059. Accrington, Rossendale (Accross) College Strategic Plan 2008 2011

8/14/2019 059. Accrington, Rossendale (Accross) College Strategic Plan 2008 2011

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Our Strategic Plan 2007 1 1


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2 accrington and rossendale college

Our capacity to adapt to change and continually improveover the last four consecutive years has been exceptional.Learner success rates have significantly increased each yearand are now above national averages at all levels for all agegroups. This success is testament to the hard work andcommitment of our staff and students.

This Plan is entitled Achieving Excellence. We aim to makethe transition from very good to outstanding. This requires not

only high learner success rates but also a service thatprovides value for money and one that is truly responsive tothe needs and demands of employers, individuals and ourlocal community.

The success of this plan will not be achieved exclusively bythe setting and monitoring of targets and performance

indicators. Success will be achieved by the commitment ofour staff, their imagination, enthusiasm and the many otherpersonal qualities required to provide a service to a range ofcustomers with different expectations, aspirations and needs.

We will continue to pursue our mission ruthlessly over the nextthree years. We endeavour to achieve our goals in a workingenvironment based on collective responsibility, integrity,mutual trust, respect and openness.

Stephen CarlislePrincipal, Accrington and Rossendale College

ForewordWe are rightly proud of our learners, our staff and our provision and the way we contribute to the economic

regeneration of our locality and indeed the wider area. We are determined that Accrington and RossendaleCollege will continue to meet new challenges, expand and succeed.

This strategy sets out the vision that the college is aiming toachieve by 2011 and the actions required for it to come tofruition.

The development of this three year strategy has been led bythe Principal and Deputy Principal and has involved all of oursenior managers and members of our Corporation. We havealso consulted widely with our key stakeholders, our staff andour learners as well as community and business leaders.

The colleges mission Raising access, aspiration andachievement will provide a focus for our work.

The transformational shift over the next three years will beconsiderable and will require creativity, adaptability and alarge degree of risk taking.

Throughout this transition we will maintain our major focus ondeveloping skills for 14-19 year olds, for employers andlearners in the workplace and for adults and theircommunities.

This plan is our future.

We are confident that we can achieve the ideas within it.

What is thisstrategy about?


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Our Strategic Plan 2008 - 2011 3

If our ambitious plans for our college come to fruition these aresome of the outcomes we could be celebrating as Success in2011.

Recognition for excellence in our next inspection

Robust partnerships with schools and other providers inHyndburn, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley to jointlydeliver the new 14-19 Entitlement, including thespecialist diploma lines

A demand-led culture which is flexible and responsiveto the identified needs of employers and stakeholders

Strong and growing apprenticeship provision whichmeets the local skills needs

A talented and creative staff team who exudeflexibility, high level skills and entrepreneurial zeal

The establishment of a flourishing FoundationDegree programme supported by LancashireUniversities

An overall success rate for all of our learners in the top10% of Colleges

The best performance in Train to Gain in Lancashire

Innovative partnership and delivery arrangementswhich enable the college to successfully work withtraditionally hard to reach groups.

A surplus of 2% of turnover each year and reserves ofover 4 million by 2011 to support our capitalprogramme and future investment.

Our MissionAccrington and Rossendale College is a specialist vocational college committed to developing the skills of 14-19

year olds, adults and their employers, individuals and their communities. Our mission is to raise access, aspirationand achievement. Within this mission we strive to support those whose educational aspirations have yet to berealised whilst contributing to the economic regeneration of Pennine Lancashire

Our VisionTo be one of the highest performing education and training providers in the country meeting the demands and

needs of our customers to raise participation and achievement at every level.

In other words, we want our college to be The College of first choice


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Our Environmental

PromiseThe Governors and staff of Accrington and Rossendale College are committed to minimising the environmentalimpact of the College's activities through a process of continuous improvement in environmental performance.We will seek to develop an ethos of environmental responsibility amongst all our staff and students as well as inthe management of our Estate. There is the opportunity to protect our immediate environment by exercisingproper control over the use of sustainable resources and by discouraging wasteful or damaging practices.

