Glossary of Terms
Term Definition
AI Artificial Intelligence
CA Combined Authority
CEIAG Careers Education Information Advice & Guidance
CPD Continuing Professional Development
DFE Department for Education
DWP Department for Work & Pensions
EDI Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
ERB Employer Representative Body (lead body for LSIPs)
ESFA Education & Skills Funding Agency
EUAC The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education
FE Further Education
GVA Gross Value Added
HE Higher Education
HEY Humberside & East Yorkshire
IT Information Technology
JCP Job Centre Plus
JISC UK Digital, Data & Technology Agency (focused on tertiary education, research and innovation)
KPI Key Performance Indicators
LA Local Authority
LCR Leeds City Region
LEP Local Enterprise Partnership
LSIF Local Skills Improvement Fund (funding to support the delivery of LSIPs)
LSIP Local Skills Improvement Plan
NY North Yorkshire
STEAM Science Technology Engineering Arts and Maths
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
VR Virtual Reality
WY West Yorkshire
WYCA West Yorkshire Combined Authority
XR eXtreme Runtime (XR technologies include include Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) hardware and software)
Y&NY York & North Yorkshire
YLP Yorkshire Learning Providers (a network of training organisations operating across Yorkshire)
Introduction
As part of the Skills & Post 16 Education Act 2022 and section 52B of the Further and Higher Education Act, FE colleges have a duty to review their contribution to meeting skills needs – at a local level, but also at a regional and national level, with a view to ensuring individuals secure employment
Our planning and provision reflect and articulate the longerterm strategic outcomes and actions arising from the new Local Needs Duty This is at the core of our Group strategic planning, our curriculum and skills provision planning and our strategic aims, measures and target setting.
Alongside our three-year Group Strategic Plan, this Annual Accountability Statement aims to be a relatively concise public statement of our key aims, targets and outcomes for the year ahead
Our Purpose
With three colleges in West and North Yorkshire, together forming the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, we are committed to delivering the skills needed by our local communities and the wider Yorkshire region, to make a positive contribution to the economy and, ultimately, to people’s lives
Our aspiration is to be outstanding in everything we do Through the delivery of our Strategic Plan and supporting strategies, we believe we will be in the best position to continuously improve and be able to deliver on the Government’s skills agenda and regional priorities
With our colleagues across the Group and, working with other stakeholders and partners, we have developed our vision, mission and values –
Quite simply, our vision outlines what we are aiming for in the future, in terms of our long term goals:
Quite simply, our vision outlines what we are aiming for in the future, in terms of our long term goals
“To be an outstanding, first-choice education group passionately serving all of our communities”
Our mission describes why we are here, our purpose and what we do, which is:
Our mission describes why we are here, our purpose and what we do, which is:
Our values act as the moral compass for our organisation. They encapsulate the way we do things, how we behave and how we make our decisions:
“Our staff positively transform our students’ lives and the communities we serve by putting them at the heart of everything we do”
Our values act as the moral compass for our organisation They encapsulate the way we do things, how we behave and how we make our decisions:
Collaboration Ambition Inclusion Respect
“To be an outstanding, first-choice education group, passionately serving all of our communities.” & Our People at the heart of everything we do
“Our staff positively transform our students’ lives and the communities we serve by putting them at the heart of everything we do.”
