Corporation Agenda; Performance Monitoring

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CORPORATION AGENDA; PERFORMANCE MONITORING Tuesday 29 October 2019 at 5.30pm, Suite 2, Business & Conference Centre In Attendance: Victoria Bond (Programme Area Manager for Eden, Land Based, Access and LDD) Tom Hurdle (Staff Observer)

Governors are reminded of the College’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the need to consider these issues, along with health and safety, in all Corporation business.

1. Welcome and Apologies for Absence

2. Declarations of Conflict of Interests Governors must declare any interest in any agenda items, where there could be a conflict of interest. For any such declaration, they may be requested to withdraw from the meeting for the discussion/decision on that specific item and will not be eligible to vote on the matter under discussion.

3. Draft Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 24 September 2019 (Paper LMC/PM/06/19 refers) (for approval)

4. Matters Arising

· Performance Monitoring Action Checklist (Paper LMC/PM/07/19 refers) (for agreement)

5. Curriculum Presentation; Eden, Land Based, Access and LDD (Presentation by Victoria Bond)

6. Principal’s Strategic Overview (Paper LMC/PM/08/19 refers) (for discussion)

7. Performance Monitoring Report; Curriculum & Innovation, Personal Development & Welfare and Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement (Paper LMC/PM/09/19 refers) (for discussion)

8. Analysis of Stakeholder Feedback 2018/19 (Paper LMC/PM/10/19 refers) (for discussion)

9. Any Other Business

10. Dates of Next Meetings Tuesday 19 November 2019 at 5.30pm Tuesday 10 December 2019 at 5.30pm PAPER FOR GOVERNORS PAPER LMC/PM/11/19

NON-CONFIDENTIAL MINUTES OF THE CORPORATION PERFORMANCE MONITORING MEETING HELD ON 29 OCTOBER 2019

Present: Roy Thorpe (Chair) ) Ian Haines (Vice-Chair) ) Thelma Aye ) Tim Cross ) Peter McKenzie ) External Governors Yak Patel ) Claire Povah ) Steve Wood ) Louise Evans ) Support Staff Governor Wes Johnson ) Principal

In attendance: Victoria Bond Programme Area Manager, Eden, Land-Based Access and LDD Tom Hurdle Staff Observer Angela Bathgate Director of HR Strategy and Support Maggie Cawthorn Interim Director Maggie Dodd Director of Personal Development and Welfare Peter France Vice-Principal Finance and Resources Iain Parkinson Director of Curriculum and Innovation Charlotte Rawes Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement Oona Cushen Governance Adviser and Clerk

WELCOME AND APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

PM/19/041 The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, including Victoria Bond, who will provide a curriculum presentation and Tom Hurdle attending as a staff observer. Ian Haines has given apologies for this meeting, but may arrive late.

DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

PM/19/042 No declarations were made and the Governance Adviser confirmed that there were no known perceived conflicts of interest.

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING HELD ON 24 SEPTEMBER 2019

PM/19/043 The Governance Adviser referred members to paper LMC/PM/06/19 and advised that no amendments had been received.

PM/19/044 The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 24 September 2019, paper LMC/PM/06/19, were agreed as a true and accurate record and duly signed by the Chair.

MATTERS ARISING

Performance Monitoring Action Checklist

PM/19/045 The Governance Adviser referred members to paper LMC/PM/07/19 and advised that all actions are either complete or in progress.

PM/19/046 The Corporation discussed and agreed the Performance Monitoring Action Checklist; paper LMC/PM/07/19.

