next, and then amplified
through indicators which go some way to describing the
signs, spirit, and culture of innovative colleges. The
• the futures map indicators are drawn directly from the research.
• capacity
• capabilities
Six winning capabilities
The futures map
Self-regulation and self-improvement are the expected 1. Visionary leadership
prominent features on the futures map, alongside
sustainability, demand-led skills, localisation, funding 2. Innovative and creative
changes and transfer of departmental responsibilities and
other well-recognised shifts in the landscape. Winning 3. Responsive
colleges saw other local and regional features when they
looked ahead, as well as internal challenges such as 4. Collaborative
revolutions in approaches to teaching and learning.
During the research, they identified other themes which 5. Delivers personalised, inclusive learning
combined to make the ‘mood music’ for their strategic
planning and positioning. 6. Challenges and changes expectations

Capacity The six capabilities and their indicators
Winning colleges do not just read the futures map, they
have the capacity to forge their own. They are able to
absorb and analyse what the future tells them, and then Some indicators:
Visionary leadership

to use that understanding to construct their unique • shapes and articulates a shared vision which has a
response. The best go a step further, and work pro- moral purpose: ‘this is what we stand for’
actively to design parts of the map themselves. • passionate about learning and learners
• believes in and values teachers, and ensures all staff
Winning capabilities can make a contribution
• sets a culture for sustained innovation and
As well as helping create their own futures, innovative excellence
colleges have the capacity for action and faculties capable • nurtures ‘quality with depth’
of development which make up the six winning • experiments, expects risk-taking, and takes risks
capabilities identified through the research. • seeks out, recognises, and rewards innovation and
creativity
Time and again, colleges exemplified these capabilities in • understands the connection between innovation and
their Award submissions, assessors recognised and excellence
valued them during visits, and external bodies such as • takes the lead on equality and diversity
Ofsted identified them at the heart of outstanding • filters new policies, funding, initiatives, to take what
provision. The capabilities were integrated within the the college really needs
college, part and parcel of its identity, able to be deployed
over time and vitally, able to be refined, extended, and
applied in new and different settings. These are the
winning things that colleges do now, have done in the
past, and will continue to do. They are the faculties that
colleges will use to tackle the next set of challenges.

Of course, government policy and initiatives, funding,
planning, and inspection outcomes shape and inform
what colleges do, but as one principal said, ‘they don’t
tell us how to do it – we decide that’. It is the ‘how to do


ng Colleges
Some indicators:
Innovative and creative

• blazes a trail, leads the way, the first to do
something
• takes pride in being an excellent college in an
excellent network; takes shared responsibility for
scope and quality of local and regional provision
• values bench-marking and peer review
• believes ‘there is always a better way of doing opportunities within partnerships
this’ • understands and acts on the new localism
• intellectually curious; reflects and learns • internationally active: ambassador for UK
• open, no pre-conceived ideas
• holds high expectations of self, others, college
• tries out ‘experiments with nascent agenda’ – the
seeds of change Some indicators:
Delivers personalised, inclusive learning
• mainstreams innovation and creativity; • matches learning to the individual learner
‘how we do things’ • fosters instrumentality by helping learners to
• ‘structured to enable’ – no barriers to innovation manage their own learning
• makes the case with articulacy and passion • values every level of learning equally
• ‘can do’ philosophy • thinks in terms of personalised learning and
• improves continuously, not just complies support opportunities – not courses
• celebrates innovation and creativity as a vital part • creates new pedagogy to meet changing needs
of reputation • harnesses technology as a medium and aide for
learning, but choosy, knows what it wants from it
• transforms into a ‘college without walls’; uses
technology to reach learners
Some indicators: • celebrates outstanding teaching
Responsive

• instrumental in economic regeneration; alert and
responsive to employers’ changing needs
• analyses, understands and acts on the social
cohesion agenda Some indicators:
Challenges and changes expectations

• deeply committed to local communities; there for • challenges and changes society’s expectations of
the long haul learners
• serves with heart – takes into account the spiritual, • confronts and transforms learners’ assumptions
emotional and domestic lives of the learners about their capacities
• outward looking, open, accessible • changes staff’s expectations of themselves
• flexible and supple; reads the runes and re-thinks • ambitious for learners, staff, college
itself • honest and open about its stage of development
• identifies, draws in, and meets the needs of new • enjoys challenge; benchmarks against the very best
learners • contributes to social justice by celebrating and
deploying the diverse gifts and talents of all its
learners, staff, and managers
• builds its reputation on the achievements of
Some indicators: learners
Collaborative

• excels in working with others: universities, schools, • travels beyond what is expected
private and voluntary training providers,
employers and other stakeholders
• forges and sustains the right relationships
• respects partners; understands and values their
contributions
• held in high esteem by partners; reciprocal
relationships
• willing and able to develop shared strategies in the
best interests of learners
• works with partners to deliver flexible learning
opportunities


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Celebrating colleges
This report celebrates the excellence of colleges,
and this section is devoted to descriptions of
what they do so well. The Beacon Award
winners exemplify the powerful contributions
made by colleges to the economic
well-being and social cohesion of Great Britain.
They demonstrate that colleges have the
capabilities they require to take on the
individual, collaborative, and sector-wide
responsibilities proposed in the Single Voice
national improvement strategy.
1

The work of a selection of Award-winning colleges is
described next in order to illustrate the six capabilities.
There is a short explanation of each capability, together
with some indication of the influences experienced by
colleges, followed by profiles which exemplify particular
aspects. Included are references to earlier work where
colleges have led the way. The section begins with
Visionary Leadership, from which all the other
capabilities flow.

