Iain Ovens remembers the good old days. The Dundee College principal was recalling the kind of contacts that used to pass for effective links between schools and further education.
Particularly strong bonds were forged if secondary heads and the college principal were members of the local Rotary Club, Ovens told the General Teaching Council’s seminar on partnerships last week.
He remembered another attempt at close encounters, but of a disputatious kind. This took the form of a challenge match between staffs of two local secondaries and an FE college.
Despite the fact that the college had some former professional footballers in its team, the lecturers usually found themselves on the losing side. “Of course, the school closed earlier and the staff could get more practice,” the Dundee principal said. Ouch.