Sustainability of curriculum partnership working

This article explores the sustainability of consortia and partnership working, and the factors likely to affect it, both at a national level and across individual regions.

The information is drawn from two main sources:

records of consortium support conversations held in May and June 2010
summaries of information gathered from the regional partnership co-ordinators’ reports from the final conversations held between consortium advisers and consortium leads in July 2010

How sustainable are consortia and partnership working?

Across all regions there is a high level of uncertainty about the future, and this has increased between the early and late summer conversations. Many local authorities and consortia are reviewing their position and change could occur rapidly. At the present time it is difficult to assess long term sustainability with any accuracy, and even shorter term plans are not always clear. At the heart of concerns lie the threats from funding withdrawal.

Where collaborative working is well-established, often pre-dating Diploma development, it is likely that this will continue, especially where consortia see benefits in doing so and they are supported by local authorities. However there is recognition that it could be threatened by a range of factors, principally funding but also destabilising influences of potential new academies, wavering commitment of headteachers, functional skills requirements, and so on. Diploma development has contributed substantially to partnership working which in many cases will have a lasting legacy, although this is not universally the case.

Generally there is a commitment to partnership working where possible, but this will, in many places, become a platform for wider 14–19 provision including Foundation Learning and qualifications other than Diplomas.

The scale of Diploma provision is likely to become more restricted; in many cases Diploma lines which have yet to be implemented beyond 2010 will not now be developed or implemented and reduced recruitment will result in trimming back of provision. No new lines are likely to come forward unless there is strong local demand. There appears to be a growing intention and interest in reverting to BTEC which is regarded as more stable, has established currency and is less complex and costly than Diplomas.

Although the picture is generally quite downbeat, across most regions a few consortia stand out with strong Diploma provision which is likely to continue. There is considerable variation across and within local authorities within regions.

East of England

The picture in the East of England is varied, ranging from strong consortia likely to be sustainable with a healthy number of Diploma lines (Cambridge) to a local authority where there is no sustainable model and consortia are likely to fall (Essex). In one previously well-established consortium in Essex (Colchester), plans for consortium working were predicated on Building Schools for the Future (BSF), closures and amalgamations; withdrawal of BSF funding has resulted in restructuring. In Hertfordshire pragmatic arrangements are being taken to maximise opportunities based in some cases on existing structures.

East Midlands

Most local authorities are unsure about future planning, although there are a few consortia that will sustain provision possibly with fewer post-16 Diplomas running (Nottinghamshire). In Leicestershire, where Diplomas are ‘solid’, meet learners’ needs and are affordable they will continue. Elsewhere there are concerns and vagueness about the future. The collapse of learner numbers, together with the potential of academy schools suggests that Rutland will not be able to sustain Diploma provision.

London

It is envisaged that partnership working will continue in most areas, but the extent to which Diplomas play a part in this is unclear. The removal of the statutory entitlement has provided an opportunity to review the curriculum offer. Where recruitment for Diplomas has been reasonable, little will change in the short term but the picture could change rapidly from the autumn.

North East

There is a strong sense of uncertainty which has increased since the start of the summer. Reduction in funding and potential staff reductions are affecting planning and implementation. However, there is improved partnership working and this is likely to continue. A change to entitlement is welcomed by some local authorities. Within the region there are some strong Diploma consortia likely to sustain provision, for example Tyneside Virtual College, North Tyneside, Gateshead.

North West

There are some strong Diploma consortia and their provision will continue at least in the short term. More generally, the majority of local authorities are unable to project the future of Diploma recruitment September 2011 onwards. Diploma lines yet to start are unlikely to be embedded or become the qualification of choice. Across the region there is a continuum from local authorities/partnerships with well-developed collaborative structures now focusing on what has been achieved and moving to shared learning across 14–19 to partnerships which are depleting in membership.

South East

A range of positions are evident in intelligence from this region from consortia that are still considering offering Diplomas (Isle of Wight) to others where there is uncertainty about whether Diplomas will be part of their offer. Although partnership working will continue in many places, in some it is under threat; in Hastings, for example, where collaboration has been a slow process, schools are deciding to go it alone and withdraw from meetings. The removal of entitlement and withdrawal of funding are having profound effects on sustainability across the region.

South West

There are pockets of strong commitment to Diplomas, for example North Somerset, Kingswood and North Dorset, but generally consortium advisers report that much of the energy has gone out of Diploma development, and removal of entitlement has resulted in some consortia deciding not to pursue Diploma lines as previously planned. In a majority of consortia, collaborative working seems sustainable but with provisos about funding and capacity. However, more than a third of partnerships could falter.