We recognise that as a leading Further Education provider and employer in the area we have a responsibility to both set anexample and play our part in helping others to recognise the need to move towards sustainable development.

Our SocialResponsibilityWe also recognise the obligations we have towards our staff, stakeholders, customers, suppliers, competitors andthe community as a whole. We believe our reputation, together with the trust and confidence of those with whomwe deal, to be one of our most valuable assets. In order to keep this reputation and trust, we demand andmaintain the highest ethical standards in carrying out our business activities.

We are not only committed to our clients, but we also take pride in being a socially responsible organisation. Wherever wecan, we like to help improve the life of others. We have adopted The Bethany Children from Tanzania as one of our mainrecipients for fundraising activities together with a number of local charities.

John Brindle (bottom right) at the Bethany Orphanage, TanzaniaStudents raising money for Children In Need


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The areas we serve range from affluent, well qualifiedpopulations to those areas experiencing significantdisadvantage, low aspiration and poor qualification levels.This is a challenging mix which requires different approachesand decisions for each.

In 2007/2008 1383 full-time students and 4315 part-timestudents enrolled at the College. Over 284 learners enrolledon Apprenticeship programmes. The gender balance on full-

time programmes was 47% female students and 53% malestudents. On part-time programmes the enrolment figures formales and females were exactly equal.. A higher proportionof female students, 53%, enrolled on part-time programmescompared to 47% male students.

According to the 2001 census, black and minority ethnicgroups make up 8.3% of the population of Hyndburn with 96%of these being of Asian origin. This percentage has increasedconsiderably from the 1991 figure of 5.62%. In Rossendalewhere the principal country of origin is Bangladesh, theethnic minority comprises 2.5%; in the Ribble Valley the figureis 1%.

In 2007/8 College enrolment data shows that 12% of students

identified themselves as being of Asian origin, the vastmajority of which were Pakistani. The 2005 OfSTED inspectionrecognised the college success in recruiting minority ethniclearners with enrolments being much higher than the localcommunity profile.

Our Local ContextAccrington and Rossendale College is located in Pennine Lancashire and serves the districts of Hyndburn,

Rossendale and the Ribble Valley. We are particularly strong at delivering construction programmes for which weare a Centre of Excellence; we also have an excellent reputation for our workbased and workplace deliverywhich is offered throughout the regions.

Our National Context

The national agenda poses a number of significantchallenges for the College. The College will need to continueto reform the way we work if we are to meet the needs ofthe local economy, LSC priority areas and the nationalchallenge to provide world class education and training. Ourfocus will need to shift from a product based service to a

more demand-led system with the needs of both individualsand employers at its heart. During the duration of this planthe college must respond to the reforms set out by thegovernment for the further education sector, including:

The development of a single recognised quality rating,giving new incentives to raise quality and a new, clearsource of information for learners and employers.

World class specialised vocational learning, driven by theneeds of employers.

Raising the quality of teaching, training and learningtailored to the needs of individuals and responding to the

personalisation agenda.

Responsiveness to employers and learners: giving learnersand employers a greater say in the provision of educationand training.

Access to new entitlements for learners, to help morepeople in their early 20s continue their education to gainthe technical and professional skills and qualifications thatare the passport to many good jobs.

A continuous professional development and registration

requirement for all teaching and assessing staff.

New freedoms for high performing colleges coupled withtougher and speedier intervention to combat poorperformance.

Increased competition, providing opportunities for newhigh quality providers to enter the system to bringinnovation and drive up quality.

Stronger, more systematic integration of higher educationwithin the FE sector .

Lord Leitchs interim report of his review of the nations skills needs up to 2020 found that the UK lags behind its

international competitors, ranked 24th out of 29 developed nations for the proportion of young people staying onin education or training after the age of 16. The number of adults in the workforce without the skills needed tosucceed in a modern economy is also high: the UK is ranked 17th out of 30 countries. At the same time, nationssuch as India and China are rapidly improving their skills base. Even if the UK meets current targets for raisingskills and qualifications among young people and adults, by 2020 it will still be nowhere near the top of theinternational league.


