FE Reputation Strategy Group An update

1. FE Reputation Strategy Group An update 19 March 2009 Robin Newton-Syms

2. FE Reputation Strategy Group • Established November 2007 to enhance the national reputation of FE • Set-up in response to challenges set out in the 2006 FE White Paper 'World Class Skills' (2007) • Chair of Group - Dr Alison Birkinshaw, Principal of York College • Members come from organisations across the FE sector

3. Our work • Bringing together key sector players • Developing communications toolkit and identity guidelines for sector organisations to help develop consistent messaging and identity • Presenting at sector conferences – AOC Conferences, FE Colleges & the International Market, Guardian FE Summit 2008 • Supporting key sector events e.g. VQ Day and Colleges Week • FE research – the Group has had a prominent role in a number of research projects: • The reputation of English FE: understanding the evolution of the sector, Exeter University 2010 • Lancashire Colleges Principals’ Group Reputation Survey 2008 • National Learner Satisfaction Survey 2007

4. Forthcoming FERSG activity • Prominent communications role in the Government’s economic responsiveness work • Extensive speaker programme • Prominent role in national sector events including VQ Day 2008 & 09 • Ongoing sector research • Tactical stakeholder activity • Stakeholder engagement programme

5. FE identity guidelines and communications toolkit • The identity guidelines provide guidance on visual style for sector communications • The communications toolkit will provide key messages for the key sector audiences based around the overarching theme of FE Works. It will also include key facts on the sector • Purpose - to provide consistent communications to stakeholder groups and help develop a strong sector identity • Identity guidelines can be downloaded from: www.lsc.gov.uk/fersg. The communications toolkit will be available to download shortly

6. Lancashire Colleges Principals’ Group Reputation Survey 2008 Aims and scope of the project • To define reputation in ways that are specific to the FE sector and its primary stakeholder groups • To use this intelligence to create a framework to enable colleges to manage their reputations more effectively • To surface specific ideas as to how reputation can be advanced in individual colleges • To identify how the Principals can act collectively to enhance the reputation of the group of colleges as a whole

7. Part 1 - The student viewWhat counts for students? • Critical • High quality staff – teaching excellence • Learning facilities – library, computers, equipment • Good student experience and social atmosphere • Higher than average pass rates • Friendly and accessible teachers and tutors • Higher than average proportion of students get a good job or go on to university

8. What counts for students? Less relevant Has an academy/specialism in a vocational subject of relevance Is a formal partner of a university A positive discipline ethos Position in league tables Low drop out rate Awards/prizes the school/college has won Having a separate sixth-form centre

9. What parents said Part 2 - The parents view • Critical • High quality teaching staff – teaching excellence was thought to be the most influential area for reputation • Higher than average pass rates • Learning facilities – library, computers, equipment

10. What parents said Important • Friendly and accessible teachers and tutors • Higher than average proportion of students get a good job or go on to university • A positive discipline ethos • Good student experience and social atmosphere • Excellent inspection results • Can show that it is highly respected by employers • Competitive entry requirements

11. What parents said Less relevant • Awards/prizes the school/college has won • Accepts students from all types of backgrounds and abilities • Offers courses up to higher education level • Is a formal partner of a university • Opportunity for work experience • Low drop out rate • Having a separate sixth-form centre

12. Overarching truths Importance of word of mouth School careers advisers and subject teachers are the most influential sources of information HE and Employer destinations are critical

13. Part 3 - The employer view Positive drivers of reputation • Employer perspective • Delivery factors and wider corporate transferable factors • Care to discuss the client’s needs and tailor courses accordingly • Organisation and administrative professionalism - the staff always turn up, are contactable and provide value added extra information • The college staff enjoyed working with us and clients become partners • Media coverage – including in business/trade media

14. Positive drivers of reputation • Larger employers were impressed by: • The people and quality of the pitch presentation • Being able to offer distance learning component • Joined up/integrated proposals

15. Overarching truths • College reputation is not always universal across departments and excellence in one department does not always transfer • Poor performance in one department can jeopardise corporate reputation and lead to the loss of other unconnected business • Seems unfair but in this context reputation is a one-way street!

16. Final shots • What employers would like to see developed: • Online system allowing them to track the progress of the course/staff on a programme (like the parcel in the system) • Events for completers and certificates • More effective and concerted evaluation of impact of training

17. For further information about the FE Reputation Strategy Group Please seewww.lsc.gov.uk/fersg Contact us Email: Louise Anderson, Communications Executive louise.anderson@lsc.gov.uk