Agenda item

8.1

The Committee received a report of the Policy and Improvement Officer which presented a letter sent to the Committee by the Sheffield College regarding the closure of A-levels at the College’s Peaks Campus.

8.2

In attendance for this item were Paul Corcoran (Chief Executive Officer) and Heather Smith (College Principal and Executive Director) of the Sheffield College.

8.3

Paul Corcoran addressed the Committee and, referring to his letter, explained that the decision to withdraw the A-level courses at the Peaks Campus from September 2016 was due to a shift in demand in student applications, adding that over the past two years, the A-level intake at the Peaks Campus had significantly reduced.  He went on to refer to the importance of the quality of the offer, the need for a critical mass to make the courses viable and the financial viability of provision.  He further explained that the decision had been taken in May 2016, but had then been kept confidential so as not to negatively affect exam success of the students who would be affected, thus meaning that there was a wait to communicate with stakeholders. It was acknowledged that stakeholder engagement could have been handled more effectively, with a more phased approach being taken and certain stakeholders, including the Council and local MPs, being engaged earlier on. 

8.4

Members made various comments and asked a number of questions, to which responses were provided as follows:-

·                The College was looking to maintain and strengthen the vocational offer at the Peaks Campus, and there was no plan to withdraw from the Campus.  Furthermore, the College was committed to promoting social cohesion and inclusiveness. 

·                There had been a shift to more vocational and technical subjects in that part of the City, which offered an alternative route into university.  The number of pupils studying A-levels at the Peaks Campus had been reducing so the offer was becoming restricted.  The Hillsborough Campus offered in excess of 20 A-level subjects, but the Peaks Campus would move to a more vocational focus, with some adult provision.  Students due to start A-levels at the Peaks Campus from September 2016 would be offered a free travel pass to enable them to get to the Hillsborough Campus if they wished to take up the A-level offer there. 

·                Antony Hughes (Director, Inclusion and Learning Services and Children’s Commissioner) confirmed that discussions were taking place between the Council and local school headteachers, along with the Sheffield College, to ascertain if a local A-level offer could be developed.

·                Other schools near and accessible to pupils in the south east of Sheffield, but across the border, in neighbouring local authorities, with 6^th Forms were the Thomas Rotherham College and Henry Fanshawe, which was based in Dronfield.

·                It would be difficult to provide the richness of experience needed for a good A-level course at the Peaks Campus given the number of applications being received, with some subjects standing to have only two or three students in the classroom. The College was always looking to increase student numbers and marketing activity had been undertaken regarding general activity and including A-levels.  The College was marketed as a whole, but the balance of the offer had changed. 

·                The market for education was a competitive one and it was important to have the right provision for positive outcomes for young people.  The College did its best to promote itself, but market forces would ultimately dictate the situation.  Furthermore, the low number of applications affected financial viability.

·                There had been 55 applications for A-level places at the Peaks Campus this year, and experience suggested that this would have resulted in between 25 and 35 students enrolling in September, across the 10 A-level courses on offer.  Given previous data on retention and progression rates, this might have been expected to be reduced to perhaps 30 students in Year 2.  There had been 49 applications in 2013 and 73 in 2014. 

·                Staffing levels would not be reduced as a result of the decision to withdraw A-level courses at the Peaks Campus.

·                There were over 200 students studying A-levels at the Hillsborough Campus, but this had dropped in the face of increased numbers of A-level providers in the City, together with the shift to an increase in A-level provision in schools.  Discussions were presently being undertaken with the A-level students at the Peaks Campus as to where they wanted to go and, at present, 19 had indicated they would go to the Hillsborough Campus.

·                It had been hoped that the investment in marketing would have reversed the trend in A-level numbers at the Peaks Campus, but there was now a need to ensure continuity for the existing A-level students.

·                A-levels were part of the general offer from the Peaks Campus, and were advertised in its prospectus. 

·                The journey time from the south east of the City to the Hillsborough Campus was recognised, and it had been agreed that a closer eye would be kept on commuting pupils, with any appropriate support being provided.

·                It was accepted that the communications regarding this decision could have been better, with only the local MP being informed, and lessons had been learned from this. The College, however, stood by the decision which had been taken.

·                The issue of teachers operating at different sites would be managed, and it was hoped to consolidate teaching activities on one campus in so far as this was possible.

·                The proposal to withdraw the A-level courses would not be something that OFSTED Inspectors would ask about.  They would be able to see the investment in vocational courses and look at the quality of these, and whether students were being prepared for the next stage.

·                There was only a requirement to inform the governing body about the decision to withdraw the A-level courses.

·                6th form provision at both Westfield and Handsworth Grange had been explored in the past by the College, but had not proved to be productive.  It was important to consider how to move this issue forward, as the headteachers wanted A-level provision to be available, and the Council wanted to engage in this process.  The Sheffield College was keen to work with other providers and consideration was being given to a Post-16 Skills Plan.

·                The College accepted that there were lessons to be learned with regard to the communication of this decision, but it stood by the decision which had been taken.

·                The focus now would be on those students who were part-way through their A-level courses, and who would be changing the location at which they would be completing their courses.

8.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       thanks Paul Corcoran and Heather Smith for their contribution to the meeting;

(b)       notes the contents of the letter received from the Sheffield College on the closure of A-levels at the College’s Peaks Campus, and the responses to questions;

(c)        wishes to register its disappointment at the decision taken by the Sheffield College with regards to the closure of A-levels at the Peaks Campus, and requests that the Chair, Councillor Ian Saunders, writes to the College to express this disappointment, with particular regard to the communication of the decision and consultation with interested parties;

(d)       welcomes the work currently being undertaken in partnership with the Secondary Heads in the south east of the City to explore possible options to ensure a continued A-level offer in that part of the City, and asks the Chair, Councillor Ian Saunders, to continue to liaise with the appropriate lead officers from Sheffield City Council to monitor the progress of this work;

(e)       requests that a briefing paper be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee regarding the organisation and take up of A-level provision across the City, and a City-wide overview of the destinations of pupils (post-16) including employment, vocational courses and A-levels; and

(f)        requests that any future such decisions affecting educational provision undertake an Equality Impact Assessment, including due consideration of issues relating to financial inclusion.

(NOTE: This item was considered by the Committee as an urgent item of business under Council Procedure Rule 26 of the Council’s Constitution and the provisions of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, on the recommendation of the Chair, due to the timescales for implementing the planned changes to A-level provision at the Peaks Campus of Sheffield College.)