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Our Analysisof context, opportunities and challenges

Apprenticeships

Policy Drivers:Government Skills Strategy / White Paper, PSA targets /Apprenticeships in England Strategy

LSC Priorities: Achieve Apprenticeship starts in public sector Improve overall framework completion rates Replace or re-commission poor quality provision Increase representation of ethnic minority and female groups

into Apprenticeships

National Priorities:Improve Apprentice Framework completion rates

Opportunities and Challenges: College provision focuses on two major vocational areas,

this needs to be expanded Success rates are amongst the best in Lancashire Lack of employer take up in construction trades restricts growth Effective full-time routes into Apprenticeship programme Good links with Public Sector Organisations to support new

innovative programmes Predicting the effect of changes in the economy on the

construction industry.

14-19 Year Old LearnersPolicy Drivers:14-19 Implementation Plan, Five Year Strategy, StAR review,Lancashire 14-19 Strategy, PSA targets, Every Child Matters, raising ofcompulsory participation age.

LSC Priorities: Increase the number of 19 year olds who achieve at least Level 2 Increase the proportion of 19 year olds achieving a Level 3

qualification Reduce NEET figures Implement 14-19 strategy in each Travel to Learn area

National Priorities:

Improve Apprentice Framework completion rates

Opportunities and Challenges: Below average GCSE performance in two boroughs Strong Increased Flexibility Partnerships Consortium approach already developed in Hyndburn Increasing market share of school leavers in Hyndburn Need to improve Level 3 success rates Lack of local reputation for Level 3 work Establishment of 14-19 curriculum framework The opening of Hyndburn Academy in September 2008 Increased competition from local schools gaining post 16

provision New Government department leading on 16-19 work. LEA responsibility of funding unclear.

Work related skillsPolicy Drivers:Government Skills Strategy, LSC Annual Plans, Foster Report, TheTraining Quality Standard for Employer Responsiveness andVocational Excellence, White Paper, Sector Skills Agreements, LeitchReview, LSC, HE Support

LSC Priorities: Extend Level 2 entitlement into Level 3 and increase number of

learners participating on first Level 2 and Level 3 via Train to Gainand other incentives

Increase targets for Full Level 2 and 3 qualifications Increase Employer engagement Increase skills development within public services workforce Increase skills development at Level 4 and higher

National Priorities:Improve skills of workers delivering public services. Increase demandled learning to meet the needs of employers, young people andadults

Opportunities and Challenges: Broad portfolio of NVQs at all levels delivered entirely in the

workplace Fully engaged with LSC strategies to improve the skills base

particularly at Level 2 through Train to Gain and core activity

Strong partnerships with other learning providers Working closely with a number of sector skills councils Limited number of large size employers in East Lancashire Strong partnerships with major employer organisations outside of

Lancashire Development of Foundation Degrees in vocational areas

Our Learner ContextOur Mission clearly states that we will work with young people, employers and adults and their communities. In

order to set the context for this work the next section explores the major national and regional policy initiativesimpacting upon our college strategy.


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Adult Learners and Communities

Policy Drivers: The Sustainable Communities Plan The Neighbourhood Renewal agenda The HE Widening Participation Strategy Working Together: A Strategy for the Voluntary and Community

Sector Change Up - Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for

the Voluntary and Community Sector

LSC Priorities: Focus guidance provision on those without a Level 2 qualification Link skills training and local employment opportunities especially

at level 2 and 3 SfL Level 1 literacy and Entry 3 number

National Priorities:Upskill the nation to achieve level 2 qualifications in literacy andnumeracy to underpin the drive for a higher skills base

Opportunities and Challenges: Level 2 and 3 entitlement Adult learner responsive provision diminishing priority for funding

Adult Learning Grants available High numbers of EC migrants requiring English as a secondlanguage

Diminishing funding of ALS Franchise partners based in the community Focused support for priority groups of offenders, volunteers and

mental health service users Maintaining our Community Based provision in a climate of

reducing LSC funding.