CURRICULUM PRESENTATION: EDEN, LAND-BASED, ACCESS AND LLDD

PM/19/047 The Programme Area Manager advised that there are three main departments; Eden Land-Based and Animal Studies, plus Access and Learners with Learning Disabilities and/or Difficulties (LLDD). Land-Based and Animal Studies is newly titled and works with Eden Project Learning. This year, Level 1, 2 and 3 City & Guilds courses are running. The Level 1 Land-Based qualification has core animal care units, with some specialist land-based units to fit in with the Eden programme. The Level 2 and 3 technical qualifications also have core animal based units alongside specialised units to fit around the work with Eden. These specialist units include ecology, conservation and British wildlife species. The subcontracted provision with Piccadilly Gardens comprises one Level 2 horticulture qualification. There is a part-time Level 2 pre-Access qualification in health and social care professions, which is used as a feed in course for the full-time Level 3 Access course for those learners not quite ready for the main course. The pre- Access course also allows learners to complete their maths and English qualifications, if required, at the same time before progressing onto the intense Level 3 course. LLDD provision comprises ‘Bridge to’ and ‘Step Up’ full-time courses, leading to an employability qualification. Learners mainly come directly from specialist schools, e. g. Morecambe Road School and the Loyne School. Step Up for adults is part-time provision, comprising a variety of vocational qualifications.

PM/19/048 The Eden and Land-Based provision has three full-time staff; two tutors and one technician, plus two fractional staff covering the work placement co-ordinator role. Access has one full-time staff member, with staff from other departments delivering some specialist subjects. LLDD has one full-time staff member, plus three part-time hourly paid staff who deliver specialist vocational elements. Last year, all staff across all the departments met the required standards for teaching and learning. There were some areas for development but, overall, a very good profile.

PM/19/049 16-18 learner numbers have increased, but 19+ numbers have dipped slightly from the previous year. Access is 19+ provision, but there are two 16-18 learners on the pre- access course. The Level 3 Access to Higher Education is a 19+ only qualification, designed to encourage adults back into education and to gain them their university entry requirements within one year. The Access course offered is centred around health and social care and includes social issues, sociology, psychology and human physiology. The majority of learners progress onto degrees in nursing, midwifery, social work, mental health nursing. etc. There has been a significant increase in recruitment for this course. The Eden cohort is the opposite, comprised mainly of 16-18 year olds as it is a full-time course, so there are few adults currently. LLDD is mainly adult provision, as some learners have already studied with another provider for sixth form provision before enrolling on these courses. Piccadilly Gardens provision is also mainly a small adult cohort on niche therapeutic horticulture provision, although there is one 16-18 learner enrolled. People enrolling with Piccadilly Gardens are those wanting to get back into working life, be well in mental health and gain a qualification at the same time.

PM/19/050 Although attendance is currently good, it remains an area of focus for the department. Attendance on the Access course was an issue last year, and is highlighted within the programme area’s self-assessment report. It has had a very strong start, however, with 93% attendance and 97% retention (three learners having withdrawn). Attendance on the Eden course has just dipped below 90%, with some learners already having attendance issues. The team is working closely with these learners and their parents, through individual attendance targets etc. to ensure they remain in College. Two learners have left the course, one of these being for attendance issues. There is strong attendance for LLDD, but some health issues are reflected in their 94% attendance, but overall this remains good. Piccadilly Gardens currently has 100% attendance.

PM/19/051 2018/19 achievement data was distributed at the meeting. The animal based curriculum has been adjusted and the inclusion of Eden specialisms should help improve on last year’s performance. There were some issues within Land-Based, resulting in only 76% achievement; two learners were moved onto European Social Fund (ESF) provision, but after the initial six-week transfer deadline, so, therefore, counted negatively against retention. The extended Level 2/3 bridging qualification is not being run this year, with learners amalgamated into either the Level 1 or Level 2 group. The course was very technical and was a 60% externally moderated, exam based qualification. LLDD had strong achievement but issues with skills development sitting at 78%. the qualification has been modified this year and the change in units should lead to improvement.

PM/19/052 Access achievement saw significant improvement, which was pleasing to see given the team’s efforts to increase their achievement rates. The social science course, with only 71% achievement, is not being run this year as there is a two- to three-year performance decline for this course. The Access qualification will now incorporate health care and social sciences for the whole cohort. Proportionately is important and, last year, there were 46 health care learners, but only 20 social science learners, of which 13 completed the course. Seven learners had withdrawn by Christmas 2018, but found other qualifications that they were able to complete.

PM/19/053 For new members, achievement is the product of retention (learners who remain on course) and pass rates (the number of those retained learners that complete their qualification). Retention statistics begin after the census at the end of week six.