1
Briefing paper: Provider performance management within a self-regulating FE sector, P. Cox, Self regulation project, Single Voice, February 2008


ng Colleges
Visionary Leadership


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Visionary leaders know how to develop and extend the
capabilities at the heart of innovative, self-improving
colleges. As an essential part of the research, interviews
or personalisation were explored in staff seminars or
other discussion groups and best practice teams. Their
own involvement in external innovation was both a
stimulus personally and a model of intellectual
were conducted with seventeen leaders in the college engagement for staff. They ‘walked the talk’ in other
sector. This part of the report is based on those ways, by innovating themselves, taking professional
conversations, and attempts to offer some insights into risks, experimenting, and welcoming challenge.
how these leaders nurture excellence.
Staff were expected to be expert leaders in their own
right, taking collegiate, shared responsibility for the
Setting the culture – this is what we organisation’s success. They were expected to take
stand for risks, and supported in learning from mistakes – within
a ‘no blame’ culture. Principals wanted innovation to
Principals of winning colleges declare proudly, ‘this is work, but did not mind when it didn’t – as long as the
what we stand for – this is what we do’. They are open, lessons were learned. Willingness to take risks rested on
confident, and secure enough to welcome the challenge mutual trust; one comment was that, ‘you have to trust
of outside scrutiny which they value as an opportunity the people you’re working with’, and another principal
to sharpen and focus their thinking. They believe said, ‘I try not to micro-manage … and try not to have
passionately in learning: ‘once you unleash a person’s pre-conceived ideas as to how something should be
capacity for learning – then you are always moving done’. Another spoke of, ‘liberating the people – giving
forward’. They give powerful messages about their them latitude to fail’.
colleges’ values, leading by example through direct
The innovative stance
involvement and support for innovation in relation to
vulnerable learners, and racial, gender and sexual
equality. They recognise learners and staff as rounded Winning colleges have as their starting point, ‘there are
human beings, taking account of their domestic, better ways of doing what we do’. One principal
emotional and spiritual selves. They expect their described her college as ‘development ready’, with
colleges to be moral forces for good in their organisational and individual mind-sets which are
communities, leading and engaging in partnerships to exploratory, reflective, and constantly moving forward.
achieve social justice. They are concerned with These principals believe in opportunities, not barriers;
economic regeneration, the skills agenda, and they are quick to see potential. One described how a
employability, but as one principal commented, ‘we are developer talked of buying waterfront land – ‘the first
more than that’. They have long-standing, deep thing I see is a marine academy’. Teachers in these
commitment to their local and regional communities, colleges are experts in learning, ‘owning’ the
and want their colleges to transform individual lives. curriculum, with a strong sense of instrumentality – ‘we
can change things’, as well as pride in what they do.
Distinct expectations The innovative college is generous with its expertise,
Clarity about their colleges’ values and mission sometimes taking lead responsibility with partners for
translates into distinct expectations of staff, students, the quality of local and regional provision. It is eager to
and themselves. These leaders see it as their job to ‘give learn from others; and is ‘always able to identify
people opportunities to do wonderful things’. They strengths in other provision’. It believes that explaining
give thought and energy to communicating with staff, how it does things helps it refine and sharpen its ideas.
and to building routine opportunities for staff to listen Its stance is humble, ‘we still have a lot to learn’. It has
and contribute. It was important to help staff gone beyond compliance to an internalised culture of
understand, ‘this is how we do things’, and to work out innovation and continuous improvement. It believes ‘if
what that means for their practice. One principal teachers are experimenting, learners are benefiting’.
described how he met job applicants, taking time to
Shaping the future
explain what the college was about, so that people could
reflect on whether this was the right place for them.
Teachers are expected to be intellectually curious, Because winning colleges are thinking, analytical
engaged with the ideas behind teaching and learning. organisations, with clout and credibility, they identify
Principals spoke of how they fostered a ‘think tank’ and influence levers for change. They do not wait to be
told, but are out there helping shape the futures map for
environment where ideas such as emotional intelligence
the sector. Principals in Northern Ireland, Scotland and


ng Colleges
Wales described the scope for instrumentality in
relatively small, close communities of colleges working
in active partnerships with policy-makers. However, all
the interviewed principals considered their colleges to
These experienced principals understood the power of
technology to serve as an accelerator for change, but
their practical strategies for its deployment rested on a
‘what do we want from it?’ approach, rather than a ‘see
be instrumental in their own futures; they were not what it can do’ one.
‘being done to’, but equal contributors in the evolution

Leaders at every level
of the sector.

During the interviews, principals shared their Colleges need leaders at every level. Curriculum leaders
perceptions of future challenges. These are described in share some of the attributes of innovative principals,
the Mapping the Future section of the report. along with others more directly related to teaching and
learning. Most importantly, they understand learning
Practical strategies and curriculum development. They know how to
Principals emphasised that innovation took place within design a new curriculum framework, and translate it
a strategic framework: ‘we innovate around our into exciting, motivating learning activities. They go
strategic plan’, and was steered by a single unifying idea beyond the requirements of awarding bodies in their
for the college. Winning colleges have a whole-college creativity and responsiveness to learners’ needs, and
approach to innovation, making strong links between excel in designing new curricula to match changing
innovation and self-assessment and quality. Individual employer requirements.
examples of innovation did not flourish in isolation, but

Catalysts for change
were harnessed to other creative practice so the college
could maximise the benefits, and use them as a driver
for wholesale improvement. One college has a research Winning curriculum leaders are the yeast in their
and development steering group to bring together all its colleges – helping whole organisations to rise. They
innovative projects. The group provides an internal have a vision of what can be achieved, and the
challenge by asking, ‘what outcomes will we secure?’ credibility and skills to take their team with them. They
from each project. One principal described how are lateral thinkers, with a ‘professional appetite’ for
successful innovation was exploited to its maximum: ‘if
innovation.
something works, we flog it to death; we always ask

Professional confidence
where it can go next’.

Principals were passionate about teams, investing in Winning teams and their leaders know when they have
getting the right people into working relationships, and produced something exceptional, and have the
giving them time and resources to deliver. One confidence to make their case and seek recognition.
considered teams to be the building blocks of the They present what they do so effectively that others
college’s success, describing non-hierarchical readily acknowledge its excellence. Like visionary
overlapping teams as being the preferred structure.
principals, they are eager to be challenged and bench-
marked against the very best.
Winning principals raised the bar for teams by using
external expert consultants, visits to other providers,
overseas visits, peer review, best practice groups, and Embody best practice
other strategies to help staff extend their thinking and Winning curriculum leaders represent what is best about
reach for new definitions of excellence. teachers. They think critically about their own practice,
and help their teams engage in a comparable process.
Principals made sure creativity was recognised and
They are respected for their vocational or academic
celebrated, sometimes tangibly as in the cash prizes
knowledge, and have been, and often still are,
awarded in one college’s staff achievements ceremony,
sometimes through internal ‘Beacon’ Awards, or other outstanding teachers, sometimes working as Advanced
forms of public and peer recognition for innovative staff. Practitioners. Frequently contributing to national
The creative contributions of all staff were recognised, developments or leading local or regional professional
not just those of teachers; one principal stressed her networks, they keep themselves up-to-date, often
belief in the innovative powers of all the staff in her initiating approaches which are adopted by other
college. colleges.


