Scenario:
Organisation Overview
The Local Government Authority of Longshire, Topland and Castle Vale cover the Western Are a. It is a small predominately rural area with a population of over 180.000; the principal towns being
Pittville, Hayden and Nettleton. The area is served by three Universities, one Agricultural College and thirty-four secondary schools.
Twenty-seven of these secondary schools have further education units where students (between
11 and 18 years of age) prepare for their examinations. In addition, there are several work-based training providers, mainly in the Nettleton area, and each Local Government Authority has a budget for adult leaming.
The three Local Government Authorities, together with Pittville University. Castle University,
Greenhills University and Longshire Agriculural College, have formed a partnership, known as the
Western Area Learning Consortium ("the Consortium').
The Consortium is the Sponsor for the Programme to transform education and learning for 14 to
19-year-olds throughout the Western Area.
Pittville High School was built on donated land with a restrictive covenant stipulating that the premises must only be used as a school for 50 years, with 25 years remaining.
.
Programme Spending Objectives
The Consortium has established the following Spending Objectives of the Programme for the next three years:
. To increase by a minimum of 15% the number of 16-18-year-olds participating in higher education and training
. To increase by a minimum of 12% the number of 19-24-year-olds participating in higher education and training
. To increase by 15% the rate of students' attainment of qualifications
Other objectives, yet to be made SMART, include:
. to increase overall learner success rates, reflecting higher levels of completion as well as achievement of learning aims
. to provide a greater choice of education courses to all learners to improve the levels of basic skills
. to increase progression to higher level learning and higher-level employment
The Consortium recognizes that the achievement of these spending objectives depends upon a range of factors that will underpin successful delivery:
Addressing the limitations of some further education units to offer choice and an appropriate learning environmenit
Increasing links with employers and the local economy a. Tackling the problems of access to learning in some parts of the region b.
c. Improving the quality of learning provider's estate (i.e. buildings and equipment)
d.
e. Harnessing the use of new technologies to support learning f. Ensuring that learning providers are viable (i.e. able to provide effective learning)
g. Identifying opportunities for greater economy or improved efficiency so that resources can be directed at improving effectiveness h. Developing the skills of the workforce and maintaining staff satisfaction i. Collaboration between learning providers
The following potential schemes have been discussed-
1)The merger of Longshire Agricultural College and Greenhils University
2)Developing a learning network of secondary schools in North Longshire/West
Topland; South Longshire and in Castle Vale
3)Rationalization of 16 to 18-year-olds' learning provision in Nettleton
4)Develop a further Castle University Campus in the north of Castle Vale
5)Development of 14 to 18-year-olds' leaming provision in Pittville
6)Development of Work Based Learning throughout the Western Area
The Consortium members will also work together to agree standards for equality and diversity, for the enhancement of Welsh language and bilingual provision. They will also consider areas where shared services might reduce overheads.
Scenario continued
It has agreed that the immediate priority is a Project to address learning provision for 16 to 18-
year-olds in Pittville. The Consortium will sponsor the Pittville Project.
The Pittville Project
Pittville is the largest town in the Western Area, and it is the commercial, retail and cultural centre of Topland. It has a population of circa 22,000.
In addition to Pittville University, there are four secondary schools, three of which have further education units that provide education courses for 16-18-year-old learners.
Business Needs
The number of 16 to 18-year-olds' participating in education and training in Pittville is below the average for the Country; however, success rates for qualifications are near average.
The Consortium believes that Pittville Project can achieve better outcomes and increase the rate of 16 to 18-year-olds' participation to a minimum 15% by providing better facilities,
improving learning provision and offering a wider choice of courses.
The Consortium wants to see improvements in the levels of basic skills and the attainment of qualifications by 15% in the next 5 years within Pittville.
Two of the current learning providers, Pittville High School and Battledown School, have relatively small further education units. Consequently, the education courses offered to 16
to 18-year-old learners are limited and more courses are required.
Pittville University and Springbank School offer a broader range of education courses.
However, of the 90 courses they offer between them, 35 are duplicated, leaving 55 unique courses on offer. The learning partnership's aim is to increase this to at least 65.
The Topland Local Education Authority (LEA) is responsible for the four schools in the Pittville area (Battledown, Springbank, Pittville High, and the Red School) and has formed a learning partnership with Pittville University to focus on 16-18-year-old learning provision. The LEA Director of Finance has been appointed as the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and has ownership of the
Project.
OPPORTUNITIES
The opportunities for the reconfiguration, rationalisation, and improvement of 16-18-year olds learning provision within Pittville are as follows:
1)Pittville University. This is to provide all 16 to 18-year-olds' learning provision on the
University site given: first, it could accommodate a further 80 full time learners within existing facilities; and, second, it has the space for a further development, which could accommodate double the current number of full-time students. Pittville University has attracted pupils from Pittville High, Battledown and The Red School. Consolidation will reduce duplication and have the potential to attract good quality staff.
2)Expansion of Existing University Campus and closure of Pittville High School. This is the LEA's preference and is a more ambitious version of opportunity 1 and would involve the closure of Pittville High school. The LEA believe this would be the most viable financial solution and better value for money due to economies that would be achieved. Pupils could be absorbed into the other schools if all further education units were absorbed in a major development at Pittville University. The LEA will look at the options for school reconfiguration including closures once the way forward for 16 to 18-year- olds is clearer.
The LEA would like the physical element of the favoured option implemented at the earliest opportunity. This is so they can interlink the changes with consideration of the 11 to 16-year-olds' future provision.
3)Second University Campus on the Old Fire Station Headquarters site. This would provide good access to students from most parts of Pittville. The LEA is attracted to the second site option and has discussed the idea with the local schools. There is a reasonably positive reaction at this stage, although there is some significant resistance to the second learning campus being run by the University. A critical issue for the LEA is the longer-term financial viability of the solution. The addition of a new campus must be matched by plans to downsize elsewhere.
4)Second University Campus and closure of Pittville High School. This is a more ambitious variation of opportunity 3 and would involve the use of the Old Fire Station
Headquarters and closure of Pittville High School.
5)Expansion of Springbank School and closing the Pittville High School further education unit. This would involve providing a new further education unit at Springbank
School in collaboration with Battledown School. This option would reduce duplication and would potentially offer a wider range of education courses. Springbank School believes this change could meet the LEA's requirement for learning choice.
End of scenario