Keep learners at the heart of area reviews

By: Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Policy Leader

Thursday 18 February 2016

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The National Union of Students launched its #FEunplugged campaign on 29 January, with the aim of making sure that the learner’s voice is heard in the area review process.

This builds on growing concerns in the sector that the area review process is being pushed through without due consideration for the institutions it will affect.

The Government has set out that “the aim of the area reviews is to ensure that we have the right capacity to meet the needs of students and employers in each area, provided by institutions which are financially stable and able to deliver high quality provision”, moving towards “fewer, often larger, more resilient and efficient providers”.

The 40 or so area reviews are scheduled to be completed by March 2017.

We’ve already seen the first wave of reviews fall behind schedule, and concerns being raised that the process is only focusing on Further Education and sixth form colleges, and not the wider Further Education and skills ecosystem.

During a recent debate in Parliament on the importance of Further Education to the life chances of young people, the Shadow Skills Minister stated: ‘The Government’s area reviews, as they stand at the moment, are littered with problems and miss key components—they are simply a cost-cutting exercise.”

The government has reiterated that the area reviews are locally based and would involve local decision making, stating “area reviews are not going to be centrally imposed solutions”.

Once again, the Further Education sector is facing some significant upheaval. It’s up to all of us in, or who value and love, Further Education to stand up and make sure our voice is heard.

What are your thoughts on the area review process?

See how you and your learners can support #FEunplugged.

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Authors

Lindsay Plumpton

Communications Leader
96 posts
David Grailey

Chief Executive
79 posts
Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

Policy Leader
75 posts
Esme Winch

Managing Director
35 posts
Michael Lemin

Policy and Research Manager
25 posts

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