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Sharing expertise
These leaders and their teams share their expertise,
contributing to the colleges’ success. They are
outwardlooking, eager to learn from colleagues, and
Ahead of the game
Like their principals, curriculum leaders are ahead of
the game in designing learning opportunities that fit the
future. Often, they lead in the development of national
generous in disseminating their ideas in conferences, policies, for example in early provision based on
workshops and visits. sustainability principles, work with vulnerable learners,
or pioneering use of technology. They help to create the
Project management skills future of learning.
Innovation does not ‘just happen’, it has to be planned,
resourced, managed, implemented, and evaluated. The Selected examples of visionary leadership follow next,
best curriculum leaders have excellent project skills, drawn from the Beacon Award winning colleges.
designing systematic plans for innovation and
improvement, putting in place rigorous systems for
monitoring and evaluating activities, and methods for
evidencing the impact of their work. They are able to
‘make the daunting do-able’ by setting specific
objectives, breaking down an initiative into realistic
tasks, and allocating clear responsibilities, whilst
securing shared ownership amongst team members.
Data is used intelligently to identify needs, monitor
progress, and to measure impact, in particular the
benefits to learners. Costings are accurate, based on a
solid business case, so that managers can allocate
resources with confidence. Whilst innovative leaders
deploy their exceptional project skills, they keep their
primary focus on the quality of teaching and learning.


ng Colleges
Profile 1
South Devon College: visionary leadership at every level achieves
transformational change
In 2002, South Devon College was threatened with closure following an Ofsted grading of
“unsatisfactory”. Since then, it has remade itself under the dynamic leadership of a new
principal, working in partnership with her innovative curriculum leaders and teachers, and
supported by her governing body. The college has won four Awards, and been highly
commended for another two.

These leaders have:
• engaged with the challenge of transformational change
• established a new senior management and total restructure
• secured £32 million capital investment, partly from the LSC, to create a world-class campus
• involved all stakeholders in its design
• used the new environment to change approaches to teaching and learning, and showcase best practice
• achieved e-maturity; used technology to improve teaching and learners’ experiences
• demonstrated inspirational curriculum development; contributed to Ofsted good practice surveys
• designed learning for the future
• shared facilities with the community
• planned more innovation, including a University of Plymouth faculty on the college site

The principal says:
‘There are always better ways of doing things’
‘We are ambitious for ourselves, our students, and the community we serve’

The college has transformed itself through the visionary leadership of the principal and staff.


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Profile 2
Telford College of A&T: setting the culture for sustained innovation
Telford College’s principal believes in liberating the talents and creativity of all staff as part of
a culture of sustained innovation. He sees one of his main tasks as ‘shielding staff from
external nonsense’ so that they can be creative in their primary work of teaching and
supporting learning.

The college has won eleven Awards, the first in 1994, and been highly commended for seven. The spread of its
Awards indicates that ‘innovation is the norm’.

The innovation culture is built on:
• belief in teachers and their creative capacity
• trust and confidence in staff which allows them to innovate
• investing in staff, paying them well, and developing their careers
• choosing and keeping the right people
• ‘growing our own’ – building the stars of the future
• asking ‘what can we learn?’ if things go wrong
• integrating innovation into development plans
• using successes as springboards for new developments, for example, building on ‘Rolls Royce’ working
relationships to develop new kinds of discussions with Local Authorities

The sustained innovation culture means the college:
• is ‘light on its feet’, ready to take advantage of policy changes
• has the organisational capacity to make rapid new responses to changing needs
• builds continually on its curriculum excellence
• benefits from early successes in areas which are now at the forefront of policy, for example, employer
partnerships

The college uses the Awards to gain recognition for staff, and as external incentives to keep up the momentum for
change. They are also part of its strategy for reputation management.

The principal says:
‘Trust in staff is always paid back in spades’
‘We have put in place structures to enable innovation’


ng Colleges
Profile 3
Lewisham College: an experimental college
The principal of Lewisham College describes its Award entries as ‘edgy stuff – our experiments
that have a nascent agenda’. The college takes pride in doing what hasn’t been done before,
and values the opportunity the Awards present to ‘rehearse for the future’.

The college’s successful experiments include:
• developing a Virtual Personnel Department to assist learners into employment
• using ‘body mapping’ to raise health and safety awareness amongst construction workers whose first
language is not English
• pioneering early employment opportunities for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities taking
on all roles in the college’s restaurant and café
• designing Skills for Life training for officers at HMP Belmarsh
• delivering computer and other skills opportunities for the casual construction workforce building the new
Canary Wharf
• securing public sector involvement in raising employment aspirations for 14-16 year olds
• forging a partnership with Jamie Oliver and his London ‘Fifteen’ restaurant

The college’s empirical culture, and its willingness to take a risk and try something out rests on the vision,
self-confidence, and professional skills of its ‘fabulous’ teachers, and the charismatic leadership of its principal
who is particularly skilled at communicating her vision in phrases which resonate, such as ‘More than a college,
more than a qualification’.

Profile 4
Bridgwater College: sustaining excellence
Bridgwater College is a high-achieving college, which has won nine Awards, and been highly
commended for four more. It does not rest on its laurels but, led by its clear-thinking principal,
uses Award-winning innovatory projects to sustain excellence.

Approaches to sustaining excellence include:
• incorporating a ‘harmonisation agenda’ into its ‘model’ 2004 merger with Cannington College so that the new
organisation built on the best of both colleges
• using the stimulus from good inspection reports to identify areas for improvement, setting targets for
programmes, using reviews and external observers from other colleges and a new focus on professional
development to drive up quality
• assessing the real benefits to learners of any innovation, for example evaluating early college/school
partnerships through the experiences of learners, views of parents, testimonials from schools
• using creative projects to address development needs identified through honest self-assessment, for example,
designing a new forensic science programme in response to falling recruitment in sciences
• sustaining excellence by investing significantly in professional development; using a gap analysis model to
identify training needs
• skilled and determined use of Award assessors’ feedback to improve an already good application, going on to
achieve an Award for outstanding work with international students

The principal’s clarity of purpose means that everyone understands that standing still is not an option. Most
importantly, her expectation of excellence is accompanied by strong support for staff.


Celebratin
Profile 5
Pendleton Sixth Form College: leading for equality and diversity
Committed leadership from the principal and senior management team imbue Pendleton Sixth
Form College’s outstanding work with different groups of learners. Working in a recognised
area of deprivation, the college aims to unlock the potential of all its learners.

