Ever since former chancellor George Osborne announced that sixth-form colleges could convert to academies, the sector has been a whirlwind of activity. On 1 March, Hereford became the first sixth-form college to complete the conversion process. A month later, Rochdale Sixth Form College became the first to both set up and lead its own multi-academy trust (MAT). In fact, a fifth of colleges in England - including my place of work, Longley Park Sixth Form College in Sheffield - are believed to be in the advanced stages of academisation, with many more poised to follow suit.
While the appetite for conversion may well be high, concerns still exist about potential stumbling blocks. This became very evident at a recent conference at which I presented, where we discussed the lessons we had learned ourselves, as a college, going through the process. Here are five tips I would offer any college considering the process.
1. Take time to get it right
Identify what’s important to you before you look for potential trust partners. Do you want to keep your provision local or would a larger trust with national interests have something to offer? Are you open to new, standardised ways of working, or is preserving a high level of autonomy a priority? Forging a new MAT partnership can be an exciting proposition - if that trust shares similar values to your own. We found the best way to maintain a cultural fit was to work with governors to draw up the criteria that any future partner would need to satisfy first, and then stick to it.
2. Do your homework
Potential partners and the Department for Education will want to see that your prediction for student numbers is robust and that you have a strong, sustainable offering. In a changing FE landscape, you need to understand the wider market in which you are competing. So even if your numbers look solid and seem to be growing, check carefully for anything on the horizon that could affect this. Is there a free school due to open in the area of your college? How could local apprenticeships or the growth of T-Levels alter your intake in the future? Consider investing in some market research to acquire a fuller picture of your college’s strengths and weaknesses. Knowledge is power, after all.
Dominic Harrex is associate principal of Longley Park Sixth Form College.
This is an edited version of an article in the 2 June edition of Tes. Subscribers can read the full story here. To subscribe, click here. To download the digital edition, Android users can click here and iOS users can click here. Your new-look Tes magazine is available at all good newsagents.
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