PM/19/054 Progression and destinations are focused on right from the beginning of the course, to ensure learners know what they need to do to progress onto the next level or move onto their intended destination, e.g. university or employment. It is planned to have progression onto Level 4 and 5 courses for Eden from next September, but these are not running this year as the cohort would be too small. Learners on the Access course do generally go onto university with many choosing to stay in the North West (Lancaster University, the University of Cumbria or the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)), but a small number do move further afield. Degree courses include nursing, mental health nursing, midwifery, social science, teaching etc., all mainly within health care but one learner did progress onto a degree in Japanese a few years ago. The popular Higher Education routes for Land-Based are veterinary nursing (at Myerscough College), animal welfare and behaviour, eco-biology, conservation, zoology and animal management etc. Many learners from Land-Based, however, eventually go into employment that is industry related after work experience, including running their own business, animal centre and pet shop staff, dog walking or dog grooming business, as well as zookeepers and managers all around the country.

PM/19/055 Attendance remains a key focus and the Programme Area Manager meets with learners whose attendance falls below 90% to find out the reasons why and to implement an action plan with very clear targets. The plan is reviewed every few weeks. The disciplinary process and use of warnings will be used, where relevant, and parents are also contacted to provide support. The use of attendance incentives is also under review, e.g. end of term or year treat for those above 90% attendance. Skills development, technical and pastoral, continues to remain a key focus. Every learner has a copy of the required technical and pastoral skills, which are used to set individual targets. Work diaries, linked to evidence of skills development, are being trialled with Animal Care students this year within practical workshops. Staff provide feedback and will sign off as competent when sufficient evidence has been provided. The diary may also be used as evidence for their next course or employment. Work scrutiny forms part of the audit quality cycle and will continue in all three departments. There will be further development of Eden courses, resources and external links, including more direct work with the Eden project itself.

PM/19/056 The team works with over 30 employers for land-based work placements, as well as for LLDD learners, who tend to go out on supported work placements in one or two small groups. This helps to build employability skills so learners can progress into some form of supported employment or volunteering. The team also works closely with Lancaster University and University of Cumbria (UoC) for those learners who goal is to progress onto university. 60 learners are visiting the UoC to look at health courses and attend workshops to support them with their university applications. The NHS is also a key partner and health care link for Access learners, with many different careers available.

PM/19/057 Maths and English are incorporated into every programme, for those learners who have yet to gain these qualifications. For full-time 16-18 learners, classes are automatically timetabled into their programme if studying on either a Level 1 or Level 2 course. Maths and English for LLDD learners are built into their programme and are delivered by their main course tutor. Some learners are exempt from having to continue to study for these qualifications, dependent on their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Level 1 and Level 2 learners can study these subjects at either GCSE or Functional Skills level, but Level 3 learners should have achieved their grade 4 or above before joining their course. There is currently one Level 3 learner who did not achieve their grade 4 over the Summer but, following discussion with the learner and their parents, it was decided that they could progress onto the Level 3 course this year. This learner will attend evening classes for GCSE maths and, despite the additional workload, is currently doing well. Each case will be reviewed individually for progressing learners.

PM/19/058 There is a very strong and successful link with Gdansk Zoo in Poland, with seven visits over the past few years. The Zoo offers three-week work placements to LMC learners, usually for a group of four and learners have to be aged over 18. Learners wishing to have an overseas placement must apply and go through an interview process with a panel of staff. If selected, they do get paid and are supported through their placement. There is no cost to the College as the placements are funded through an Erasmus+ project, but all successful learners agree it is an amazing experience. Some even go back over the Summer to volunteer and to continue to learner life skills, e.g. new language, living independently etc. Funding is currently available for a further three visits to take place by 2022, with the next visit scheduled for April 2020.

PM/19/059 Credit must be given to the Estates team for creating the Eden Hub over the Summer, and Governors are welcome to visit the Hub at any time. The hub is a former classroom with the furniture removed and divided into zones with IT equipment but no desks. This provides a non-traditional, different learning environment and ways of working. Animal Care students also found an employer talk fascinating, based on canine massage and how animals using scent to self-medicate themselves. One final good news story is about an Access learner who has won a national Ascentis award for learners who go above and beyond on their qualification, despite difficult family circumstances. The £600 award is a life-changing amount of money for that learner heading off to university.