The college has won three Awards, and been highly commended once.

Leadership for equality and diversity has resulted in strong, co-ordinated policies to tackle all aspects of equality
and diversity
• significant part of the strategic plan being dedicated to these issues
• well-led task group which analyses data, sets priorities, designs action plans, and co-ordinates activities
• marketing the college as a multi-faith community
• innovative multi-faith chaplaincy which offers a model for other colleges
• dedicated Community Liaison Officer
• contributions to the local Jewish Community Centre and Kurdish Supplementary School
• activities which generate understanding and respect for other cultures, including a project where learners
research the countries from which their families originated
• extensive Level 1 and Level 2 vocational programmes
• improved access for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities
• early interventions for ‘at risk’ learners

Strong leadership for equality and diversity means that the college is highly respected and valued in its
community. It is able to demonstrate the value of its activities, for example, in the improved achievements of
male learners. There is a well-understood relationship between achieving equality and celebrating diversity, and
securing excellent outcomes for learners.

Profile 6
Aberdeen College: forging the technological future
The principal of Aberdeen College is leading his staff in forging a technological future for
North East Scotland. He understands that technology is changing the way that people learn.
Teachers will no longer be ‘guardians of knowledge’, but guides and inspiration to learners
who are ‘digital natives’.

The technological future includes:
• rethinking how the college uses technology
• understanding that many learners want to learn through technology, not through relationships
• shifting the balance in learners from support to independence so they become autonomous users of
technology
• reshaping the roles and skills of teachers who will become technological guides and inspirers of learning
• using technology to break down the ‘parochial locus’ of the college; new technology-based centres are
planned across North East Scotland, building on one hundred existing community centres
• designing a dynamic strategy for technology, encompassing:
– use of ILT in learning
– use of ICT hardware/software to equip learners for the employment environments of the future
– digital inclusiveness, to maximise access to digital services, and to develop digital training packages

The college has already achieved e-maturity, and is now engaged in forging its technological future for the next
five years. It was a finalist three years running in the National Business Awards for Scotland for e-enablement.


ng Colleges
Profile 7
Pembrokeshire College: depth of quality
The spread of Awards achieved by Pembrokeshire College demonstrates the depth of quality
secured by a principal and staff leading a community which is a good place to be for learners
and staff.

The college has won seven Awards, and been highly recommended for one.
Depth of quality is demonstrated by:
• winning Awards for seven different aspects of its work over seven years
• reaching out to learners; Estyn1 comments on the college’s ‘extensive opportunities for supporting learners in
the community who would not otherwise access further education’
• outstanding international activity, with high standards of academic and pastoral work with overseas students
• wide-ranging, high quality support for learners who need it
• intellectual curiosity, for example, whole-college involvement in Pembrokeshire’s Darwin Science Festival
• tackling the personalisation agenda, for example, use of PDAs to enable hard-to-reach vulnerable young
people to participate in individualised learning
• using technology to provide a better experience for learners and staff
• valuing and supporting staff, for example, early work to cascade new FENTO standard, substantial
investment in professional development, nominated for Best Workplace in Wales
• glowing testimonials from learners who are confident they are receiving the very best experience
• developing a culture of pride and enjoyment in learning

This kind of quality is built over time by leaders who get the fundamentals right: investing in staff, and making
sure learners feel welcomed and are able to achieve.
1
Office of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales

Profile 8
Armagh College: ‘this is what we stand for’
Visionary moral leadership from the principal of Armagh College empowered the college to
serve as a beacon for good in a community with a long history of sectarian conflict. People
understood and respected what the college stood for.

The college led outstanding work to bring communities together, including:
• Good Relations programme, funded by Northern Ireland Community Relations Peace Council 2, with
contributions from Armagh City and District Council
• acting as a focus for statutory, voluntary and community organisations, education services, church-based and
business sectors to address community relations
• hosting the first Northern Ireland college conference on community relations in 2006
• making good relations part of the curriculum with projects such as, ‘Challenging Prejudice and
Discrimination’ compulsory for all full-time students, and Level 2 accredited ‘Good Relations in the
Workplace’ programme
• Life Long Learning Manager receiving Home Office Local Heroes Award for her ‘innovative approach to
community capacity building and outreach’
• providing a model for emulation by overseas communities

Moral courage and leadership enabled the college to make a significant contribution to a shared pluralist society in
Northern Ireland. The Community Relations Council said, ‘Armagh College has taken the lead and set the
standard for other NI colleges to follow’.

Armagh College merged with two other colleges in 2007 to become Southern Regional College.


Celebratin


ng Colleges


Celebratin
For the very best teachers and managers, finding new
ways of doing things is a way of life. Originality and
passion have been constant themes in the Awards, as
The innovative environment
These teams challenged themselves to be original within
supportive colleges where creativity and innovation
were expected and encouraged. As well as these
earlier winners demonstrate. Sometimes love of their internal facilitators, staff acknowledge and value the
subject and intellectual curiosity about our place in the external initiatives and influences which validate, or
world stimulate the kind of inspirational teaching sometimes trigger, their innovation. The early
enjoyed in 1998 by learners at King George V College. Award-winners described here cite influences such as
These learners used the techniques of professional their involvement in the national drive to get more
astronomers and computer simulations in order to learners into science, the developing green agenda,
Ofsted feedback, and government encouragement for
estimate the age of the universe. Other passionate
colleges to think and act globally, as stimuli for their
science teachers at Plymouth College linked learners to
work.
the Nobel Prize winner, Sir Harry Kroto, so that they
experienced the thrill of scientific discovery as he
More recent Award-winners indicate influences such as
worked on the Bucky Ball carbon experiments. This the Skills for Life initiative which served, amongst other
same excitement about learning is evident in the more things, to give status and confidence to basic skills
recent Keighley College profile. teachers, Ofsted feedback which recognises strengths
and helps to set new challenges, commercial
Joint creativity developments and government funding for new
Learners bring their own experiences of the world with technology, the need to energise and engage learners,
them to college, and they can stimulate joint creativity and the employability agenda. All serve to help create
between staff and students. Richmond-Upon-Thames the environment in which innovation takes place. Of
College teachers found this when highly skilled, recently course, there is always room for the unexpected, and the
‘Fifteen’ project at Lewisham College exemplifies this in
redundant British Aerospace technicians arrived for
the chain-reaction which occurred when a high-
retraining. Their shared concerns about the environment
achieving, experimental college met a catalytic, highly
led to the development of a suite of courses based on the
talented outsider called Jamie Oliver.
principles of ecological sustainability – ahead of its time.

