Principal s Introduction >

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2 Principal s Introduction > Dear Colleague The primary purpose for the creation of a single further education college in Manchester was the positive effect on Manchester learners, resulting from economies of shared expertise and shared resources, as well as curriculum coherence and progression. Learners are at the heart of all of our strategic planning. This document sets out the vision and strategic plans for The Manchester College. This vision is based on clarity of mission and key strategic discussions with partners. The creation of The Manchester College will complement the continued development of the city of Manchester as a major player on the regional, national and international landscape. Social and educational regeneration must go alongside physical and economic regeneration, and there will be sharper links with city strategies and with public sector agreement targets. All government priorities will be central to the new college, which will offer skills for the 21st century, responsiveness to employers and a strong vocational provision for year olds in schools, with full support for the Manchester Academies Programme. These are exciting times and to deliver this strategy, progress will need to be rapid. To ensure you are able to keep abreast of developments within The Manchester College, please visit Best wishes. Peter Tavernor Principal The Manchester College

3 Contents > Strategic Vision 6 Learner Access & Curriculm Offer 8 Vision and Planning for Young People 14 Adult Employability 18 Employers 22 Higher Education 24 Open and Distance Learning 26 Offender Learning 28 Overseas Learners 30

4 The Strategic Vision for The Manchester College > In recognition that Manchester is a major economic force and provider of education, The Manchester College will provide excellence in education and training, working with other providers at school, college and university level. It will draw its learners from the widest range of groups, including learners locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The Manchester College will have equality of opportunity to high quality provision as its central purpose and will be a voice for further education locally and nationally. It will place the needs of every learner at the centre of its mission and will set challenging targets to increase participation through a responsive and aspirational curriculum offer provide a relevant and inclusive provision which is accessible to learners of all abilities, from absolute beginners to higher education, and which allows for individual pathways supported by high quality advice and guidance further develop the portfolio of higher education qualifications, open and distance learning, offender learning and international education currently provided by the two colleges consist of an estate that will provide an inspirational and motivational presence. Investment will lead to the provision of centres of excellence and challenge disadvantage and exclusion be a lead partner in supporting other public and private organisations in developing innovative governance and management models to ensure both accountability and responsiveness at local, regional and national level In priority economic sectors in the City Region and beyond, The Manchester College will be acknowledged as a training partner of choice for employers. It will seek to provide best value in service delivery with partners develop innovative approaches in high quality environments be a major contributor to the Knowledge Capital The Manchester College will create an organisational culture which is responsive, effective and dynamic in a world of change, and value its staff, providing best possible conditions of service, sustainable jobs, career development and progression.

5 Learner Access and Curriculum offer for The Manchester College > Context The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) set out its Annual Statement of Priorities for and described how it needs to be assured, when allocating its funding, of the adequacy and sufficiency of curriculum provision through a balance and range of supply with an adequate and appropriate supply for all types of employees and all groups of individuals. In the spirit of aligning the balance and range of supply of the two colleges to the vision for The Manchester College, a joint curriculum evidence base for was commissioned by the Senior Management Team (SMT) working group and produced by the Research and Consultancy Unit (RCU) in August This provided a very detailed profile of the two colleges supply of provision by subject sector, curriculum level, location of learning, learner age band and Manchester ward. Responsiveness The city of Manchester needs a truly dynamic institution that can respond to the complex challenges it faces and the experience of its residents, which are poor outcomes at the end of key stage 4 high numbers on Incapacity Benefit a high level of worklessness in certain parts of the city the need to be inclusive of a wide range of disadvantaged and minority groups a high demand from employers for those qualified to levels 2, 3 and 4 the need for upskilling of the workforce investment in the city from incoming major employers representing key economic growth sectors The Manchester College will not only be responsive to these issues of under-performance but will also influence other partners at a strategic level in transforming the educational outcomes for the city of Manchester. This means providing leadership among key partners in order to achieve the transformation required. The robust performance management cycle to be adopted will serve to ensure a high quality, relevant and accessible curriculum offer with clear progression pathways. Relevance In undertaking the process of matching the curriculum of the new institution to these identified needs, reference will be made to policies, strategies and targets which already exist. These are LSC priorities North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) regional priorities PSA targets employer targets Manchester City Council s City Strategy and regeneration targets These provide an external framework of reference through which The Manchester College will have clear and productive partnerships with key bodies to ensure that its educational outcomes contribute to local, regional and national priorities and targets. It is clear that a greater proportion of public funding will be spent on the key priorities, whether through allocations to providers core LSC budgets or HEFCE funding, through the emerging competitive tendering process for work outside this core, such as for those Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs), Train to Gain, worklessness, offender learning and workforce development. Therefore, The Manchester College will recognise and respond both to the priorities specified under core LSC and HEFCE funding as well as those that fall within competitive tendering processes, where these are compatible with the college s defined vision. This will secure a long term funding base for a new institution, making a significant contribution to government priorities. The new institution will be a key driver for the transformation of education and training in Manchester a strategic leader, which will be critical to economic success and regeneration a market maker able to get the best from employers as well as giving employers what they need able to actively make a difference to economic and community regeneration in Manchester able to influence at a very high level with large employers and large public sector organisations able to contribute effectively to educational strategy at all levels in the city as well at a regional and national level able to work closely and effectively with academies and their sponsors and other high schools to ensure coherent progression for all learners through the phase of their education and learning able to support business incubations by responding dynamically to the skill needs of those organisations accredited to the Training Quality Standard (the New Standard for Employer Responsiveness and Vocational Excellence) able to meet the needs of all priority sectors in Manchester City Region

