Minutes of a Corporation Meeting Held On

DOCUMENT 1

Minutes of a Corporation Meeting held on

Wednesday20th April 2016 at 5.00pm

Held in the Boardroom

Present:Ms Alina Bluma-Geka

Mr Stuart Brand

Ms Di Crookes

Mr Stewart Fergusson

Ms Maggie Galliers (Chair)

Dr Elaine McMahon (Principal)

Dr Russell Moseley

Mr Rajay Naik

Ms Olu Olaitan

Mr Carl Pearson

Mr Stuart Rolt

Ms Sandra Smith

Mr Martin Sparrow

In Attendance:Mr Jim Edwards, Clerk to the Corporation

Ms Clare Hatton, Assistant Principal MIS

Ms Jacki Hughes, Interim Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality

Ms Jo Lawrence, Assistant Principal, Student and Learning Services

Mr Mark Payne, Assistant Principal Finance and Resources

[The meeting was prefaced by a briefing provided by the Head of School for Creative Arts, and the Programme Leader for Creative Arts, informing Governors of a forthcoming exhibition of student work at the Herbert Art Gallery.]

C26/16Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received fromMs Charlotte Bosworth, Mr Steve Stewart,and

Ms Monica Wallace, Assistant Principal HR

C27/16Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest.

C28/16Membership

1.The Chair reported that Paula Deas and Craig Humphrey had stood down from the Corporation ahead of the Area Based Review, because of their evident conflicts of interest in their roles for the LEP and the Coventry and Warwickshire Hub.

2.The Governance Committee would now be seeking a replacement from the Engineering and Construction sectors, and the Clerk was asked to expedite this process.

C29/16Minutes from the meeting held on 23rd March 2016

The minutes of the meeting held on 23rd March 2016 were approved as a true record subject to a typographical error being corrected.

C30/16Matters Arising from the Minutes

i)underMinute C5/16 (vii) Post-Inspection Action Plan, Governors were assured that the HR Report would be presented to the Corporation on 18th May 2016. The report would include a staff development plan, which would provide information on the current position in 2015-16, as well as looking ahead to 2016-17.

ii)underMinute C14/16 (ii), Risk Register,it was confirmed that revisions to the risk register would be presented to the Audit Committee on 14th June 2016 for approval.

iii)under Minute C16/16 (ii), Post-Inspection Action Plan, it was reported that Maggie Galliers and Russell Moseley had met with the Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality to consider the PIAP in further detail.

iv)under Minute C16/16 (ii1), Post-Inspection Action Plan, it was confirmed that details of the predicted A*-C English and maths grades had been forwarded to Governors as requested.

v)under Minute C16/16 (iv), Post-Inspection Action Plan, it was reported that Stewart Fergusson had met with the Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality to discuss systematic ‘nudge’ approaches that might beused in addressing student attendance issues.

vi)under Minute C20/16 (iv), Financial Regulations, it was reported that the Assistant Principal Finance and Resources had not yet met with the Vice Chair to review the procurement process for the Building Cleaning contract.

vii)under Minute C25/16 (iv), Confidential Item, it was reported that a meeting had very recently taken place with Barclays bank, who had been able to confirm the impact of any exceptional costs relating to restructuring of the College would not result in a breach of existing bank covenants. The Assistant Principal Finance and Resources had followed this up in writing, and was awaiting formal confirmation from Barclays. A further meeting was due in May/June 2016.

Barclays had also indicated their support for the College entering into the forthcoming Area Based Review, and, on a wider point, Governors noted the key role that banks played in this process, and in any merger or restructuring of colleges.

C31/16Report of the Principal and Senior Leadership Team

1.The Principal and Senior Leadership Team presented an update for Governors, providing them with particular information on the strategic plan, the Area Based Review, the Deputy Principal appointment, and the 2016-17 funding allocation.

2.Following Corporation’s approval of the revised strategic plan, the final refinements have been made, and the plan will be shared in due course with internal and external stakeholders. Governors requested sight of the final version before being circulated.

3.In terms of the imminent Area Based Review, the Principal reported that a constructive meeting had recently been held between the Chairs and Principals and their representatives of the Coventry and Warwickshire colleges, and the Coventry and Warwickshire LEAs. It was encouraging that adult education in both authorities would be participating in the review, and academies were also being encouraged to take part.

4.The Deputy Principal interviews are being held on 26th and 27th April 2016, and a number of Governors including staff and students will be involved.