Pride and passion
Changing lives Although the focus for their creativity is different, all
The most creative staff have the confidence and vision to these Award-winners, and others like them, share ‘pride
push their work further. Teachers and managers at City and passion’ in what they do, an eager willingness to
College, Manchester, did just that in their unique work take a risk, and the confidence to say, ‘let’s do it
in 2000, designing rehabilitation and vocational training differently and better!’.
programmes for offenders in Russian prisons. They
chose the most challenging setting in which to act as Selected examples of innovation and creativity follow
catalysts for change, but they knew what they had to next, drawn from the AoC Beacon Award winning and
offer would improve lives thousands of miles away. highly commended colleges.


ng Colleges
Profile 9
Tower Hamlets College: innovation in basic skills – ‘a better way of doing
things’
Staff at Tower Hamlets College were amongst the first to integrate ESOL teaching into
vocational programmes.

The team:
• understood that adult learners from ethnic minority groups would learn English more effectively if it were
integral to vocational learning
• developed an innovative new approach based on thorough research and analysis of enrolment and
progression data
• tackled the technical curriculum challenges involved in designing learning activities, materials, and
assessment and recording processes which could be integrated into vocational programmes
• created new ways of teaching and learning in order to put the new approach into practice
• made good use of Ofsted best practice advice, guidance from the Skills for Life Unit, and involvement in
NIACE projects

As a result of the team’s innovation, more people from ethnic minority groups progressed to vocational
programmes, learnt new skills and improved their employability.

Basic Skills Award for Innovation, 2005

Profile 10
Eccles Sixth Form College: innovation in the application of technology –
mainstreaming innovation – ‘how we do things’
Eccles College has achieved e-maturity through its top-to-toe innovative application of
technology.

The college:
• understood what it wanted technology to do, and had the creative skills to use it
• designed and implemented an innovative top-to-toe organisational use of technology
• worked systematically, focusing first on using WebAction software to co-ordinate strategic and
development plans, and to improve planning, use of resources, and quality assurance
• moved next to track and measure learners’ achievements by using Panacea, developing the software
in-house
• pushed developments further by using Worktrack to enable learners to manage more of their own learning,
and to understand better what was expected of them, by producing assignments based on coursework,
provision of on-line feedback and assistance from teachers, and developing a consistent approach to
milestones and deadlines
• improved learner retention and achievement, and improved inspection grades
• shared the benefits of its innovation with colleges in the Manchester region, with LSC support, and now
with colleges across England

The college exemplifies what e-maturity can achieve when staff mainstream innovation is part of how things are
done.

BECTA Award for effective use of ICT to enhance and support organisational development, 2005
BECTA Award for e-enabling organisational development, 2006


Celebratin
Profile 11
Keighley College: creative science teaching – intellectual curiosity
Science teachers at Keighley College used the excitement and wonder of space to motivate
learners to take science subjects.
Teachers:
• built on their own intellectual curiosity and passion for science to create the ‘To the Stars’ project using
the Science, Technology and Aeronautics Regional Centre and world-wide resources
• designed learning zones which stimulated learners’ curiosity, including Radio Communication, Mission
Control, and a Mars Landscape
• demonstrated science was exciting by enabling learners to communicate with satellites orbiting the earth,
and to link with the European Space Agency, Space City in Moscow, NASA Space Camps, and the
National Space Centre
• made learning fun through activities such as a competition to design a Mars lander capable of placing a
raw egg on the planet’s surface – winners went to the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, to undertake
astronaut training

The stimulation and success of the project led to an increased take-up of science subjects.

FENC Award for Successful Use of Learning Resources, 2006

Keighley College merged with Park Lane College in 2007 to become Park Lane Keighley College.


ng Colleges
Profile 12
Bridgwater College: first BTEC National Certificate in Forensic Science –
‘blazing a trail’
Teachers at Bridgwater College blazed a trail when they created the first-ever BTEC National
Certificate in Forensic Science.

The team:
• responded creatively to the need for a science programme which enabled learners to develop vocational
skills
• recognised how TV dramas such as Silent Witness, Waking the Dead, and CSI, demonstrated the application
of science in ‘real life’
• pooled their specialist expertise to design a Forensic Science programme as a showcase for practical science
• designed dramatic learning opportunities related to real-life forensic practice: learners worked on Scene of
Crime investigations in two dedicated suites, used specialist equipment to work with real DNA sources,
analysed fibres, tissues and insects found at the crime scene with specialist microscopes, and wore specially
imported Forensic Protective clothing
• increased recruitment into science

The learners say it all:
‘I’ve really liked Forensic Science since I watched murder mysteries as a child … I decided to try it at Bridgwater’.
‘I wanted to do Science, and this really appealed to me’.
‘I enjoy the practical side … particularly where we solve a given crime scene’.
‘I feel this course has prepared me for university’.

Staff have not stood still. New developments include a Foundation Degree in Forensic Science with Forensic
Archaeology, validated by Bournemouth University, opening up a new progression route for learners. The team
has also shared its expertise with local schools.

The Mercers Company Award for Science or Mathematics, 2007
President’s Award, 2007


Celebratin
Profile 13
Omagh College and Camphill Community: Clana Renewables Farm – no
preconceived ideas
Staff at Omagh College and in the Camphill Community shared a commitment to alternative
new technologies and were open-minded about working together, despite their apparently
different educational philosophies.

The project:
• began as a community project to develop and use new sustainable energy technologies for Camphill
residents, then as a model for local small farms
• used solar panels, a biomass boiler, photovoltaics to provide electricity for lighting, underground heating to
lengthen the growing season in polytunnels and wind turbines – all transferable to rural and urban
communities
• enabled some 200 trainee plumbers and electricians to take modules in renewable energies
• hosted visits from 1,000 local farmers

Through the open-minds, creativity, and technical skills of the team, the project won the Action Renewables 2004
Award for the best community project in Northern Ireland, for the ‘new hope it gave to an agricultural area’.

Churches Award for sustainable community development, 2005

Omagh College merged with two other colleges in 2007 to become South West College.


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Responsive


Celebratin
Responsive
Responsive
Winning colleges pro-actively seek and articulate local,
regional and national requirements often ahead of
others, as well as responding dynamically to
North East Business of the Year, maximising the benefits
of its vigorous employer engagement strategy.