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Strategic Aim

1) Achieve Excellence indelivering high quality, flexible,responsive provision to learnersand employers

Our Strategic AimsWe are rightly proud of our learners, our staff and our provision and the way we contribute to the economic

regeneration of our locality and indeed the wider area. We are determined that Accrington and RossendaleCollege will continue to meet new challenges, expand and succeed in all we do.

Operational Targets

a) Achieve very good or better grades in all key areasduring our next College inspection

b) Achieve an outstanding overall Framework forExcellence rating

c) Gain accreditation to be a self regulating college

d) Maintain success rates in the top 10% of collegesnationally for every area of the curriculum

e) Increase the overall success rate for Advanced

Apprentices from 77% to 79%

TargetDates

2009

2010

2010

2009

Lead

S.M.TA.P. Standards & Performance



SMTA.P. Standards & Performance

S.M.T

A.P. Standards & Performance

01 Achieve excellence in delivering high quality, flexible,responsive provision to learners and employers.

02 Maintain financial stability in an uncertain and competitiveenvironment.

03 Develop our curriculum in response to demand from ourstakeholders, young people, adults and their employers.

04 Raise our contribution to economic development and theGovernments regeneration agenda at local, regional andnational level.

05 Provide a demand-led, proactive service which is responsiveto the needs of employers and stakeholders.

06 Work with partners, leading as appropriate, in Hyndburn,Rossendale and Ribble Valley to deliver the 14-19 entitlement.

07 Promote equality of opportunity, celebrate diversity andincrease participation from under represented groups.

08 Develop an entrepreneurial culture within the college.

09 Establish sustainable environmental practices.

The overall responsibility for achieving the strategy containedin this plan resides with the Principal and Deputy Principal.

College Senior Managers will take ownership for specific aimscommensurate with their roles and responsibilities.

As appointees to the Board of Governors, the Principal andDeputy Principal will provide regular reports to governors onprogress towards achieving our aims.


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Strategic Aim

1) Continued

2) Maintain financial stability in anuncertain and competitiveenvironment.

Operational Targets

f) Increase the success rates on all programmes that fallbelow national benchmark figures

g) Share good practice in raising learner attainment at alllevels to improve value added and progression rates tohigher levels of study.

h) Achieve Centre of Excellence status for our HigherEducation provision

i) Gain an outstanding rating for Every Child Matters

j) Ensure at least 30% of our provision is delivered throughflexible learning methods.

k) Ensure at least 70% of our teaching and learning teamsachieve an outstanding self-assessment grade

l) Deliver e-support as a cross-cutting theme which willimprove the experience of our learners and will include :e-guidance, induction, tutorial, resources & mentoringfor LLDD as part of the whole college e-learning strategy

m) Implement a new student record system to enhancemanagement decision making processes and improveefficiency and effectiveness by:

streamlining existing data and administrative systemsand processes

improving value for money through the effectivedeployment of physical and human resources

raising learner success as a result of improvedmonitoring of learners progress and performance

improved communications through the use of new

technology

a) Achieve a surplus of 2% of turnover each year andreserves of 4 million

b) Achieve Financial Category A status and a Frameworkfor Excellence grade of at least good by 2010

c) Ensure Train to Gain contracts are increased to a valueof 1.5 million

d) Extend the scope and range of the Train to Gain offerfor delivery in the workplace to an additional threecurriculum teams

e) Increase commercial income by 20%

f) Increase level of funding earned from external projectsby 10%

g) Achieve tuition fee income of at least 350K for LSCfunded programmes

h) Ensure that our staffing profile accurately reflects theacademic and financial needs of the college

i) Reduce premises overheads and routine maintenancecosts by 10%

j) Establish new modes of workplace skills delivery to

increase efficiency and effectiveness

k) Take innovative action to ensure learners remain onprogrammes beyond the minimum levels of attendanceto maximise funding