6 Accessibility The Manchester College will ensure that there is sufficient capacity and quality of curriculum provision in response to the key priorities identified. This curriculum will then be made accessible to the learner by providing a full range of options at to support the government s Remaining in Learning strategy, incorporating both traditional and newly developing curriculum strands flexible hybrid pathways between academic, vocational and work based learning Work Based Learning (WBL) programmes, including sheltered/transitional WBL for those not yet ready for college or employment programmes to support under-skilled adults in the workforce, workless adults and those vulnerable adults unable to access provision or employment for a range of reasons clear curriculum pathways to employment in public services which help to meet the Public Sector Agreement (PSA) targets, such as those of the health services, the police and Manchester City Council innovative curriculum engagement opportunities which do not fall within sector skill areas Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) and learner support (transition in, on programme, transition out) in order to continually ensure the accessibility of its curriculum provision and deliver the best for learners, the new institution will have effective links with other key stakeholders who interact with these learners through a strong relationship with schools, collegiates, youth services, adult services, Connexions, JobCentre Plus key partnerships, such as those with health s e r v i c e s, I AG s e r v i c e s, r e g e n e r a t i o n companies, Manchester City Council, police and social services The Manchester College s Commitment to the inclusion of Vulnerable Learners There is much evidence to suggest that inequality and exclusion persist because the most deprived neighbourhoods often suffer from the poorest public services. Providers of public services often go unchallenged in placing the needs of the organisation above those of the individuals they serve. Those people with low or no qualifications do not naturally participate in further education because they do not feel that the learning opportunities on offer are for them. Putting the needs of the learner first will be fundamental to The Manchester College and it will have a particularly strong commitment to those vulnerable members of society who are excluded and need championing. The Manchester College will promote participation, social inclusion and equality in learning across Manchester by respecting and responding to diversity raise the aspirations of all learners and place demands upon their performance motivate learners in ways which value and respect them engage those individuals not in mainstream provision by recognising the complexity of reasons which impact upon their engagement bridge the gap between personal circumstances and opportunities for learning, training and employment share good teaching and training practice through workshops, seminars and district co-ordination A Positive Learning Culture In order to simplify the size and complexity of The Manchester College and fulfil the needs of all its learners effectively, there will be a culture that places the learner at the centre, with learner constituencies (organising and delivering to distinct groups of learners in order to better address their varying needs) standards (for each learner constituency relating to curriculum organisation, management and delivery) learner needs and curriculum driving resourcing plans and decisions regarding staffing, finance and property The Manchester College will be a learning institution and will establish an internal Innovation Research Unit which will be directly linked to staff development and appraisal and which specifies a continuous improvement model. The unit will provide a service to all staff internally and will provide a developmental service to staff in schools, in other colleges, in providers of WBL and in higher education institutions. 10

