AoC to ramp up pressure following disappointing budget announcement

Following the disappointing lack of focus on colleges in this week’s Autumn Budget, the Association of Colleges will be ramping up activity over the coming weeks to stress the importance of college funding. A briefing has been produced following the budget announcement which looks at what some of the details will mean for colleges. The full response can be viewed here. Colleges are now being encouraged to highlight the urgent need for improved college funding. A template letter has been produced which AoC are encouraging colleges to send to their local MP, as well as a template press release to issue to local media. Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman backed the cause this week in a letter to the Public Accounts Committee where she outlined the risks to cuts on post-16 education, urging for it to be addressed in the spending review next year. Another way of amplifying the message is to sign the petition started by students at Brockenhurst College. The petition, which is asking for an increasing in college funding to sustainable levels, has had more than 57,000 people sign it so far, but more still needs to be done to get it to the 100,000 needed to trigger a potential debate in parliament. AoC is continuing to work in partnership with NUS and the education unions to campaign for investment in further education, through the Love Our Colleges campaign. For more information on the campaign, go to www.collegesweek.co.uk.