TargetDates

2009

2008

2010

2009

2010

2010

2009

2011

2011

2011

2009

2011

2011

2011

2009

2011

2009

2009

Lead







Director of Learning Services

A.P. Finance

A.P. Finance

A.P. College Responsiveness

A.P. Curriculum Development

A.P. Finance

A.P. Finance

A.P. Finance

Assistant Principals

Director of IT & Facilities

All Curriculum A.P's

All Curriculum A.P's


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Strategic Aim

3) Develop our curriculum inresponse to demand from ourstakeholders, young people,

adults and their employers

4) Raise our contribution toeconomic development andthe Governmentsregeneration agenda at local,regional and national level

Operational Targets

a) Working closely with Borough Councils to address theWorklessness Agenda. Increase Apprenticeship numbersby 5% year on year

b) Establish clear progression routes through to Level 4 inall appropriate curriculum areas, including three morefoundation degree's

c) Complete phase three property strategy to addressaccommodation issues in Construction and MotorVehicle accommodation and Catering and Sportsfacilities.

d) Establish robust foundation learning ties (FLT)provision with clear progression pathways to level twoand beyond

e) Continue to establish Full Level 2 and Full Level 3programmes for adults where there has been no offerpreviously, based on flexible modes of delivery

f) Lead the developments in construction education andtraining in East Lancashire through the Consortium ofPennine Lancashire Colleges.

g) All curriculum teams to establish relationships withemployers that impact on curriculum development

h) Deliver a staff development programme which supportsstaff to face the new delivery agendas.

i) Provide vocationally relevant planned work experiencefor all full-time learners.

a) Establish a successful and flourishing Enterprise Centre forthe delivery of provision to NEETs and other prioritygroups in two boroughs

b) Contribute to the achievement of Hyndburn andRossendale Local Authority strategic plans throughrelevant educational and skills delivery

c) Work in partnership with the Logistics Academy NorthWest and relevant SSCs, GoSkills/Skills for Logistics, todeliver training for the transport industry.

TargetDates

2011

2010

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

2010

On-going

2009

Lead



PrincipalDirector of IT & Facilities

A.P. Curriculum DevelopmentA.P. College Responsiveness


Principal


Director People &Performance

Director Learning ServicesCurriculum Directors


Principal and Deputy Princpal



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Strategic Aim

5) Provide a demand-led,proactive service which isresponsive to the needs of

employers and stakeholders

6) Work with partners, leading asappropriate, in Hyndburn,Rossendale and Ribble Valleyto deliver the 14-19 entitlement

7) Promote equality ofopportunity, celebrate diversityand increase participationfrom under-represented groups

Operational Targets

a) Achieve the new Training Quality Standard for employerresponsiveness and vocational training excellence.

b) Re-configure the College organisational structure toensure employer engagement is transformed from adiscrete managed function to one that pervades allaspects of our work. All curriculum directorates to deliverat least 10% of their work to employers.

c) Establish quality standards for all aspects of employerengagement.

d) Ensure all teaching staff in vocational areas participatein industrial updating and development through aplanned programme of secondments.

e) Develop and implement an employer responsivenessstaff training programme.

f) Establish a process of monitoring indirect costs ofdemand led delivery.

g) Improve systems and processes for gaining andresponding to the views of employers.

h) Establish a customer relations management system forall contact and employer liaison activities.

a) Work with partner schools to increase places availablewithin the consortium common prospectus by 25%,including the new diploma lines as they becomeavailable

b) Lead area wide development work on the Constructionand Hair & Beauty diploma lines for September 2009/10introduction

c) Work with partner schools in Hyndburn and Rossendaleto establish vocational centres to increase capacity forvocational provision across the area.

a) Increase participation through working closely with JobCentre Plus and other key agencies to reach specificgroups such as people on benefits, ex-offenders andpeople with low skills

b) Improve success rates for learners with mental ill healthfrom 60% to 72% by implementing the options packageof enhanced support which promotes the multi-agencyapproach to supporting students

c) Devise a single equality scheme that incorporates andmeets the requirements of all relevant equalitylegislation

d) Promote social cohesion within the community throughconsultation and partnership activities with communitygroups.

e) Establish a regional centre for the delivery of citizenshipprogrammes approved by the home office.