PM/19/060 Current concern mainly relates to the impact of the staff restructure (fewer staff but same jobs, leading to increased workloads for both teaching and support staff). The concerns have already been raised with the management team to identify solutions. The senior team are being pro-active in working on how to minimise that impact, e.g. increase in teaching hours for tutors, tutorials and the pastoral element.

In response to Governors’ scrutiny and challenge, the following points were highlighted:

PM/19/061 The Chair thanked the Programme Area Manager for an excellent presentation, which concluded the series of curriculum presentations for Governors. Members have found all the presentations helpful in gaining further insight and successful learners should be congratulated for ‘flying the flag’ for the College.

PM/19/062 It was suggested that attendance on Eden courses would have been higher, given the new course. There are some learners with lower attendance, arising from substantial personal issues and that have come with a poor school attendance history. The expectation for attendance is three days per week for the Eden course. Some learners on higher level courses will also be required to undertake work placement for one day on week on top of their class attendance. The College target for overall attendance is 90%. For those learners with a history of poor school attendance, individualised targets are being set. Although current research suggests some learners may perform better on courses starting mid-morning, all College courses start at 9am to drive that employability mind-set and prepare for the world of work. For Access and Eden work placements, some learners will be expected to start at 7am, as this would be expected if employed.

PM/19/063 The Eden Project and Learning Hub have been very high profile, linking into the local ecology, environment and wildlife. Some young people have made the connection with the development of the Eden North project in Morecambe and have visited the original project in Cornwall. Others are completely unaware of the project and Eden was not a driving force for them to join the course as many had already applied for the course prior to the Eden launch. For some, though, it is an exciting project and a chance to be employed, once the project has been built. The increased workload for staff is recognised, but there is also the opportunity for the team to connect with local and national charities around ecology, e.g. the National Trust and the Canal and River Trust. These connections have been made through the launch event, including Heysham Nature Reserve, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Butterfly Conservation. Specialist units will not be delivered until the second term.

PM/19/064 The Principal has met with the Morecambe Bay Partnership and further meetings will follow. Governor Yak Patel is the Chief Executive of the Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) and is aware of many community-based gardening projects looking for more workplace volunteers etc. Community links have not been incorporated before, so these will be undertaken in the Spring term. Animal Studies learners have worked on projects involving taking animals into primary schools for talks, as this is a way for learners to get used to public speaking, particularly if they lack confidence. Schools also visit the College to have a tour of the facilities and informative talks. Piccadilly Gardens is niche therapeutic horticulture provision and, as such, recruit their own learners as a franchise. LMC’s own horticulture provision closed and potential learners are also signposted to Piccadilly Gardens. There is also much therapeutic animal care provision delivered in College, much of it through the LLDD programme. Both ‘Bridge To’ and ‘Step Up’ provision have vocational elements, including animal care, sport, catering, art and design.

PM/19/065 The Board is fully aware of the challenges of the previous term in regards to the staff restructure and is working closely with the senior team to mitigate impact.

ACTION: Director of Curriculum and Innovation to help link the programme area with those community projects seeking workplace volunteers.

PRINCIPAL’S STRATEGIC OVERVIEW

PM/19/066 The Principal referred members to paper LMC/PM/08/19 and advised that credit should be given to the Programme Area Manager, along with the Director of Curriculum and Innovation and the Director of Personal Development and Welfare, who have been involved with the Eden project from its inception. The curriculum continues to evolve to ensure it remains fit for purpose. The curriculum is not solely reliant on the Eden project as the courses include employability skills that are transferable to other employers.

PM/19/067 The Morecambe Bay curriculum is designed to run from early years to postgraduate and Lancaster University is a key partner. Teacher training through the University of Cumbria also have a key involvement. The project is generating a lot of interest through public consultation events and the College has secured a permanent display of Eden materials in the Hex for the foreseeable future. It is hoped the increasing impact of the Eden project will transfer into real impact on learner numbers. This should also increase employer engagement through work placements, with over 5,000 supply chain employers.

