Merger plans make grade

Alun Francis

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OLDHAM, Tameside and Stockport colleges are set to merge as part of a shake-up of post-16 education in the region.

The plan is part of a long-awaited final report of the review into the future of 21 sixth-form and further education colleges across Greater Manchester.

The report says the merger would offer significant savings which could be invested in teaching and learning and improving quality at the colleges which are all rated as requiring improvement (the second bottom of four grades) by the education watchdog Ofsted.

Oldham College welcomed the report saying the reviews were prompted by extreme financial pressures caused by funding cuts and changes to apprenticeships, higher education and adult learning. This has caused instability, it said, especially in areas where there has been a long-term lack of capital investment.

Future

Oldham College almost closed in 2012 because of the poor state of its buildings.

Principal Alun Francis said: "The future of the college has been secured by the £30m of investment we have made since 2012, but this work is still unfinished. Furthermore, the impact of this, combined with huge changes in curriculum, funding and policy, all suggest that we need to be part of a different solution into the future.

"Oldham needs a technical and professional education system which is more closely aligned with real employment and work opportunities in Greater Manchester, and the merger proposals which we are part of seek to deliver this.

"We aim to create a simpler structure for working with business and employers on a much bigger scale, ensure that the college is part of a much broader labour market, and believe this will bring greater benefits to local residents. This is why we have looked at joining together with other institutions on the east side of Greater Manchester. At the same time, we are aiming to not only secure, but enhance the provision we have in the town.

"We do not envisage students having to travel long distances to study courses which are currently local ­- although we do want to open up access to jobs and employment across a much wider area.

"For all of our efforts, we still do not have all the facilities which the town needs and there are no other options for securing the delivery of these. This is a town with a history of success in technical and practical excellence, but in recent years these aspects of the economy and education system have been neglected, both locally and nationally.."

Critics fear the merger will lead to a narrower curriculum, job losses, fewer choices and longer journeys for students.

Stockport College has long-term financial difficulties and work is needed to improve its building.

The new college would focus on high-quality technical education and training and its curriculum would be reviewed to avoid "unnecessary duplication".

But the report stresses that each area would retain a wide range of level three courses ­- those equivalent to an A-level ­- and apprenticeships. They would then offer a selection of level four courses, the next step up, depending on local demand.

Greater Manchester is included in the first wave of area reviews of post-16 education in England. They aim to put colleges on a better financial footing, make sure they are run efficiently, and meet the needs of students and employers

Many of their recommendations have already been revealed. The Chronicle first reported the prosed merger for Oldham College in May. But this is the first time the final reports have been published.

The Greater Manchester report says that all further education colleges in the review have had their funding cut, although some are successfully bringing in money from elsewhere and most have made savings.

It also highlights intense competition for students, a drop in student numbers at most colleges and concerns from employers about duplication.

Stockport College, which has had the largest fall in students, has been issued with financial notice of concern issued by the Skills Funding Agency and the report says of it: "A combination of falling demand and acute long-term financial difficulties now need to be dealt with as a matter of urgency."

Oldham Council opposition leader Howard Sykes fears the merger could mean long journeys for some students, and is is concerned about Stockport College's financial position.

"When you go into a partnership and one of the other partners has got money worries, that's got to be a concern," he said.

"Is money going to be taken out of Oldham to help pay for that? There are the sort of questions that will need to be asked."

He also said that the focus of the new college would no longer be on Oldham, adding: "It needs to be because we have got special requirements.

"As ever, the devil will be in the detail and I will have a close look at that as I am sure other people will."

Martyn Moss, North-West regional officer of the University and College Union, said: "The area reviews have been criticised for a lack of information and a relentless focus on rationalisation and efficiency, which look like leading to a narrower curriculum, job losses and fewer choices for students.

"The lack of information following the Greater Manchester review which concluded in early summer has been particularly worrying as later reviews elsewhere in the North-West have provided better information and college merger discussions are well advanced.

"The deadline to apply for funding to deal with the proposed merger of Oldham, Tameside and Stockport colleges is looming large and staff and students still don't know what is happening which is very unsettling. We need reassurances about what is happening and that a broad spectrum of high quality courses that are easy to access will continue."

Work is taking place on the detailed planning for the merger which is likely to take place in phases.

The deadline to apply to the Government for restructuring funding is this month. But Oldham College said negotiations would take place until April when the final decision would be taken and formal consultation would then begin.

As reported by the Chronicle, the recommendations for the Greater Manchester review also include Oldham Sixth Form College and Hathershaw College secondary school becoming an academy trust.

Others include the merger of Bolton and Bury colleges with Bolton University, and Hopwood Hall College in Rochdale remaining as it is.