Transforming life chances
government initiatives. They hold themselves Every educator believes that learning transforms life
accountable to their communities, employers and the chances. New kinds of learners elicit imaginative
skills agenda, and to individual learners. responses from the Beacon Award winning colleges. For
example, Yeovil College was an early pioneer in its work
‘Here for the long haul’ with people with mental health difficulties. An early
Colleges, with their strong sense of local and regional response to the seminal 1996 report, ‘Inclusive Learning’
responsibility, are vital to the evolution of prosperous was made by Oaklands College which became one of
and cohesive communities. One principal commented, the first general further education colleges to develop
‘we have been here for a long time – we’re in it for the provision for learners with very complex disabilities.
long haul’. Colleges understand their communities. For Loreto College’s faith in the individual translated into
example, although the Skills for Life initiative provided tailor-made provision for disaffected learners, designed
extra resources and recognition for its endeavours, and delivered in partnership with local parishes. Teams
Liverpool Community College’s city-wide basic skills at Newcastle College had the imagination to see how
provision arose from its intimate understanding of what poorly-skilled call-centre staff could benefit from that
the community needed. Similarly, Hull College’s family first step on the training and qualifications ladder.
literacy programme drew on its earlier work with Often, national initiatives serve as vehicles to change
schools and other partners, and was shaped by its individual lives. The FEFC’s widening participation
knowledge of its city’s learners. The investment, initiative of the late ‘90s gave confidence and
support, and recognition that arrived along with the recognition to work that had often gone on quietly,
government’s renewed focus on industry and business sometimes unsung.
needs, and on the skills agenda, enabled colleges to
expand their historic role in economic regeneration. One of the most moving stories in the Beacon Award
But, long before the term ‘employer engagement’ was archives is the description of the sensitive work of staff
coined, colleges were skilling and re-skilling workers, at Burnley College as they persuaded and encouraged
either in large-scale programmes or in small, locally leaders of the local Pathan community to allow their
significant schemes. So, whether it was Barnsley young women to take part in further education.
College re-skilling 2,000 redundant pit workers during Because of the teachers’ skill and patience, the trust
the closure programmes of the early ‘90s, Deeside invested in them, and the courage and vitality of the
College with its Corus Training Centre working with the learners, these girls became the pride of their
fall-out from one of the biggest redundancies in Europe, community as they achieved qualifications through
or Lowestoft College training local tugboatmen in its carefully designed women-only programmes, and then
Maritime and Offshore Centre so that their employer progressed into jobs. Lives were really transformed,
could meet new legislative requirements, colleges have and the aspirations of a small community changed
always been responsive to employers’ needs and to the forever.
skills agenda.
Selected examples of responsiveness follow next, drawn
Re-shaping for new challenges
from the AoC Beacon Award winning and highly
commended colleges.
The innovators maximise the government investment by
continuing to think about how this is best done, re-
shaping themselves, working with new partners in new
ways, and seeking out the harder to reach small and
medium businesses. Chichester College is an example
of the inspirational colleges making best use of policy
and new resources, with its three Centres of Vocational
Excellence, ambitious employer engagement targets, and
involvement with nearly 350 employers, including
many small firms that have done little training in the
past. Newcastle College has transformed itself into the


ng Colleges
Profile 14
Highlands College, Jersey: helping economic migrants integrate into the
host society – serving with heart

Highlands College and its church partners shared a common vision of responsive service which
included taking into account the spiritual, emotional and employability needs of new migrants
to the small Jersey community. New arrivals included some 4,000 young Polish workers who
joined some 8,000 Portuguese nationals already living on the island.

The college:
• worked in close partnership with St Thomas’s Roman Catholic Church to develop a sustainable programme
to promote community cohesion and economic growth
• recognised the importance of faith to the newcomers, and that the church would be the first port of call for
many
• designed a flexible ESOL programme for over two thousand learners within the environment of a faith
community
• delivered the programme alongside support for housing and social needs provided by the church and other
agencies, using a centre next to the church
• went the extra mile in providing support for families, thereby encouraging other members into learning
• engaged support from local employers

The learners provided an insight into what this holistic approach meant to them:

‘By learning English I have managed to do my Levels 2 and 3 in Childcare and Education … it has helped me to do a job
looking after children … through this, I belong to the Jersey community’.
‘I spoke no English when I arrived, I can now speak to customers in the hotel’.
‘After two years, I can now manage projects in an IT company’.
‘Lessons help me in my job’.

Through the whole-hearted commitment and understanding of the College’s leadership and the Canon and clergy,
the response to newcomers took account of more than just their need to develop employability and language
skills. Because people were valued and supported as individuals, they were better able to contribute to their new
community.

Churches’ Award for sustainable partnerships that recognise diversity and develop people and
communities, 2007


Celebratin
Profile 15
Grimsby Institute: working with ethnic and faith communities in
NE Lincs – understanding and acting on the social cohesion agenda
Through its wide range of partnerships and activities to celebrate diversity and increase
mutual understanding, Grimsby Institute made a significant contribution to social cohesion in
its area.

The college:
• is led by a dynamic principal who believes, ‘we have a role to play in contributing to make this world a
better place’
• understood it needed to work with a wide mix of partners in order to tackle social cohesion and economic
disadvantage
• with its partners, shared a vision of reaching out, listening, and being open to new ideas
• worked with representatives of Jewish, Sikh, Muslim and other faith communities, Communities Together
for Equality and Racial Justice, Humberside Chinese Association, Standing Advisory Committee of Religious
Education, police community officers, Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services, businesses, local authorities, and
others
• celebrated diversity and encouraged mutual understanding throughout its activities, including a ‘One Big
World’ painting competition in its nursery; leadership of the Starfish Project which provides self-sufficiency
materials for widows affected by the 2004 tsunami in South India; production of a DfES-supported DVD
‘Cultural Diversity’ which is used by local schools
• brought together partners in workshop series to explore diversity issues at a strategic level, involving
Primary Care Trust, NHS Trust, Humberside Police, NE Lincs Council

Partners said about the college:
‘Their commitment is unquestionable, in seeking to build local equality and diversity … they provide dialogue and respect’.
‘They are always forward-thinking, looking for ways in which we can work together’.
‘Here, they do it’.

About a programme of community visits, a staff member said:
‘They open the eyes of people; they reinforce the bond between learners and communities’.

Churches’ Award for sustainable partnerships that recognise diversity and develop people and
communities, 2007


ng Colleges
Profile 16
Newcastle College: the college as a business – rethinking itself
Newcastle College has reshaped itself to play a powerful part in the economic regeneration of
its region, and in order to maximise the benefits of employer engagement.