7 The Manchester College s Curriculum The Manchester College will play a key leadership role in transforming the educational outcomes for the city. There has already been substantial capital investment in the further education estate and this is being aligned to the city s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) and academies capital programme. State-of-the-art facilities provide the context for innovative and high quality curriculum delivery which are already impacting positively upon participation and success rates. The Manchester College will work collaboratively with existing schools, the new academies, library services and adult services to consolidate this provision. It will provide a curriculum which will value and accredit skills in a variety of contexts and at all levels in relation to academic vocational occupational functional (literacy, numeric, language, ICT) personal, social and behavioural The QCA-approved Graded Qualifications Alliance (GQAL) programme, accredited as PEARL (Personal Employability - Achievement and Reflection for Learning), is the first nationally recognised award in behaviour and attitude to be delivered through performance assessment. The Manchester College will lead the way, both nationally and internationally, in the accreditation of personal, learning and thinking skills through performance assessment. The Manchester College s Approach to the City Region s Priority Sectors The Manchester College will play a strategic role as a contributor to the key economic developments in Manchester and the City Region. The college will also be a major delivery partner in support of these developments. Six sectors have been identified as being particularly important to the local economy and needing attention for skills development. These are Construction and the Built Environment Creative and Media Finance and Professional Services Healthcare and Biosciences Public Services Retail (including Business and Enterprise, and Logistics) The Manchester College will ensure that there is an effective work-based and work-related offer at relevant levels in all priority sectors. It will work closely with other providers of WBL, including at higher levels, to ensure a coherent provision that is responsive to employer demand. Developing Tendering Capabilities The LSC s Regional Commissioning Strategy has clearly indicated that, from now on, a substantial amount of colleges and training providers activities are going to be awarded via a competitive tendering process rather than as allocated or negotiated funding. Manchester City Council has been adopting this approach for some time, and the City Strategy has resulted in significantly more tendered work. Other national public sector bodies have utilised competitive tendering for a long time. The Training Quality Standard is likely to be a prerequisite in future tendering, so The Manchester College will need to gain early accreditation. The Manchester College will ensure it is in a position to respond accordingly, and monitor, identify and service opportunities for new and additional provision which are presented as tenders receive, collect and store all forms of research and data relevant to college activity which will support bids and tender responses 12

8 Vision and Planning for Young People Aged > Vision Consistency, choice and excellence will characterise the learner entitlement. In the provision of learning opportunities for young people aged years, The Manchester College will provide strategic leadership for a range of partners including schools, academies, Manchester City Council, the LSC, employers and Sector Skills Councils, to provide a range of high quality, aspirational curriculum pathways. The Manchester College will lead curriculum innovation, professional development and employer engagement, continuing to develop close links with Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), the North West Development Agency (NWDA), and the region s employers to ensure young people are helped to develop long-term employability. Academic and specialist vocational skills in each of the city s three collegiate areas will allow access to a range of progression routes into higher education and employment. The Manchester College will be inclusive of all young people, their carers and parents to ensure maximum awareness of opportunities. It will develop innovative forms of dialogue with current and potential learners to ensure that learner needs and ambitions help shape provision. The emphasis will focus on driving up achievement and success rates in the city. Planning for Learners Partnership working is critically important to the success of the new institution and its impact upon those priorities identified. The new institution will not merely respond to externally defined priorities but will be a key leader and determinant of strategy and will provide leadership among partners where appropriate. It will have a relationship with both statutory and nonstatutory organisations in order to achieve full inclusion of learners in schools the seven academies schools the two sixth form colleges special schools collegiates voluntary and community bodies specialist organisations (covering specific issues such as youth offending, teenage parenting, looked after children and family breakdown) The collegiates represent the range of providers and services which impact on young people in Manchester and these will play a major commissioning role in optimising provision and resources for their districts. The new institution will be a key partner and leader within the collegiates. The Manchester College will expand the offer in order to broaden the range of choices being presented to learners through national qualification reforms (such as diplomas and the foundation learning tier) and to impact upon the reduction in NEET figures. Census records suggest that there are 5,473 Manchester residents who were aged 16 in March This is based on the 2001 census and so does not adequately reflect subsequent immigration and population shifts within the North West region. The 2001 census has been shown to have undercounted the Manchester population, particularly in transient and deprived communities. Comparison of the volume of 16 year olds leaving school with the post-16 staying-on rates in Manchester therefore suggests an expansion of provision for year olds to ensure the staying on rate improves. In order to achieve this, The Manchester College will work closely with the local authority and the LSC in the development of collegiates deliver a clear and coherent curriculum at entry and level 1, with established progression pathways broaden the choice of academic and vocational subjects at levels 2 and 3 in a way that is complementary with offers from other institutions offer innovative curriculum engagement options to vulnerable groups and to those who are currently not engaged actively support the implementation of the Manchester Model for Academies align its own specialisms to school and academy specialisms in order to provide the full range of diploma subjects and maximise curriculum access opportunities work effectively within the collegiate model with other key partners, providing neighbourhood-based actions and interventions The Manchester College will respond to the need noted at the 2002 Area Wide Inspection of Manchester for greater uptake of WBL opportunities. It will have a strong commitment to high quality WBL pathways for young people, whether through strategic alliances or as a provider in its own right. 14