5.Funding allocations from EFA and SFA for 2016-17 have been announced. EFA 16-18 funding is £1.2m below the current year’s allocation, as a result of the under-recruitment of student numbers 2015-16, and is also c£200k below the assumption in the Financial Recovery Plan (FRP) previously reported to Governors.

6.SFA 19+ funding is in line with the estimated figure in the FRP. A Discretionary Learner Bursary allocation of £361k has been granted by the SFA, and it is the College’s responsibility to determine how to spend the funds.

7.In terms of apprenticeships’ funding, both 16-18 and 19+ allocations are below the assumed income levels in the FRP for 2016-17.

8.The next SFA case conference was scheduled for the beginning of May 2016, and the funding allocations would be an item for consideration.

9.Governors resolved:-

i) to note the report of the Principal and Senior Leadership Team;

ii)to agree that the financial implications of the unfavourable funding allocations for 2016-17 should be considered in detail at the next Corporation meeting on 18th May 2016.

C32/16Governance Arrangements

1. The Clerk presented the proposed work plan for the monthly Corporation meetings that

were agreed at the last Corporation meeting on 23rd March 2016. In addition, the updated

link arrangements for Governors were presented. In respect of this latter point, it was

confirmedthat Governors would continue with their engagement with curriculum areas, but

would also act as stewards in overseeing the key areas of Quality, Finance, Student Voice,

Employer Engagement, Business Development, and Audit. Furthermore, a number of

Governors would be involved in the joint working arrangements with the Coventry colleges,

as well as the Area Based Review.

1. Governors resolved:-

i)to approve the work plan for the monthly Corporation meetings, and the revised link arrangements for Governors.

C33/16Improvement Plan

1.The Principal presented a progress report on the implementation of the draft Improvement Plan, which was still being developed by the Senior Leadership Team, and would form the basis of discussions with forthcoming meeting with the EFA and SFA.

2.The Principal confirmed that the Improvement Plan focuses on quality of provision, student experience, financial health, and strategic developments. The associated Implementation Action Plan allows Governors to track progress.

3.Governors were informed that positive developments were being made in improving performance management and the culture of the College. Additionally, leadership behaviours were being addressed through the forthcoming re-alignment and restructuring process.

4.The draft Digital Strategy, the Recruitment Strategy and the Marketing and Communications’ Plan were presented for Governors’ approval, and the Assistant Principal MIS provided an explanation as to their purpose.

5.A summary report on the progress being made against the College’s key performance indicators was then presented. It was confirmed that cumulative attendance continued to be low, despite continued efforts to address this issue. Retention had fallen below target, and this will adversely affect student success rates.

6.As reported at the previous Corporation meeting, apprenticeship income was likely to under-achieve against target and this had been factored into the projected financial out-turn. Similarly, the commercial income target for the year would not now be achieved.

7.Governors resolved:-

i)to note the summary report on the progress being made against the College KPIs;

ii)to agree that the financial impact of the College’s performance in 2015-16 would be considered at the next Corporation meeting on 18th May 2016;

iii)to approve the Digital Strategy, the Recruitment Strategy and the Marketing and Communications’ Plan, but to agree that further strategic discussion was required on digital learning and associated opportunities.

C34/16Post-Inspection Action Plan

1.The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality presented the updated Post-Inspection Action Plan (PIAP), and informed Governors of progress made since the last Corporation meeting.

2.A number of meetings have been held with curriculum and quality counterparts from Coventry and Warwickshire colleges. These had proved very useful, and some shared quality initiatives were now being progressed. For instance:-

• construction staff would be visiting Warwickshire College’s facilities in May to meet their peers and to share their good practice;
• a common self-assessment template was being jointly developed for the Coventry colleges;
• the College was working with Henley College to develop effective evaluation of teachers.

3.A full day of CPD on individualised learning was provided for all teaching staff in March 2016, and evaluations on the training were currently being undertaken.

4.The focus at this time of the year is on student achievement, and most curriculum areas held revision classes and workshop sessions during the Easter break.

5.The Skills’ Funding Agency’s Qualification Achievement Rate (QAR) for 2014-15 has now been published. The QAR report shows average college achievement in the sector for 16-18 and 19+ students, and the rates have decreased by 1.4% and 0.6% respectively compared with 2013-14. However, the College’s rates are8% and 9.2% below these benchmarks.