The college:
• reorganised to respond to the skills agenda so that the whole college is geared to delivering skills, and to
working as a business environment
• established a new Directorate for Business, and a Contact Centre which markets its programmes
• achieved a high level of responsiveness to employers’ training requirements
• continued to evolve with a new Director of Business Engagement, and new contracting and quality unit
• shares its approaches as part of its Beacon College responsibilities

The college was selected as ‘NE Company of the Year’ in 2006, and exemplifies how colleges can rethink
themselves in order to respond to local and regional needs.

Learning and Skills Council Award for College Engagement with Employers, 2006

Profile 17
Coleg Menai: Menai Innovation Centre – instrumental in economic
regeneration
The establishment in 2005 of Coleg Menai’s Innovation Centre arose from the college’s
powerful vision of its contribution to the economic and social prosperity of North Wales.

The college:
• secured £1.5 million ELWA and European funding, and support from Sector Skills Council
• established state-of-the-art facilities for computerised development systems, including 3D modelling,
prototype manufacture, testing systems, laser technology
• linked the centre to CAM centre at Bangor and new motor-vehicle facilities at Llangefri
• worked closely with employer groups, including Plumber Group and Automotive Group
• promoted the sector by disseminating information on all providers to employers in North Wales
• achieved £100 million turnover
• listened and responded to employers

An employer said:
‘This is state-of-the-art technology, supported by staff who are expert in its application; this powerful combination ensures a
reliable, high-quality design and prototyping service that is innovative and responsive to our needs’.

Welsh Assembly Government Award for College Engagement with Employers in Wales, 2007


Celebratin
Profile 18
New College, Swindon: Basic Skills in the Barracks – transforming
individual lives
As jobs within the army become more technical, the demand on soldiers’ basic skills increase.
Staff at New College understand that army personnel face particular challenges if they wish to
study.

The college:
• began the programme in 2002 with the support of the Ministry of Defence
• built on the Skills for Life initiative to develop a flexible programme which enables serving soldiers to build
up qualifications which equip them to do their current jobs more effectively, can aid promotion, and will
serve them well when they leave the forces
• employed former army staff who understood the army culture and the rigours of active service
• developed distance learning materials and a Virtual Learning Environment so that soldiers can continue to
study when they are in combat zones
• reorganised staffing to take account of fluctuating numbers when soldiers are abroad

The opportunity to carry on with their studies can be a lifeline for soldiers away from home by providing
continuity, and support for their future aspirations.

OCR Award for Partnerships in Basic Skills, 2006


ng Colleges
Collaborative


Celebratin
Collaborative
Collaborative
Winning colleges excel in working with others. They
lead the way in forging and sustaining the right
relationships to deliver a shared vision of flexibility,
international links. These may take the form of
professional partnerships between teachers such as those
in 2001 between staff at Preston College and teachers in
the exiled Tibetan communities, or the City of Bath
participation, internationalism, and self-improvement. College’s curriculum collaboration with a Bulgarian
High School. Or, they may take the form of Telford
Well-established partnerships College’s extensive links with employers in Japan,
highly valued not just because of the business they bring
Colleges have always worked with schools, local
authorities, employers, health and social services, and to the college, but also because of the genuine spirit of
voluntary and community groups. It was always learning and working together which shapes their
impossible to meet the needs of some learners without mutual respect. Back home, international collaboration
the right partnerships in place, and staff working with is thriving through the actions of colleges such as
people with mental health difficulties, with learners with Chichester, with its 1,000 foreign students.
complex disabilities, with the long-term unemployed, or
with disaffected young people, have long operated Shared responsibility for quality and
self improvement
within a network of referral and support agencies,
statutory bodies, and partner providers. Successful
Skills for Life provision has relied also on strong local As well as taking a lead in the joint development of
partnerships, often led by a college with strategic flexible local and regional provision, and benefiting from
commitment to collaboration. New strategic heart has international links, winning colleges take shared
been given to local and regional collaboration which has responsibility for the quality of local and regional
a curriculum or learner focus through the 14-19 agenda, provision, and make their contribution to the sector’s
LSC’s planning priorities, the new Diplomas, and self-improvement. The North West Consortium of
sharper attention to young people not in education, Colleges took such responsibility when they designed
employment or training (NEETs). The best colleges are and delivered a joint tailor-made professional
able to reap the benefits of earlier good relationships as development programme for their senior managers, in
they tackle the ‘new localism’ agenda. For example, order to fill a gap they had identified themselves.
North Warwickshire and Hinckley College was one of Award-winners play their part too, by disseminating
many colleges with well-established partnerships with their Award-winning work, holding seminars,
local schools. In 1999, it was already working with 14-16 presenting at conferences, circulating materials and
year olds from 33 local schools; by 2005, some 1,200
ideas, and hosting visits so that other colleges can learn
pupils were taking part in 28 tailor-made vocational
from what they do. Winners are valued by the sector as
programmes. Bedford College was working with 30
vital benchmarks against which the best can measure
local schools in 2001, whilst Calderdale College was
exploiting the potential of Curriculum 2000 with its themselves. Most recently, winners are playing an active
partner schools. part in the sector’s peer review activities as an important
collaborative approach to sharing practice.
More recently, Lewisham College built on a successful
tradition of community partnership in its project to open Best collaboration
up employment opportunities in the public sector. In the best collaboration, everybody gains, most
Partners included the local authority, Lewisham Council, importantly, the learners. This can be through the
the fire service, Connexions, local hospital and primary provision of flexible, personalised learning which
care trust, the LSC, and the Lewisham 14-19 strategy matches the learner’s needs, internationalism which
group. Winning colleges contribute to these
brings new ways of doing things, new funds, or the rich
collaborative partnerships clear vision, strategic
contributions of new learners, or through the sector-
leadership, dedicated facilities, and new approaches to
wide improvements secured by honest, rigorous, and
personalised learning.
supportive sharing between colleagues.

Internationally active Selected examples of collaboration follow next, drawn
As well as leading the way in flexibility and from the AoC Beacon Award winning and highly
participation, collaborative colleges forge thriving commended colleges.


ng Colleges
Profile 19
Knowsley Community College: 14-19 Knowsley Collegiate – willing and able
to develop shared strategies in the best interests of learners
Knowsley Community College has been a key stakeholder in the Knowsley Collegiate
partnership which is making a real impact on achievement and progression for young people
in Merseyside.

