Association of Colleges

In response to today’s (17 March) publication of the ‘Raising Expectations: enabling the system to deliver’ further education paper Sue Dutton, Assocation of Colleges Acting Chief Executive, said:
 
“Wherever colleges sit in terms of the machinery of Government they will continue to be major contributors to the economic and social prosperity of communities and the nation, a public service and a public good as well as a key provider for a loyal employer base; there is strength in the diversity of colleges, which serve over 3.5million people a year.
 
“AoC and its members will continue to help Government define the detail of how these proposals might work in practice – college leaders are ready and able to provide the strategic leadership within local 14 to 19 partnerships and to bring their experience to bear on planning and entitlement.
 
“We welcome the positive response to AoC and its member colleges’ proposals that learners are best served by a national funding system and the level playing field for 14-19 funding which will result from Ministry of Government changes, marking the end of the funding gap (a key campaign issue for AoC and its membership in previous years). Colleges support the principle that funding will follow the learner – funding for the same qualification regardless of location and institution. We applaud the fact that learner and employer choice are centre stage within this Green Paper and welcome the possibilities for an enhanced role for colleges where schools are failing – reflecting the strength and quality of college provision.
 
“We recognise that there will be risks in changing the way that the system is regulated but these present opportunities for a more coherent system for learners. This will be dependent on a uniform system of measuring school and college performance to which we understand Government is committed."

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Contacts:
Ben Verinder
Media and Public Relations Manager
020 7034 9900
07717 506378

FE Facts and Figures

• 727,000 16 to 18 year olds choose to study in colleges (compared with 447,000 in all schools)
• Colleges provide 46% of entrants to higher education
• Ethnic minority students make up 16% of learners in colleges compared with 9% of the general population
• 27% of 16 to 18 year olds in colleges are from the 15% most deprived wards in England (compared with 9.5% of 16 to 18 year olds in maintained school sixth forms)
• 64% of those in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowances in 2005/06 were studying in an FE or sixth form college