PM/19/068 Nuclear continues to progress and the Director of Curriculum and Innovation is leading on a second year pathway for the current Engineering cohort, with district-wide developments. Mark Lees is the new Director of Heysham 2 Power Station and is keen to help. Mr Lees’ own journey was through a technical college in Scotland and is working with the College in generating that future workforce, either for general operations or for decommissioning. This a huge opportunity to ensure the local community benefit from future job opportunities. Plans are still in the early stages, to extend the Engineering footprint, but there is potential support from EDF Energy for a new engineering workshop.

PM/19/069 LMC will remain a general FE college, offering a full subject range, but there will be unique features, particularly post-Brexit. Another project in the early stage of development is linked to Heysham Port, possibly following the ‘Port Academy’ model run by Hugh Baird College. There are some significant skills shortages and this should be a unique feature and one which the College is working to find solutions for through specialist provision. The Principal has visited Hugh Baird College to review their model, similar to the new nuclear model; a mainstream programme, Engineering, overlaid with a maritime pathway with ‘maritime behaviours’ built in. This will be a different concept to the Blackpool Nautical Academy. Peel Ports and Seatruck both operate in Liverpool as well as Heysham and are keen to progress this with the College. Strategically, there should be no capital investment, instead adapting and progressing current curriculum. Governance will likely focus initially on the Engineering provision with significant growth year on year, but the maritime curriculum also has potential to be a significant growth area, with higher funding for Level 3 from next year as a priority area for skills development. There will not be a major capital investment proposal for either provision, but rather secure additional funding through partnerships. Both projects are in early stages but fit well with the intent of the curriculum and places the College at the heart of its community.

In response to Governors’ scrutiny and challenge, the following points were highlighted:

PM/19/070 Staff wellbeing is a consideration but the projects represent how hard staff are working in a multitude of roles; the senior team is not working harder than any other member of staff. There is a wave of positivity, through the Chamber of Commerce and key employers now see the College as a central hub. Credit should not only be given to the senior team, but also the middle managers, the Estates team etc. in making these projects happen. The senior team are acutely aware of the funding aspect and are working hard on mitigation.

PM/19/071 Governors particularly welcomed the College’s involvement in the post-16 wellbeing group and in pulling all key stakeholders together. This is a crucial element and The Lancashire Colleges partnership has provided quantum mass in bringing in Lancashire County Council, the NHS etc. It is a huge issue and many students choose Animal Management for therapeutic reasons. The Director of HR Strategy and Support, along with the Head of Estates, Safety and Wellbeing, is working on the Safer College Community project and how to better support students’ resilience. Morecambe is second only to Blackpool in the Lancashire in regards to County Lines and the College must do everything it can to help protect students from vulnerability. There is an increasing agenda focusing on domestic violence, child exploitation and County Lines drug abuse, but people work together to support each other, including through schools and the sharing of information to help better prepare young people.

PM/19/072 The new projects meet the agenda of being a community college and demonstrate the College’s commitment to a range of stakeholders, which is quite inspirational in evidencing how the right educational opportunities can lift people out of poverty. This commitment to community and stakeholders will filter down so young people benefit from higher skills and employment. It is a huge responsibility but the Principal and staff are passionate about education making a difference to people’s lives, particularly as a pathway out of poverty. As services, e.g. social work, is squeezed, staff will not turn a blind eye because of their commitment to their learners and, by definition, this increases their workload. The Principal met with the Local Authority this afternoon to discuss the impact of squeezed services. This is a unique community served in different ways but the College is fully committed to be a high-performing but inclusive college.

PM/19/073 It is exciting to see the synergy of the development of the maritime curriculum alongside the Eden project and this will also link well with the coastal community work. Governors were very pleased with the amount of work the teams are undertaking to ensure those external relationships are developing and coming to fruition. There are still some barriers to working collectively with secondary schools as the schools themselves have little relationship with each other. The College does, however, take an individualised approach with each secondary school, which is proving effective. The school sector is also going through much change and there are some very small sixth forms, which may not be sustainable in the longer term. The E-Baccalaureate curriculum has had an impact, along with the selectiveness of Lancaster and Morecambe district secondary education; Lancaster having two faith-based schools. Nicola Hall, a former Governor of the College, has left Central Lancaster High School. Morecambe High School and Heysham High School were both deemed inadequate by Ofsted; Morecambe High School is now an academy trust and Heysham High School is now the Bay Leadership Academy, but neither of these schools are part of the Bay Academy Trust set up by Ripley High School. There is a wider North Lancashire issue of off-rolling, exclusions and extended study leave from Christmas, along with the associated risks and safeguarding issues. The Marketing team has well-established relationships with careers leads in the local secondary schools, who are all invited into College for careers days etc. The local primary schools are collegiate and do work together, to this relationship has been much easier to establish. The Pupil Parliament (for primary schools) is now being held in College and this should have a positive knock-on effect. For some primary school head teachers, the Eden meeting was the first time they had visited the College and the campus did have a ‘wow’ factor. LMC does not offer A-Level provision as there is already ample choice for learners, but some secondary schools do still have a small technical offer aimed at bolstering their sixth form provision, but this is unlikely to be sustainable in the long term.