TargetDates

2009

2010

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

2010

2009/10

2010

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

Responsibility


Deputy Principal

A.P. Quality Standards

All A.Ps

Director of People &Performance

A.P Finance & A.PResponsiveness

A.P. Quality & Standards

A.P. Quality & Standards




A.P Quality & Standards

Director Professional Studies





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Strategic Aim

8) Develop an entrepreneurialculture within the college.

9) Establish sustainableenvironmental practices

Operational Targets

a) Establish an innovative programme of personalisedlearning for hard to reach learners based on running realenterprise

b) Engage local businesses in supporting enterprise withinthe college by establishing a minimum of two employerforums

c) Publicly celebrate successes of employers, learners andcollege staff

d) Integrate enterprise education and the values ofbusiness ethics and social enterprise into the curriculum

a) Achieve the Eco-schools programme award

b) Reduce the carbon footprint by at least 10%

c) Establish systems and processes for the recycling of allwaste

d) Manage and conserve water within all College premisesto lower our water consumption by 10%

e) Promote environmentally responsible procurement ofgoods and services

f) Promote and raise awareness and understanding ofenvironmental issues among all staff and students.

g) Establish an innovative, sustainable learning centrewithin the Hyndburn Borough.

TargetDates

2009

2009

2009

2009

2009

2011

2011

2011

2010

2009

2010

Responsibility



All Directors



Director IT & Facilities





Principal


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Risks1) Failure to monitor and update this plan Ensuring significant business risks are identified and managed is key to continued success, especially so during turbulant

times of change.

2) Failure to meet all learner targets:Learner targets are challenging and difficult to achieve in an area of low aspiration and achievement. Failure to meettargets will lead to reductions in funding. A large number of our apprentices are linked to the construction area and in thepresent economic climate could prove difficult to place in employment.

3) Failure to achieve funding allocations:We are taking risks in delivering Train to Gain work in addition to our main contract and need to refocus college basedcurriculum that will attract fee income, gain employer commitment and generate LSC funding. There is serious risk tolearner achievement through reductions in ALS funding and ways of maintaining achievement must be sought.

4) Failure to reduce costs significantly in order to remain financially viable:Although a medium sized college, we are involved in every aspect of FE/HE learning. Our infrastructure and managementcosts are therefore high, our partnership work expensive and in some areas our curriculum has inefficiencies as we try tomaintain a service to our local community.

5) Raising Fee Income:The challenges within the funding of 19+ students will be the widening gap resulting from assumed fee income.There is potential for increased fee income through work with employers but whether the scale of this will meetthe anticipated shortfall is a cause for concern and consequently a substantial risk.

6) Contestable Work:The proposed increases in the proportion of the Colleges core funding, which in the future is contestable, is amajor risk. A larger proportion of our income will be contestable and may not be achieved in any one year.

7) Organisational changes

Employer provision, delivered in the workplace, requires changes in the organisational structure. These inlcude new postsand new business support systems as well as ways of working.

8) Failure to change staffing establishment.The new agenda for demand led provision requires a fast response to employer demands. This is challengingwhen it involves changes to staff contracts and ways of working.

9) Failure to monitor high cost provision.Demand led provision is likely to incur high, indirect costs such as travel and resources. Monitoring such activity will be keyto maintaining efficiency.

11) The shift to Local Authority control for 16 - 19 year olds Clear understanding of the implications of this move have yet to be gained. it will be important to keep 'up to speed' with

this significant change as the year progresses.

12) Maintaining success rates.We have high succes rates which are as a direct result offantsastic work delivered by learners and staff.However, the funding changes and new censusarrangements could put these at risk in the future.


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Documents

059. Accrington, Rossendale (Accross) College Strategic Plan 2008 2011