Leicestershire colleges announce merger plans
Two Leicestershire colleges have announced plans to merge.
Brooksby Melton College and Stephenson College in Coalville say they want to come together to work towards an ‘Outstanding’ OFTSED rating in the near future.
A formal statement released jointly by the chair of Governors from each Colleges said: “Following a Structure and Prospects Appraisal, which included a competitive process, Brooksby Melton College and Stephenson College have agreed to merge. T
“his is with the support and recommendation of the FE commissioner and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.
“It is intended that this merger takes place before 1 February 2020. Both Corporations have received and accepted this proposal. All agree this represents an exciting opportunity to sustain and enhance our colleges’ education and training provision for our students, employers and the communities we serve into the foreseeable future. We look forward to working together and will provide further updates throughout the period towards 1 February 2020.”
Dr Nigel Leigh OBE, principal and chief executive of Stephenson College, said: “This is the most important decision our corporation will take and we are delighted to have found a partner with the same values and passion for learning, who complements the curriculum and resources we have at Stephenson College. Both our colleges are confident that the benefits of merging will be transformational for all our stakeholders, enhancing the future skills development for our region.
Dawn Whitemore, chief executive and principal of Brooksby Melton College, said: “Both Colleges are really excited about the opportunity this merger provides for our learners and our talented staff. We look forward to working together towards developing an outstanding further education offer for learners across the region. Our learners are always at the heart of all decisions, so I would like to reassure existing and future students that this is an incredibly positive move that will benefit all learners.”
Both colleges say they will be continuing to accept applications from students for the coming academic year. Courses for current students and those already enrolled for September will continue as normal.