The college:
• shared a vision to raise achievement and increase participation amongst young people in Greater Merseyside
• made a vital contribution to the partnership which includes NHS, borough council, employers, secondary
and special schools, Connexions, local Work-Based Learning Provider Network, Liverpool Archdiocese,
Edgehill University, and LSC
• reshaped its structure, curriculum and procedures to become a ‘14+ college’
• played an active part in the strategic leadership of the Collegiate through its membership of the Governance
Forum, 14-19 Executive and Strategic Programme Team
• provided flexible vocational programmes and work-based learning activities to motivate young learners
• invested in staff through a tailor-made professional development programme led by the University, which
focuses on pedagogy and classroom management
• shared its expertise through a technical training programme focused on assessment and functional skills
• deployed its new Vocational Skills Centre as one of the showcases for the Collegiate, with visits from
representatives of 35 organisations in 2006/07
• on behalf of the Collegiate, secured £768K to refurbish a campus as a teacher training and resource centre for
new Diplomas
• developed collaborative, detailed plans for the next stage of the Collegiate

The impact of the Collegiate’s activities include:
• 87% of Year 11 learners continue into education, employment or training (EET)
• increased access for some 800 young people aged 14-16, with 90% achieving units or full qualifications at
Entry, Level 1 and Level 2
• 74% of ‘hardest to reach’ cohort of KS4 pupils progress into EET
• increased participation in vocational learning by pupils with special educational needs
• excellent Ofsted report

The college contributed to a dramatic remodelling of 14-19 education in Knowsley, and through its willingness to
take joint responsibility for the flexibility and scope of local provision, and its ability to develop shared strategies,
it has acted in the best interests of learners.

Learning and Skills Council Award for 14-19 Collaboration, 2007


Celebratin
Profile 20
North Lindsey College: John White Skills Centre – delivering flexible
personalised learning opportunities
North Lindsey College has worked with its partners to deliver the kind of flexibility that single
providers cannot offer. Individualised KS4 learning programmes are designed for young
people attending the Centre.

The college and its partners:
• shared a vision for 14-19 education and training
• understood the learning and support needs of young people, including disaffected and excluded youngsters
• secured some £475K from LSC, the college, and local employer Corus
• established the Centre in 2004
• guaranteed access to a flexible, personalised vocational learning programme for all KS4 pupils in North
Lincolnshire
• provided specialist training for college and school staff, and contributed to the development of a new PGCE
teaching qualification at the University of Huddersfield
• put in place rigorous processes and procedures for tracking learners, and for assessing, measuring and
recording their progress and achievements
• worked with the schools to design quality assurance processes, including a programme of teaching
observations
• over 700 pupils participate in some 30 subjects each year, ranging from Entry Level to Level 2 Diplomas
• learners at risk of becoming ‘NEETs’ take part in short programmes before being supported back into school
• retention is over 96%, and over half the pupils progress onto other college courses

Learners say:
‘The environment is one where you can feel right at home with everyone and they treat you like an adult not a child … I am
now studying towards my NVQ2 in Hairdressing’.
‘Having the opportunity to take the motor vehicle course has given me the chance to develop new skills’.

In 2007, Ofsted described the provision as exemplary, adding that it ‘transforms the lives and prospects of many
young people it inspires some of the most disengaged and disenfranchised young people to re-engage with
learning’.

AQA Award for College/School Partnerships, 2007


ng Colleges
Profile 21
Pershore Group of Colleges: Pound Farm Organics – forging and sustaining
the right relationships
Pershore Colleges built on its long-standing partnerships with local day centres and residential
homes to develop new employment opportunities for people with learning difficulties.

The colleges:
• shared a new vision with their partners about the potential of people with learning difficulties
• worked with social services, day centres, and some ten other community organisations in order to secure the
opportunities and support learners would need for work experience and land-based employment
• involved parents as part of the project
• established Pound Farm Organics as an ‘oh so gradual’ step toward independence through employment
• developed Pound Farm Organics as a financially sustainable, community resource
• encouraged other farmers, entrepreneurs, community groups to set up similar enterprises to supply care
homes, schools, and local shops, whilst employing staff with learning disabilities
• designed with partners carefully staged transition plans for learners moving into work experience and
employment

As more learners have moved to the Organics Project, fewer remain solely in day centre provision. This kind of
success can be achieved only through good relationships between partners and learners and their parents/carers,
and effective co-ordinated support for each learner.

Mencap and RNIB Inclusive Learning Award for Students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, 2006

Profile 22
Cornwall College: WILD Scheme – respecting and valuing partners’
contributions
The partnership between Cornwall College and the voluntary organisation Women’s Initiative
for Learning and Development (WILD) exemplifies what can be achieved when partners
respect and value each other’s contributions.

The partnership:
• formed part of the Cornwall Learning Partnership which includes members from the community and
voluntary sector, private sector, colleges, adult and community learning, health and social services
• thrived through the respect and recognition of each other’s strengths and expertise, and strong teamwork
between the college and WILD
• focused on providing Skills for Life to mothers who experienced social exclusion, and with low expectations
of themselves and their children – most are referred by health visitors or social workers
• the college provided a supportive infrastructure whilst enabling WILD to retain its own identity as a
voluntary organisation.

OCR Award for Partnerships in Basic Skills, 2007


Celebratin
Profile 23
Boston College, Lincs: programme for overseas students – internationally
active
Boston College has developed valuable long-term relationships with its overseas partners
during its eighteen years of successful international recruitment.

The college:
• worked with overseas partners to provide new learning opportunities for foreign students
• built up extensive partnership networks in order to recruit from 22 countries, including China, Asia, Africa,
Vietnam, South Korea and Europe
• provided very effective support, included dedicated youth worker and careers adviser
• achieved ‘total quality’ in its international activities
• flew the flag for Great Britain through the international reputation achieved through its work

British Council Award for International Student Support, 2006

Profile 24
Bridgwater College: United Arab Emirates Technical Training Project –
ambassador for UK
Through the comprehensiveness and high quality of its international partnership activities,
Bridgwater College acted as an ambassador for UK further education.

The college:
• won a major contract with United Arab Emirates Technical Training Project
• worked closely with its partners to identify the training and support needs of its international students
• changed its mission statement to take account of the new needs of its international students
• invested in a new international centre, new posts and infrastructure
• gave great attention to preparing and supporting learners
• extended its international activities by pursuing links with India

British Council Award for International Student Support, 2007


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