PM/19/074 Some specialist school students are desperate to come to College but can only come for part-time 14-16 provision. There is development potential to increase the College’s 14- 16 year old provision but this option of a full-time 14-16 curriculum as a true alternative would, however, have to be aspirational for those who really want a vocational education, as opposed to ‘sink provision’. The Director of Personal Development and Welfare is also due to visit Hugh Baird College to review their 14-16 model. The curriculum would require its own discrete hub, as well as learners infilling into vocational areas. The Aspire provision has proven success for disengaged 16 year olds and discussions are ongoing with Lancashire County Council about the impact the College could have if some of these learners were able to come to College at 14 years old. Staff have also met with Year 11 school leads to gather additional information and they have been very open in regards to lengthy ‘study leave’ and the impact on safeguarding and County Lines.

PM/19/075 The Corporation received and discussed the Principal’s Strategic Overview; paper LMC/PM/08/19.

PERFORMANCE MONITORING REPORT; CURRICULUM & INNOVATION, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT & WELFARE AND APPRENTICESHIPS & EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT

PM/19/076 The Director of Curriculum and Innovation referred members to paper LMC/PM/09/19 and advised that the headline data was taken as at 17 October 2019. There have been issues with the RAG rating, particularly when data is exported from other software programmes into Microsoft Teams documents. Staff will remember to produce a key for any RAG rating in future papers. The Chair confirmed that paper presentation continues to be a work in progress, but staff should avoid using acronyms unless these have first been listed in full. National benchmarks should also be included wherever possible.

PM/19/077 Education and Training (E&T) refers to full-time learners, excluding apprentices, and there is predicted improvement in achievement, with just under 6,000 entries in the data tables. Overall achievement has increased by 2%, but there has been a significant increase of just over 10% over the past four years. Overall achievement is the product of retention and pass rate, which are both set out separately in the data tables. All achievement data now sits above the national benchmarks. Level 2 16-18 retention dipped slightly by 1%, but remains high at 91% and sits above at national benchmark. The majority of pass rates at all levels and ages have improved or have remained close to the previous year. Overall, the majority of data has seen a good increase, with improving trends. Teams have worked very hard to ensure retention is high and the more learners retained, the more learners available to pass their courses, allowing overall achievement to increase.

In response to Governors’ scrutiny and challenge, the following points were highlighted:

PM/19/078 This is a good set of data and the graphs evidence key trends of improvement. Attendance, in particular, has shown improvement, as well as punctuality, which has not previously been reported. As usual, there are team data fluctuations, but highest and lowest performance has been highlighted. Brickwork is traditionally lower, as this area tends to have annual issues related to staffing and recruitment. The team have worked incredibly hard to achieve 77%, which, although lower than other teams, is the national benchmark. Governors should look for notable trends, e.g. decline in Joinery, but reasons will be addressed within their self-assessment report and there are plans to address this in their quality improvement plan. Staff are not complacent but do have the ability to recognise where areas need different support or a different approach or change in the curriculum. The team self-assessment process has been rigorous and the quality improvement plans are crucial documents in moving the College forward. Governors must continue to hold the senior team to account and check the improvement plan is sufficiently robust to deliver change in particular areas, especially against a backdrop of increased performance across the College. Outcomes should be shared with all staff.