9 The college will support the local LSC s workforce development strategy in the uptake of apprenticeships by building on its strategic alliances and developing programme-led pathways in a range of curriculum areas, leading to apprenticeship and work placement opportunities with local Manchester employers. There will be strong links with the new Academies and other schools to identify learners from the age of 14, with partial delivery in schools where possible. The Manchester College will require the full support of the local LSC and the Manchester Skills Board in establishing programmeled pathways which will help to fill both current and future job vacancies for local employers, and contribute to PSA targets as well as regeneration delivery plans. The Manchester College will build on the long-established track record of the two predecessor colleges in working with year olds through the Increased Flexibility and Vocational Carousel initiatives. Hundreds of young people accessed accredited programmes through the colleges school partnerships and links with agencies working with those who are excluded from school. This provision will continue to be formalised through the collegiate procedures. Similarly, the college will make an active contribution to the foundation learning tier reforms which are intended to improve the quality and coherence of entry and level 1 provision, such as Entry to Employment (E2E), providing combinations of units and qualifications that can be personalised according to individual learners needs. Progression pathways will be developed by combining units and qualifications together into validated packages designed to help learners move towards positive destinations. Ministerial approval has been received for a total of seven new academies in Manchester. Manchester City Council, through its sponsorship of each of these academies, has adopted the city regional development programme which reflects the six key economic growth sectors in the area over the next five to ten years Biosciences and Healthcare Business and Enterprise, including Leisure, Travel and Tourism and Retail Construction and the Built Environment Creative and Media ( two academies in this specialism) Digital Communications Finance and Professional Services The major employers stimulating this growth are sponsoring each of the individual academies. The total capital budget for the seven academies is estimated to be in excess of 160 million. Manchester City Council, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and Manchester s academy sponsors share the view that the academies programme is fundamental to the transformation of educational outcomes for all young people in Manchester schools and that excellent post-16 provision is critical to this success. The Manchester College will deliver the education transformation ambition, which will be strategically planned and collaboratively delivered through optimising resources by ensuring no over or under-provision eradicating unviable units of provision where the educational experience of young people is likely to be poor engaging in collaborative governance structures which allows the academy sponsors and other schools to exercise influence over its management allowing access to its specialist facilities in order to support the delivery of diplomas and to underpin the City s economic growth sectors working within a capital investment framework, commissioned by the City s three collegiates, for developing high quality provision in their geographical areas and delivering transformational outputs The successful implementation of the Manchester Model for Academies is one of the key drivers for the new college and it is important that it aligns itself to Manchester City Council and local LSC strategy in order to address the issues of curriculum range and learner access and to deliver the transformation of educational outcomes for Manchester. 16

