FE College Governors’ Conference

New National Improvement Strategy

Roger McClure, Chief Executive

2 December 2008, UCU London

Outline

• six themes

• nature of LSIS

• immediate plans

• developing philosophy

• renewing the National Improvement Strategy

• implications for colleges

Six themes

• sector is the third ingredient

• sector-directed grant

• communication and dialogue

• putting the ‘self’ into self-improvement

• focusing the work of the national partners

• a challenge as momentous as incorporation

Nature of LSIS

• sector-owned body in the public sector

• registered charity and company limited by guarantee

• board of trustees/directors

• council of up to 40 who are members of the charity

• “accountable not to government, but to [the] council”

• based in Coventry with a London presence

• income is sector-directed grant/specific grant/fees

• inherited excellent dowries from CEL and QIA

The LSIS Board

Ruth SilverChair, LSIS and

Principal, Lewisham College

Asha KhemkaPrincipal and Chief Executive, West Nottinghamshire College

Roger McClureChief Executive, LSIS

Christine BraddockPrincipal and Chief Executive, Matthew Boulton College and

Sutton Coldfield College

Keith BrookerDirector,

City and Guilds

Walter BrownFormer Principal

Liverpool Community College

Neil BatesChief Executive,

Prospects Learning Foundation

Bill MoorcroftPrincipal

Trafford College

Paul HeadPrincipal, College of North East London

David McNultyChief Executive,Trafford Council

Meredydd DavidPrincipal,

Reaseheath College

Stella MbubaegbuPrincipal and Chief

Executive, Highbury College

Ann Robinson Interim Director for Sixth

Form College and Sixth Form Issues, the AoC

Simon WitheyManaging Director,

VT Education and Skills

Immediate plans

• deliver existing CEL and QIA programmes to July 09 at least

• lead renewal of National Improvement Strategy (NIS)

• extensive face-to-face consultation with partners

• consult on strategic direction for LSIS

• design ‘sector-led’ communication channels

• gradually merge businesses

• develop LSIS structure, values and culture

LSIS emerging philosophy

• consequences of external micro-management and imposition

• difficult times require skilled independent local operators

• twin keys to self-improvement are trust and ownership

• twin challenges: sector takes ownership; Gvt holds nerve

• ownership at individual, provider and sector levels

• everyone a professional – taking pride in their ‘craft’

• values and beliefs which are owned and lived

• new approach to National Improvement Strategy

Renewing the NIS

• seek consensus on ~ 6 core self-improvement principles

• effectively a vision for a self-improving sector

• aim for all partners to target the principles

• aim for all funding to be focused on the principles

• to get coherent, concentrated support for providers

• backed by a ‘directory’ of partner support

• formal consultation about to begin

Draft principles for the new NIS

• in outline only …. concentrating on capacity to improve

• 1. focus on each learner

• 2. governance is the key to self-improvement, self-regulation

• 3. no provider ever satisfied with current level of performance

• 4. every single member of staff is a professional

• 5. use sector expertise to improve individual providers

• 6. sector to organise to give authoritative advice on policy

Implications for colleges

• continuity with your current programmes for now, but…

• LSIS will be different, building on new NIS principles…

• sector-led; with sector-directed grant, continuing dialogue

• using more (and paying for) sector expertise, and…

• working closely with partners

• governance and peer support likely to be key programmes

• full consultation on new NIS & LSIS direction, in December

• second consultation on strategies and activities

Tell us what you think!

www.lsis.org.uk