PM/19/079 Staff motivation within Brickwork remains strong, despite being lower performing than other construction courses. Staff work hard with some challenging learners, to ensure learners continue on their progression route and maintain as high attendance and achievement as possible. It is also about ensuring these staff are supported in doing so. The curriculum and environment was also changed in-year, as a result of employer and learner demand, respectively. Learners did not like being in a classroom, so the College implemented a theory hub linked to the workshops in a different space in the Brickwork area. This has had a positive impact for those learners.

PM/19/080 The individual subject areas have not been colour coloured, but 10 would be categorised as red, one as amber and the remaining 14 areas as green, so there is no room for complacency and Governors’ scrutiny into the individual areas must continue relentlessly. The self-assessment report and the quality improvement plan must consider the College’s position against national averages and against local competitors. National benchmarks for Brickwork are not as high as other subject areas and Access is also lower.

PM/19/081 Enrolments are not necessarily unique learners, as some students will have multiple enrolments (e.g. main programme, maths and English), so proportionality is important. Governors have previously requested cohort size alongside the percentage figures, and these should be provided whenever possible. Joinery, for example, has 69 enrolments, but the impact of two students leaving is high because of multiple enrolments per learner.

Ian Haines joined the meeting.

PM/19/082 Achievement for learners holding an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) has increased, as has the number of learners, but there remains a 3% gap between non- EHCP and EHCP holders. The achievement gap is decreasing but must continue to be addressed. Overall basic maths and English is the same as Functional Skills, but have been combined together for one dataset. The 16-18 Level 2 achievement is low at 25%, but this is based on only eight learners, whereas the 68% success rate for Level 1 was based on 133 learners. Adults normally significantly outperform 16-18 year olds in Functional Skills, which is the case at Level 1. Level 2 English, however, remained the same as last year, whilst there has been a dip for Level 2 maths. GCSE maths and English is now validated data, and staff have been disappointed with the results even though it is comparable to similar providers and is still 5% above national benchmark. The team are still working on identifies to evidence progression within grades, and to better capture in-year progress.

PM/19/083 At the induction assessment boards held earlier in October, information was shared around withdrawn learners, and it is reassuring that the College is being invited to regional meetings on strategic safeguarding. These meetings, although time-consuming, do add value to the College as they cover everything from support networks, mental health to extra safeguarding issues for Looked After Children. These issues are only expected to increase. There have already been two young people who were made homeless within the first three weeks of term. There are currently 88 learners with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), but this figure is also expected to rise. 50% of these sit within the Foundation Learning, Aspire and LLDD provision, with the remaining 50% scattered across all levels within College.

PM/19/084 There are more SEND learners this year, and these are defined as not only additionally funded learners with an Education, Health and Care Plan but also those learners who require any additional support for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). Some providers define SEND as any learner below Level 2. Additional support could include Exam Access Arrangements (EAA), dyslexia and other forms of assessments. The disciplinary process will also be used and use of the process is being tracked differently this year to ensure appropriateness and effectiveness.

PM/19/085 Following the upgrade to the Pro-Achieve software, a decline in apprenticeship retention rates was noticed. Following investigation, this related to learners transferred from an apprenticeship to full-time provision, e.g. in Hairdressing. This was due to a change in methodology by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), where transfers would now be counted as a withdrawal. This affects nine apprentices at the College. All the forecasting was based on the original methodology, so this change has had a negative 2% impact on the achievement rate. If an apprentice loses their job, the safety net is to bring them back into College onto a full-time course, but the change in funding methodology does not incentivise this course of action from a data point of view. The College, however, firmly believe this is the right thing to do for learners. A robust argument will be presented to external bodies. This methodology change has had an impact on Level 2 16-18 retention and achievement. If the regulations had stayed the same, achievement would have exceeded that in 2017/18.

PM/19/086 There is much data available through the satisfaction surveys, but the increase in rates for apprentices and employers evidences the significant improvement within this team’s performance. The Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement has numerous individual stories around the Colleges positive impact on learner experience and, fundamentally, the College will not abandon an apprentice who has lost their job, but will support them into some other form of education. The national averages for apprenticeships are low but continue to move in the right direction. 16018 apprenticeship starts are higher than last year, which in itself saw a 20% increase on the previous year.