10 Vision and Planning for Adult Employability > Vision The Manchester College will work across the city in partnership with a wide range of key players, including Manchester Adult Education Service (MAES) and local regeneration partnerships, to ensure a clear alignment between strategies to enhance learning among families, communities and the regional workforce. It will actively seek opportunities to act as a test-bed for national policies aimed at raising the profile of learning as the vehicle for social and economic cohesion, and will be a national exemplar of best practice. The Manchester College will build a national reputation for innovation in the development of flexible and responsive services for adults currently excluded from employment or dependent on unskilled and low-valued jobs. A single institution will be greatly enhanced and have clear responsibility and accountability for the impact of learning on economic and social measures. The college will be a key partner in the development of a comprehensive and high quality guidance service to allow adult learners to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by learner accounts and adult learning support structures. Its status as a single college serving the whole sub-region will bring clarity, cohesion and enhanced progression options whilst simplifying the partnership landscape. The Manchester College will be at the forefront of the development of systems and structures to support a simplified qualification and credit framework and will use the development of credit accumulation systems to transform adult responses to learning. It will particularly develop progression routes to higher education. Planning for Adult Provision (Employability Skills) Manchester s City Strategy document highlights the key issues for the new institution. It states that economic growth in the conurbation core has brought in more than 2 billion of private investment and created 45,000 new jobs over the past 10 years. These jobs, however are largely out of the reach of workless communities. and that 430,000 GM working age residents are either unemployed or economically inactive. Source: Greater Manchester City Strategy Business Plan (Dec 2006) The Manchester College will bring together significant expertise in tackling both worklessness and low skills, providing a real shift in the city s ability to respond to the needs of its residents and businesses in creating a worldclass City Region in the heart of a thriving North. The college will provide a focus for all of Manchester s communities, prioritising work with the City Region s neediest communities and bringing together partners and funding streams to enable change to happen. Provision for Adults in Manchester With its wide distribution of sites and its skilled and experienced workforce, The Manchester College will provide a sound basis for negotiating a coherent curriculum offer for learners across the city. This will be done in conjunction with MAES and other partners. It will remain critical that planning for adult learning in the city continues to build on the strong progress to date, facilitating greater collaboration between all providers and, therefore, ensuring a greater curriculum balance for all parts of the city. This will support the delivery against a range of priorities specifically around the level 2 entitlement, the reduction in worklessness and the challenges of the Skills Agenda. Work is already underway to map the curriculum offer for adults in Manchester and to improve joint planning and, therefore, to improve progression routes for learners. This exercise will help to promote increased take up and the achievement of high-level qualifications as well as supporting the LSC in commissioning relevant provision in key sector areas. MAES operates over a significant number and variety of sites and attracts large numbers of local residents from traditionally hard-to-reach groups. Following The MAES Review, MAES has been restructured and now focuses on first steps learning contributing to the delivery of the City Strategy in Manchester and to the engagement of residents with little or no qualifications and/or skills. The secondary focus will be on supporting learners to progress onto higher level provision offered by other providers. The Manchester College will operate partnerships as joint working arrangements where the partners (who may otherwise be independent parties public sector, voluntary sector and private sector) co-operate to create an organisational structure or process designed to secure a common goal and/or share information. The performance of the new institution and its partnership arrangements will be open to formal scrutiny by appropriate internal and external groups and strategic bodies. 18

11 In relation to adult skills, The Manchester College will design and deliver learning programmes which satisfy the employment needs of local people and contribute to the economic development of the city and the region deliver increased uptake of full level 2 and full level 3 programmes in line with the increasingly challenging targets defined by the local LSC gather and monitor information relating to the skills needs of local people and skills gaps encountered by local employers in order to inform curriculum development and delivery In relation to adult numeracy and literacy skills, the college will be committed to implementing the recommendations outlined in the Manchester Literacy and Numeracy Review commissioned by LSC Greater Manchester. This report specifies key objectives with regard to strategy, organisational development, programme development and capacity building for addressing literacy and numeracy skills. While these recommendations focus on employability and employment, it is understood that improving literacy and numeracy skills and hence improving life chances have a much wider impact on people s self-esteem, health, wellbeing and on family and community cohesion. The Manchester College will support the move towards embedded and contextualised provision, away from discretely taught literacy and numeracy skills. A similar piece of work on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) has been commissioned by LSC Greater Manchester. The Manchester College will contribute to this review (as with the numeracy and literacy skills review) so that the new institution will actively work towards implementing the eventual recommendations. The Manchester College will support the Manchester Skills Board s Employability Strategy and respond to the Council s analysis of worklessness by ward and super-output areas. This means valuing, delivering and accrediting those Skills for Life, which are key determinants of employability: personal, social and behavioural skills. Adults will have clear pathways into identified job vacancies, particularly within the public sector. Innovative curriculum engagement opportunities will be provided as first steps back into learning for those not currently engaged (such as Incapacity Benefit claimants) with positive destination outcomes, leading ultimately to employment. 20

