Bournville College & South & City College Birmingham MERGER YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Transcription

1 Bournville College & South & City College Birmingham MERGER YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

2 What is the purpose of this document? To explain why Bournville College and South and City College Birmingham will be merging and to share the benefits this will bring to students, staff, employers and communities in Birmingham.

3 What is the background to the merger? One of the recommendations of the Birmingham and Solihull Further Education Area Review is a merger of Bournville College and South and City College Birmingham. The governing bodies, managers, staff and students of both institutions are very proud of the successes that have been achieved to date. Both colleges share a common vision, they strive for excellence and put students at the heart of their work. Both institutions have been rated Good by Ofsted in their most recent inspections. Both colleges foster a passion for learning as articulated in their mission, vision and values. We believe this merger will result in a financially viable college allowing us to continue to meet the needs of our students, our employers and the communities we serve. As one college, our focus will be on excellence in working with students, employers and our communities to improve the skills and life chances of the people of Birmingham. The governors of both institutions support this merger and recognise that a single college will better meet the needs of the communities they serve.

4 What is the vision for the merged college? We believe that education and training has the power to transform lives. Our aim is to build upon the success that already exists in both colleges and to share best practice in order to give our students access to a wide range of opportunities. The people of Birmingham deserve an institution that has excellent teaching and learning, which helps young people and adults progress in their education or into the world of work. The new college will continue to work with employers to develop the skills needed to further regenerate our city and surrounding area. We will work with our key stakeholders to deliver our vision. We will offer provision from basic skills to higher education including Apprenticeships. By being closely aligned with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), local employers and local communities we believe that we will be an invaluable asset to our city. The merged college will offer a comprehensive range of apprenticeships, together with vocational and academic courses from basic skills to degree level. As a larger, more sustainable institution we will continue to offer a curriculum fit for the 21st century. What are the key features of the merger? Governors and management teams of both colleges are working to integrate the two institutions from 1st August to enable successful progress to a full legal merger. Bournville College s name and brand will be retained, as will provision in Longbridge. Bournville College students will be able to continue their studies on the same campus as planned. Joint governance and management groups are now in place to oversee the successful implementation of the merger.

5 What are the benefits of the merged college? l Longbridge retains a further education college, supporting local students, communities and employers l Bournville College and South and City College Birmingham working together, will provide a joined up approach to the provision of further and higher education across Birmingham l Networks of expertise involving students, staff and employers will allow them to share best practice and innovation across all curriculum areas l Stronger partnerships with schools and universities will raise students aspirations l Combining resources of both colleges offers the prospect of developing specialist facilities, working closely with employers What are the outcomes of the consultation? Consultation of stakeholders, including staff, students, local community, employers and partners, has now taken place. The main results are as follows: l the majority of respondents support the proposed merger. l 74% of respondents support Bournville College keeping its name and identity, recognising the value in preserving tradition and legacy. l 64% of respondents want to see the provision at Bournville College broadened. How do I get involved? Please note that the formal consultation process has now ended, however if you would like to ask questions, provide feedback or know more about the merger, you can merger@bournville.ac.uk or merger@sccb.ac.uk. Both colleges are welcoming applications for courses starting in September You can search what s on offer and apply on their websites.

6 Open days South & City College Birmingham Wednesday 8 June 4pm 7pm Bournville College Saturday 11 June 10am 2pm Open days are held at all campuses. Bordesley Green Campus Fordrough Lane, Bordesley Green, B9 5NA Digbeth Campus High Street Deritend, Digbeth, B5 5SU Bournville College 1 Longbridge Lane, Longbridge, B31 2AJ Bournville College Construction Centre 3 Devon Way, Longbridge, B31 2TS Fusion Centre High Street Deritend, Digbeth, B5 6DY Fusion Bradford Street, Digbeth, B5 6ES Golden Hillock Women s Centre Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath, B10 0DP Hall Green Campus Cole Bank Road, Hall Green, B28 8ES Handsworth Campus Soho Road, Handsworth, B21 9DP

7 Enrolment dates South & City College Birmingham Monday to Thursday August 10am 7pm Friday 26 August 10am 4pm Tuesday to Thursday 30 August 1 September 10am 7pm Friday 2 September 10am 4pm Saturday 3 September 10am 1pm Bournville College From Monday 27 June throughout the summer Monday to Friday 9:30am 4pm Tuesday 30 August Thursday 1 September 9:30am 7pm Friday 2 September 9:30am 4pm Monday to Thursday 5-8 September 3pm 7pm Friday 9 September 3pm 5pm

8