West Midlands

In practically all consortia there is uncertainty about strategic direction. Several consortia have indicated that no further planning of new Diploma lines would take place and no new lines would be offered in 2011. Consortia in the strongest position are those that are co-terminus with unitary authorities, for example Stoke, Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Walsall and Telford. Comments on Diplomas range from the view that they will wither to the need to reappraise their financial viability and decision to offer them where there is demand. In several areas, Diplomas may be dropped in favour of BTEC.

Yorkshire and the Humber

Most local authorities are working to mitigate the changes that are threatening sustainability, and there are authorities strongly committed to Diploma provision, for example York and Barnsley. But even in the most positive scenarios there are concerns about the impact of policy announcements and reductions in development funding. In Sheffield, it is unlikely that any additional lines be offered beyond the four already being run. There is little confidence in the safety of Diploma lines for the future. In Doncaster, 40 per cent of learners will not have access to Diploma programmes as a result of schools seeking academy status.

Despite positive developments within many consortia, including agreed structures, policies and practices, funding more than anything threatens sustainability and there is particular concern about what the autumn spending review and other policy announcements might bring. Support and ongoing training are most vulnerable; although the high cost of Diploma implementation, including transport and its complexity is also a concern. Functional skills development and implementation are at significant risk. Consortium advisers’ reports say that, even now, many staff are not ready to teach functional skills and leadership is weak; any reduction in training places Diploma provision at risk. Provision of impartial information advice and guidance continues to be an issue in some centres.

What are the factors contributing to sustainability?

The stage of maturity of consortia and the health of consortium activity are significant factors in determining likely sustainability. Where a platform for sustainability is being built it is generally on the basis of existing strong partnerships, with effective structures, systems and protocols, and commitment. These, together with planning for sustainability, particularly of funding for delivery, for example transport, are seen as standing consortia in good stead. Clearly, younger consortia are more vulnerable.

Other factors in promoting sustainability include:

support and commitment from the local authority
openness and flexibility in looking at cross-boundary activity
ring-fencing funding for support
in shire counties, the adoption and adaptation of county-wide policies and procedures
ensuring the security of key posts such as those of consortium leads, and domain and lead assessors

What factors are threatening sustainability?

Underpinning the potential for sustainability in all consortia is concern about funding through support and other grants. In some cases the loss of adequate funding could result in the demise of collaborative working. Sudden withdrawal of funding poses a particular problem because it gives no time to find alternative solutions and is likely to precipitate failure and demise. With greater lead times for reduction of funding solutions can often be found. Adequate funding is seen as necessary for the following factors.

To continue ongoing support.
To ensure key staff can be retained and maintain capacity within consortia – where key staff are lost without replacement there is a severe risk to sustainability of partnership working and Diploma developments. Funding issues also extend to the release of staff for curriculum development.
To ensure the continuance of Diplomas given the high cost in relation to other qualifications, not least the bureaucracy and transport costs.
To develop new Diplomas, particularly in a context of averting risk of ‘wasting’ funding if lines fail to recruit or under-recruit.

Uncertainty about future funding has undoubtedly resulted in a slowdown in developments.

But several other threats are evident:

Policy direction changes; removal of entitlement is having different effects but in many cases it is negative.
Uncertainties about the stance to Diplomas and their currency, resulting in low recruitment and lack of viability of Diploma programmes; critical mass of learners is becoming a key issue.
Schools withdrawing from consortia and from central local authority support and ‘going their own way’; academy status is seen as an important factor in this resulting in the demise of consortia.
Relative weakness in strategic vision, forward planning and systems in some consortia; in some cases this is related to the slow take-up of Diplomas.
Lack of capacity in small local authorities and changes in staffing.
Competing qualifications; BTEC is hailed as a lower cost, less complex qualification option for learners and perhaps more attractive than Diplomas in similar principal learning areas; the complexity of the Diploma structure and awarding is a threat, for example the functional skills requirements. Foundation learning is a priority for local authorities and interest in schools is growing.
The demise of Building Schools for the Future is having a significant impact in some consortia where partnership were being built around closures, amalgamations and new builds.
Apparent lack of straightforward progression opportunities between different levels of Diplomas.
The stage of development of consortia and partnership working combined with the innate conservatism of educational managers and teachers for whom change is inevitably much more demanding than the status quo