12 Vision and Planning for Employers and Workforce Skills > Vision The Manchester College will establish strategic partnerships with the major employers in the city, the City Region and nationally. These partnerships will be reflected in the college s governance arrangements. Flexible and high quality training and business services will be developed, contributing to improved business performance and increased productivity of the regional economy. Substantial resources will be invested in a team of employer engagement specialists to listen to and meet the needs of business and to stimulate innovation in curriculum delivery and ultimately increase fee income. The Manchester College will continue to develop workforce skills by investing heavily in new learning technologies and innovative delivery methodologies. The college will partner SSCs in developing new and appropriate qualifications. It will be involved in national skills academies to support the City s priority sectors, and will seek early accreditation under the Training Quality Standard. Specialist support for social enterprises, utilising the predecessor colleges twin areas of expertise in business development and social awareness will develop and increase the sustainability of the region s small-and medium-sized companies, thereby developing an enterprising spirit. Planning for Employers and Workforce Skills Employer Engagement The Manchester College will have employer engagement embedded in every aspect of its work and at all levels. Best practice from within the eight CoVEs, the New Technology Institute, the flexible learning operation MOL, the Training Quality Standard and the work with SSCs will be shared across the college. Working in partnership with employers via a range of employer groups and forums, The Manchester College will engage strategically with employers to ensure that provision is relevant to local needs and enables progression into opportunities in the Manchester economic priority sectors demonstrate expertise and responsiveness in meeting the needs of employers through the development and delivery of products increase the number of employers engaged with the college, both in terms of commissioning bespoke training and sponsoring learners shape and develop new curricula and skills for the workplace that will be in demand by industry and employment focused, as well as financially viable offer innovative delivery modes that will be effective in the workplace, including online and virtual learning environments further develop models of assessment that are appropriate for workplace learning and are what employers demand, such as the GQAL PEARL model, which is fully approved by QCA and has the support and backing of key Manchester employers further develop standards for working with employers, including ensuring an excellent employer journey and experience within the new college. There will be clear processes to gain client feedback and measure the impact of training on the effectiveness of the employer s organisation increase the number of college staff on work-related placement/professional updating to ensure they are fully equipped to prepare learners for industry work strategically with local employers and schools in developments within the city, acting as a lead sponsor of one of the new academies and co-sponsor of the others, alongside Manchester City Council and other major organisations from the city s key priority sectors work in strategic partnership with SSCs, professional associations, institutes and employer bodies to ensure the training needs of employers are met work with WBL providers and employers to ensure an increase in apprenticeship opportunities for young people and adults Workforce Skills To ensure that all learners are fully equipped for employment, The Manchester College will be committed to developing employability skills, and offering work placement opportunities, industrial visits and other relevant activities to encourage enterprise supporting the LSC policy of reaching Skills for Life, full level 2 and full level 3 target learners ensuring learners acquire the necessary basic skills to succeed in their courses and move efficiently into employment raising individuals skill levels to level 2 and higher, increasing the number of learners progressing onto the next level of learning, including progression to higher education, and ensuring that high level skills are adequately supported increasing the number of full-time students in work-related experience providing a gateway to employment for young people and adults, addressing skills gaps in all priority areas establishing pre-employment linkages with local employers linked to solid employment opportunities developing ground-breaking and innovative ways to ensure that the needs of all learners are met, particularly in the area of employability skills, enterprise, social and personal mastery and the use of flexible learning resources for open and distance learning delivery 22