PM/19/087 It was suggested that the change in methodology for apprenticeships should be challenged with the Department for Education. The Principal confirmed it will be discussed with the local Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) team at the next meeting, but if the software update had not been run, this change in data would not have been known until next March, when the Government publishes the national validated datasets. So many colleges fall foul of not ensuring their data is accurately represented, but the CIS team have forensic scrutiny of all data to ensure it is fully accurate. The route for feedback would be through regional and national bodies, e.g. The Lancashire Colleges or the Association of Colleges (AoC). There was a consensus that there should be a robust rebuttal to the change in methodology as colleges should not be penalised for doing the right thing by learners, especially when the number of young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) is increasing. This will be a similar argument to that used for the 40 or so learners with less than 50% attendance, where the College has found retained these learners in education and found alternative solutions.

PM/19/088 The Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Engagement confirmed that the College had been successful in its application to remain on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) in order to continue to deliver apprenticeships.

PM/19/089 The Corporation received and discussed the Performance Monitoring Report; Curriculum & Innovation, Personal Development & Welfare and Apprenticeships & Employer Engagement; paper LMC/PM/09/19.

ANALYSIS OF STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK 2018/19

PM/19/090 The Interim Director referred members to paper LMC/PM/10/19 and advised that the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) questionnaire is externally moderated with a large number of respondents nationally. One of the key measures is how many learners would recommend the College, currently sitting at 85.1%, and to benchmark these against local competitors and national averages. The statistics are based on a response score of eight or over, so some responses may only have dropped one point to seven, but have had a major impact initially.

PM/19/091 Although the decline does look like cause for concern, it is important to undertake real scrutiny to decide whether teaching has not really improved. This is not believed to be the case, overall, based on other survey questionnaires and lesson observations. The survey was managed in tutorials but learners did not value those tutorials, and they have now been returned back to curriculum areas. Apprenticeship and employer satisfaction rates have improved significantly, especially the employer satisfaction rates, which are extremely high. The overall outcomes will keep LMC in the top 25% of all colleges.

In response to Governors’ scrutiny and challenge, the following points were highlighted:

PM/19/092 There are some concerns, specifically around the responses from Level 3 and adult learners, as well as parents’ concerns in relation to the lack of communication and the level of information they have around the support available. There is a new reporting system to parents this year, with the reports being graded so parent can clearly see if progress is being made. The College was not sufficiently systematic, in terms of questionnaire collection, so the internal end-of-year return was very low. There is a Stakeholder Strategy for this year, encompassing more regular feedback opportunities, including questionnaire and more ‘Stop and Ask’ surveys. The end-of-year survey was also late in being sent out, so there was insufficient time for staff to chase responses.

PM/19/093 There is a process to ‘close the loop’ on responses back to learners, e.g. ‘You Said, We Did’ posters, updates through the website and social media, as well as feedback through focus groups, Student Council and Class Representatives. Further feedback is obtained through face-to-face dialogue in a variety of ways to provide more qualitative, rather than quantitative information, along with more rigorous analysis with students at the Student Conference. It is difficult to pull out three key themes for improvement, as it would not be effective to explain the removal of pastoral mentors through placing tutorials back into the curriculum, but this was a key action taken by the senior team. An early measure of success for the moving of tutorials back to curriculum staff is increased learner attendance at tutorials. The vast majority of LMC learners, however, did not take part in the survey and the team will also more timely in-year feedback is obtained in 2019/20. Other learner feedback will be obtained during lesson observations and this will be reported in those report sections to the Corporation.

PM/19/094 The Corporation received and discussed the Analysis of Stakeholder Feedback 2018/19; paper LMC/PM/10/19.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

PM/19/095 There were no other items of business.

DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS

PM/19/096 Following discussion around Governors’ availability, members agreed to cancel the meeting scheduled to be held on 19 November 2019 and defer all items. The next meeting, therefore, will be held on 10 December 2019. In view of concerns raised by the Governance Adviser, it was agreed that the meeting time be extended, starting at 5pm and running to a proposed end time of 9pm. It was also emphasised that all papers will be taken as read in advance of the meeting, as normal, and only questions and discussion will be permitted.

The Corporation agrees that these non-confidential minutes are an accurate record of the meeting.

SIGNED: ……………………………………. NAME: (Chair)

DATE: ……………………………………