6.The QAR for 2014-15 shows that the College, at 71.7%, remains above the national rate for overall apprenticeship achievement. However, at 57.8%, timely apprenticeship achievement is below the national rate

7.It was reported that there was a low number of students recorded on the Individualised Learning Record (ILR) as undertaking work experience. A clear procedure was now in place for staff to enable them to formalise their students’ work experience activities, and have them recorded. It was, however, noted that some curriculum areas, and in particular Construction, had encountered problems in seeking to arrange work experience for students. It was suggested that this issue might be discussed with Coventry and Warwickshire colleges to share their best practice.

8.The Chair confirmed that she and Russell Moseley had met the Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality to consider the PIAP in detail. As a result, future reports will be simplified, and amended to include evidence of impact, and progress against specific Ofsted issues.

9.A number of Governors reported back on their link visits to various curriculum areas, and raised some issues of concern to do with the poor quality of some agency staff; high levels of staff turnover and absence, which was affecting student performance; and a lack of compliance with key processes. In response, the Principal outlined where some improvements were already being made.

10.Consideration was then given to the way in which predicted success rates were reported to Governors, and it was suggested that it would be better for the Senior Leadership Team to provide a sensitivity analysisand show best case/worst case scenarios.

11.Governors resolved:-

i)to note the report on progress being made against the PIAP, and to agree the future reports should demonstrate evidence of impact, and progress against specific Ofsted issues;

ii)to note the College’s overall achievement rates in 2014-15 for 16-18 and 19+ students and apprentices, and to agree that a more detailed report be provided for the next Corporation meeting;

iii)to note that the recording of work experience activities had improved, and to agree that this should be reported within every PIAP update in future;

iv)to agree that members of the Senior Leadership Team should continue to meet their counterparts in Coventry and Warwickshire colleges to share best practice and expertise;

v)to agree that a range of possible predicted success rates should be reported to Governors in future, to reflect the various sensitivities that could affect student performance.

C35/16Curriculum and Quality Strategy

1.The Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality presented the draft Curriculum and Quality Strategyfor consideration. This strategy is a key driver in ensuring that the curriculum in 2016-17 meets the needs of local learners and employers, and that quality standards and learner performance in the Collegeimprove. The provision of a technical and professional curriculum offer was a priority.

2.The strategy was still at a draft stage, because the curriculum planning process was still underway. Members of the Senior Leadership Team were meeting regularly with curriculum managers to undertake this work, and the Principal informed Governors that minimum levels of performance would be usedto support the formulation of the curriculum plan.

3.Governors reviewed the draft strategy, and sought clarification on the College’s strategic approach to HE growth. In response, the Principal confirmed that this area of provision represented an opportunity for expansion, given the recent positive QAA assessment, and there was the possibility for collaboration with neighbouring colleges as well as universities.

4.Some concern was expressed that the draft strategy might be too aspirational and ambitious at this stage, but overall it was felt that the document was correctly presented.

5.Governors resolved:-

i)to endorse the approach being adopted in formulating theCurriculum and Quality Strategy for 2016-17;

ii)to agree that the strategy should not only address quality issues, but should also generate the necessary financial efficiencies.

C36/16Staff Survey

1. The Assistant Principal HR presented Governors with a report summarising the key findings arising from the staff survey, which had been carried out in February 2016. 66% of staff had responded to the questionnaire.

1. A number of staff had attended feedback sessions following the outcomes of the survey, and the College Operations Group had also met to consider the results. The key priorities for actionwere agreed as follows:

• Workload and Cover Arrangements
• Communications
• Team working between teaching and support
• Autonomy and accountability
• Staff Voice
• Data and systems
• Putting Students at the heart of everything

1. As a result, members of the College Operations Group are now working with staff across the College to develop a “Blueprint for Change”.

1. Governors resolved:-

i)to note the outcomes of the staff survey conducted in February 2016, and to thank the Principal for ensuring it had taken place;

ii)to endorse the development of a “Blueprint for Change”, using staff as the main driver for this;

iii)to agree that the Principal should communicate very clearly and specifically to staff that their concerns and suggestions had been listened to and were being actively addressed;

iv)to agree that Governors should be circulated with details of the staff survey responses;

v)that the impact of the actions taken in response to the staff survey should be reported to the Corporation in September/October 2016.

C37/16Date of the next meeting

The date of the next meeting was confirmed for Wednesday, 18thMay 2016 at 5pm.

C38/16Publication of Documents

The publication of papers was approved without exception apart from the Curriculum and Quality Strategy which was at a draft stage.

Meeting opened 5.00pm

Meeting closed 7.10pm

JE

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