13 Vision and Planning for Higher Education > Vision The Manchester College will develop a higher education strategy which will focus on vocational progression for local learners. This will involve part-time, flexible and work based opportunities to follow a higher education route as well as the traditional full-time route. Foundation degrees are key to this approach. This emphasis will build on strong relationships with employers in the priority sectors, as well as appropriate collaboration with other higher education institutions in the City Region. The college will build on the vocational excellence demonstrated in higher education in CoVEs and elsewhere in order to consolidate its regional influence deploy its curriculum innovation and research unit to work with employers and other partners in defining and building suitable assessment and qualification products which meet the needs of their sector demand from public sector bodies a commitment to recruiting Manchester residents through programme-led pathways (such as Manchester City Council, police and the health sector) actively partner with the Chamber of Commerce in responding to constantly changing needs of different employers and sectors support employers workforce development strategies through flexible and robust models of curriculum delivery (Train to Gain, open and distance learning, employer-based training, adult apprenticeships, etc) Planning for Higher Education The college s higher education strategy will acknowledge the significant role the two predecessor colleges have played in the provision of high quality higher education in a mixed economy environment within a local, regional and national context. The new institution will further develop this strategy by confirming a strategic institutional commitment to support the further development of a higher education ethos and environment consolidating, sustaining and increasing higher education provision through the development of new foundation degrees, in line with regional sector skills priorities and government policy, ensuring growth is cognisant of the skills needs of both employers and learners further developing the range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, growing provision to consolidate the college as a leading institution in the further education sector offering maximum internal and external progression opportunities adding value to local and regional provision by building on existing partnerships with the Greater Manchester Strategic Alliance (GMSA), validating higher education institutions and consortium partners, to ensure growth of provision is flexible, responsive, employer-focused and informed by the workplace, to best suit the needs of local and regional learners and employers develop and implement suitable progression strategies, aligned to the current GMSA policy of broadening sector wide progression routes into network wide progression routes to provide learners with the opportunity to broaden their personal development and achieve progression along a multiplicity of routes ensure that the curriculum reflects the overall aims of the institution to provide a high quality, differentiated higher education experience commensurate with the expectations of traditional and non-traditional learners in a mixed economy environment embed the culture of self-critical analysis by strengthening the strategic focus on higher education within the institution, providing clarity and support for continuing professional development and the acquisition of subject-specific higher qualifications to inform pedagogical development and underpin student learning engage with stakeholders and key regional and national organisations such as the QAA s National Policy Forum, the Higher Education in Further Education Liaison Group and the Quality Strategy Network, the Higher Education Academy and Foundation Degree Forward increase income through the review of variable fees and the further development of credit-based modular provision The Manchester College will be one of the largest further education institutions in the country, offering extensive higher education provision. It will need to ensure that this scale is reflected in its influence with other higher education partners and providers. 24

14 Vision and Planning for Open and Distance Learning > Vision Alongside the development of curriculum and learning opportunities for all of its segments or types of learners, The Manchester College will seek to build on the excellent track record and work under MANCAT s MOL brand, a registered trademark, which was recognised as being Outstanding Grade 1 in MANCAT s March 2007 Ofsted inspection report. This will include the design, production and delivery of flexible and distance learning programmes leading to nationally recognised vocational and professional qualifications. The Manchester College will further develop and manage key strategic relationships with both local and national blue chip employers, professional bodies, SSCs and sector representative organisations, as well as engage with employed learners for whom traditional college modes of attendance would not be suitable. Planning for Open and Distance Learning Provision The Manchester College will identify opportunities and areas of demand for large-scale national programmes within key priority sectors, in addition to those it already operates in under the MOL brand, which include Construction, Engineering and Finance and Professional Services. Furthermore, it will continue to develop and build on the MOL provision as a key component of the college s responsiveness strategy, recognising its unique ability to engage both with local, regional and national employers and with employed learners for whom traditional college modes of attendance would not be appropriate support the development of key relationships with SSCs and professional bodies through which it will be able to significantly influence and contribute to the content and design of national qualifications identify and develop innovative blends of training delivery develop and deliver market-leading products and services commit to and invest in the development of multimedia and blended learning materials and solutions for the benefit of learners and employers in the City Region and nationally invest in the logistical and delivery infrastructure necessary to enable it to place employers at the heart of a demand-led provision that can respond, subject to the limits of normal business planning, to client needs in respect of content, time and location of delivery ensure that the expertise and resources developed to enhance the MOL provision are also available and utilised to meet local needs and contribute to the outstanding quality of provision for those who live and work in the City of Manchester 26