In addition, we have five strategic objectives –
Collaboration Ambition Inclusion Respect Our People at the heart of everything we do +
1. Develop a skills offer that is aligned to the needs of the areas we serve through partnership and collaboration
2. Ensure our curriculum delivery is high quality, inclusive and ambitious and we provide an outstanding student experience
3. Develop a strong culture and people who are effective and committed
4. Deliver strong finances to facilitate investment in our resources and our offer
5. Commit wholeheartedly to the development of sustainability within our communities
All of these objectives are underpinned by specific aims, measures and targets
Our curriculum intent is to offer the right skills for now and for the future through innovative, relevant courses and qualifications –right for the region, for jobs for our learners and employers We are working with our local and regional partners to do this, to improve our economy and meet our Local Needs Duty
In working with our key stakeholders and our employer partners, we aim to develop flexible, relevant programmes that, wherever possible, are bespoke to their needs and right for the workplace, including blended learning approaches
Context and Place
With our Group of three colleges, we serve a wide area across Yorkshire Castleford College and Wakefield College are based in the Wakefield District, within the Leeds City Region (LCR) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) region Selby College is based in the new North Yorkshire Council, and the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority Selby College also does much work in the Humberside and East Yorkshire (HEY) LEP area, East Riding of Yorkshire, and also has some learners in the
& North Yorkshire
West Yorkshire / Castleford & Wakefield
West Yorkshire (WY) is an internationally significant economy with a GVA of £69 billion – larger than many EU countries It has a population of 2 3million, a workforce of 1 1million people and more than 80,000 businesses It hosts the largest cluster of higher education institutions outside the capital, with seven universities producing world-leading research and 31,000 skilled graduates each year
It also has a fast-growing young population, with more people aged under 20 than any other area of the North The population is diverse with 18% of people coming from ethnic minority backgrounds (14 5% nationally) WY remains one of the leading locations in the UK for foreign and direct investment, according to the Ernst & Young Annual Attractiveness Survey, with significant interest in the digital and business services sectors
28 8% of residents are qualified at level 4 or above (national average – 47 3%) Unemployment (April 22 – March 23)2 2 9% of working age population (Great Britain – 3 7%)
Asylum Seekers in Receipt of LA Support (March 2023)3
883 (0 8% of total number of asylum seekers in receipt of LA support; 0 2% of district’s population)
West Yorkshire York Selby College
Castleford College Wakefield College
York
Selby
Wakefield
Strengths
• Significant engineering and manufacturing base employing 144,000 people (well above the national average), representing the largest manufacturing base in the UK and generating £7 billion a year, or 12% of the region’s economic output
• Wakefield has 37% more manufacturing jobs and over double the number of jobs within transport and storage than the national average
• A leading hub for financial, professional and businesses services contributing £19 8 billion GVA and employing over 300,000 people UK’s second centre for banking, over 28,500 are employed in major banks and building societies
• A growing labour force – from 2016-2021 the number of jobs increased by 5 9%, outstripping the national growth rate of 4 1%
• Strategically important geographical location - access to the M62, M1 and fast TransPennine rail brings the potential of a 4 million workforce, 250,000 businesses and a £160bn economy
• WY now has more highly paid jobs (2020 Soc Major Group 1-3) than the national average
Challenges
• Large number of vacancies across WY Job postings in October 2022 were 23% higher than October 2021, and double October 2020 and 2019
• In WY higher number of people claiming out-of-work benefits than the national average – 5 1% versus 3 9%
• WY has higher than average number of economically inactive people – 23 2% as opposed to 21 2% nationally
• Wakefield has fewer highly paid jobs (2020 Soc Major Group 1-3) than the national average – 42 1% and 52 9% respectively
• In Wakefield too many people are employed in low-skilled, elementary occupations – 6% over the national average
• In WY only 43 4% of the working age population possess qualifications at level 4 or above as compared to the national average of 47 3% (as of Dec 2023)
• In Wakefield only 28 8% of the working age population have a level 4 or above qualification
• Skills shortages reported by many sectors and businesses across the region particularly in relation to high level skilled jobs
WY Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Priority Sectors
• Health & Social Care
• Engineering & Advanced
• Manufacturing
• Financial & Professional Services
• Low Carbon
• Digital & Technology
