WM Clerks’ Network Date: Tuesday 7 October 2014 Time: 10:30 – 13:00 Venue: Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College Minutes Present Alison Lydon (AL) – Queen Alexandra College Anne Barker (AB) – Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College Caroline Menadue (CM) – Warwickshire College Group Janice Hamilton (JH) – The Sixth Form College, Solihull Jenny Morris (JM) [Chair] – Heart of Worcestershire College Jim Edwards (JE) – City College Coventry Jo Nudds (JN) – Telford College of Arts and Technology Julie Groom (JG) – South and City College Birmingham Pal Sohi (PS) – AoC West Midlands Parveen Ghulam (PG) – South and City College Birmingham Robert Gorman (RG) – Hereford Sixth Form College Sara King (SK) – AoC West Midlands Steve Sawbridge (SS) – AoC West Midlands Tracy Cottee (TC) – Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology Guest speakers Ian Smith (IS) - Ofsted Attendees are represented in the text by their initials. 1. WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS AND APOLOGIES JM welcomed everyone to the meeting. A special thank you was given to David Jackson for the valuable contribution he had made towards Governance both nationally and regionally during his term as the WM Clerks’ group chair. 2. OFSTED IS delivered a presentation to the group (attached) on the usage of the Ofsted data dashboard and supported this with a live demonstration. The data dashboard helps Governors to ask the right questions so that they can effectively review own college performance and compare this with neighbour colleges, and hold leaders and managers to account if need be. Governors can also see how their colleges are contributing to the wider community and what the impact of learning is in terms of learner destinations. The dashboard helps to widen the dialogue between employers and providers. The data contained within the dashboard is all historical data covering the past three years. The next update is planned in a few months time. This will then include data covering the 2013/14 academic period. The data is also used to risk assess colleges, therefore inspections may be brought forward. The data does not concentrate on sector subject areas, courses, or attendance, but does look at overall success rates and retention levels for academic, vocational, and apprenticeship courses, attainment levels, level three value added, LEP priorities, and learner destinations. Data can be viewed by age group and then filtered down into levels, or by context. The bar charts cover data over the last three years. Hovering over the various components of the chart will show exact percentage figures – in particular the clear and black arrows identify the national averages against the levels. The three bars of data cover the last three years; helps to contextualise the data and shows improvement or decline within the college at a quick glance. The small table to the side of the bar chart works on a red, amber, green system and helps to ascertain the overall performance of the college and where you are in the league table. 3. FORMAL ELECTION OF CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, AND WM REPRESENTATIVE AT NCN MEETINGS SS advised colleges must be realistic on how much they shift their planning to reflect LEP priorities. Colleges should consider looking at more specialisms and collaborative working. 4. REVIEW OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING Please note there was one inaccuracy from the minutes of the previous meeting. Solihull College is using Oxford Brookes for a new Sport Science top up degree, as opposed to using it to replace Edexcel. 5. AOC NATIONAL AND REGIONAL UPDATES Members engaged in a discussion workshop to talk over how their colleges will be reacting to the change in regulation. 6. REGIONAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME ND believes the implications of the transfer of Pearson HNs to QCF in the review of FHEQ to be significant. 7. GOVERNOR DATA/SURVEY CB: NWHC sits within both East and West Midlands regions. The College has joined a federation with South Leicestershire College who is undergoing its HER process. Application numbers for next year are looking good. 8. CLERKS’ NETWORK ADMINISTRATION There was no other business. Dates and venues to note for future meetings: 9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 10. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS 11. ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION 12. CLOSE OF MEETING .