15 Vision and Planning for Offender Learning > Vision The Manchester College will recognise the value and importance locally, regionally and nationally of the provision of offender learning. It will continue to build on existing expertise and excellent quality procedures, which are recognised by OLASS and other providers. City College was the biggest and most successful provider of offender learning in England and was recognised by the LSC as a key partner in OLASS. Its provision was also delivered within the community to newly released offenders and learners on court orders, helping to address local targets for NEETs, worklessness and employability. MANCAT s preventative and post-sentence support for offenders was recognised as outstanding and was consolidated through the following key partnerships with Connexions, JobCentre Plus, Youth Offending Teams, Probation Service, Youth Services, Voluntary and Community Services As the biggest provider of offender learning, The Manchester College will demonstrate its commitment through its strategic planning and performance management ensuring continuing quality of provision. Planning for Offender Learning Provision Based on the national Offender Learning Journey (OLJ) for adults and the OLJ for juveniles, The Manchester College will deliver the curriculum, addressing barriers to learning and appropriate to individual needs, such as the category of prison and the length of stay and to nationally recognised accreditation standards. This also applies to provision delivered to newly released offenders and learners on court orders within the community. The prevention of re-offending is a key driver. The launch of the Government s White paper in December 2006, Reducing Re-offending through Skills and Employment: Next Steps, has brought a step change to the emphasis of the offender curriculum. Skills for Life and employability now feature as the main delivery areas. The report has three main priorities for action to engage employers through the Reducing Re-offending Corporate Alliance, linked to the Skills Strategy and the outcome of the Leitch review of skills, and working with employers to design and implement new models of training and preparation for jobs developing a campus model focus on employers needs an employability contract flexible access to skills and employment support, with effective use of ICT emphasis on skills and jobs in prisons and probation Reducing re-offending is now a government priority. Three key activities have been proven to contribute to this success, and these are employment, housing and family relationships. Learning and skills can play an important part in all three priority areas, and the offender curriculum will need to address these. The new Ofsted inspection criteria will impact on curriculum planning and individual learner programmes, and The Manchester College will address the three stands of learning employability and vocational training literacy, numeracy and language support personal and social development The five outcomes of Every Child Matters will also be evaluated alongside the impact that teaching and learning has on young offenders and vulnerable adults. 28

16 Vision and Planning for Overseas Learners > Vision The international strategy for The Manchester College will recognise the leading role that the two predecessor colleges played in the international activities of the UK further education sector. It will aim to build on this impressive track record and increase international income by delivering pathway programmes, developing a wider range of foundation degrees and pre-undergraduate programmes and delivering high quality English as a Foreign Language Provision (EFL). Where appropriate it will integrate provision for overseas students with existing provision for home students to enhance the learning experience for all. The Manchester College will develop strategic alliances with local universities and partnerships with other stakeholders to ensure the further education sector can contribute meaningfully to UK policy formulation for international education and training. In addition, it will offer first class, dedicated, professional support and guidance to international students at the college. Planning for Overseas Learners The new college will build on the predecessor colleges impressive track record by delivering pathway programmes developing strategic alliances with local universities, in addition to those in Manchester, to assist with their international recruitment strategies delivering EFL provision to overseas students to meet the requirements of British Council accreditation developing a wider range of foundation degrees and pre-undergraduate programmes to meet the needs of the domestic and international market providing first class, dedicated, professional support and guidance to international students at the college working with other stakeholders to ensure the further education sector can contribute meaningfully to UK policy formulation for international education and training increasing international income ensuring that the international dimension of the college s work is embedded into the college s strategic planning and performance management processes, and contributes to the work of the Curriculum and Innovation Research Unit fostering an international dimension to the curriculum for UK students through programmes and visits and exchanges drawing on EU and other funds for international education and training seeking out education and training contracts for international clients delivered either in the UK or overseas 30

17 Strategic Vision > Your opinion of this document will count in the college s on-going review of the Strategic Vision. Let us know what you think of the content and key themes - comments@themanchestercollege.co.uk