• Creative Industries
• Construction
• Logistics & Transport/Distribution
• Education
Themes
• Net Zero Transition / Sustainability
• STEAM
• Transferable Skills
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Leadership & Management
• Digitisation & Automation
Castleford College is primarily home to skills-based courses in areas including construction, hair and beauty, engineering and automotive studies Square footage is 11,153 m2 and purpose-built facilities include:
• Engineering labs covering mechanical and electrical pathways
• Construction workshops with dedicated working bays for students and apprentices studying a range of disciplines including joinery, brickwork, plumbing and electrical installation
• Multiple car service lifts and a spray booth for automotive students and apprentices
• Hair and beauty salon teaching and learning spaces, also open to the public
• Open plan learning resource centre at the heart of the campus
Wakefield College has grown its footprint over recent years and seen significant investment to ensure students learn in a modern, state of the art environment Square footage is 21,316 m2 and facilities include:
• The Seacole building – a dedicated HE centre and home to the University Centre at Wakefield College The facility features a 90-seat lecture theatre and flexible teaching and learning rooms
• The Radcliffe Building – spread over four floors, the Radcliffe Building is home to a number of different course areas and also boasts the Digital Industries Centre
• Harrison building – home to the Sixth Form Learning Resource Centre
• The Beaumont building, refurbished and opened in 2019 and home to the award-winning Gaskells Restaurant
• The Gissing building – a hub of activity for the creative industries and location for the School of Popular Music
• The Waterton building, located on Wood Street and home to Performing Arts provision Boasting a 160-seat performance theatre alongside several performance studios
1
3
York & North Yorkshire / Selby
North Yorkshire (NY) is the largest county in terms of area in England York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority came into existence on 1st February 2024, with a newly elected mayor in May 2024 Outside of York the region is largely rural with a population density of 77 people per km2, 358 people per km2 lower than England’s 435 people per km2 NY is the 23rd County in England (of 24 total) when ordered by population density The region generates £16 5 billion GVA and has a total population of 820,000 people The claimant count for out-ofwork benefits is low in the region at only 2 1% as compared to 3 9% nationally The region has four universities and 40,000 businesses The region has low diversity with 92 8% (York) and 96 7% (NY) of residents identifying as white as compared to 81 7% nationally
Indicator
Deprivation1
Level 4+ Attainment Level2
Unemployment (April 22 – March 23)2
Asylum Seekers in Receipt of LA Support (March 2023)3
Strengths
Selby Area
246th most deprived district in England out of 317
47 4% of residents are qualified at level 4 or above (national avg – 47 3%)
2 4% of working age population (Great Britain – 3 7%)
144 (0 1% of total number of asylum seekers in receipt of LA support; 0 16% of district’s population)
• Strong manufacturing sector with 34,000 employees accounting for 12 7% of jobs (7 6% nationally)
• In Selby the number of jobs in the manufacturing sector is even higher accounting for 22 4% of all jobs – 3 times the national average
• Selby has more highly paid jobs (2020 Soc Major Group 1-3) than the national average – 65 6% as compared to national average of 52 9%
• The accommodation and food services industry is the joint largest (with manufacturing) in North Yorkshire based on the number of jobs, accounting for 12 7% of roles in the area (national average is 8%)
• Significant agricultural sector with skilled agricultural and associated trades roles increasing 76% between July 2021 and July 2022
• York has a burgeoning STEAM sector with Science, Research, Engineering and Technology professional occupations accounting for 11% of all roles in the area
• Lower than national average unemployment, claimant count and economic inactivity (1 4%; 2 1%; 19 4% respectively, national averages are 3 7%, 3 9% and 21 2%)
• In NY, the highest average wages are found in Selby where the average salary is £38,250
Challenges
• Ageing population, which is an issue across the UK, is a more acute problem in York and North Yorkshire with 23 6% (nationally 18 7%) of the population over the age of 65 and 14 5% reaching retirement age (between the ages of 55-64 with the national average being 12 7%)
• Rurality and low population density of the region creates problems with recruitment and training due to distance and limited transport links (both roads and public transport)
• Low population growth – NY’s population growth rate of -0 28% is 0 61% lower than England’s current population growth rate of 0 33% NY is the 19th county in England (of 24 total) when ordered by population growth rate This coupled with a faster than average ageing population makes recruitment more difficult. However, it should be noted that within the former Selby District that the population grew by 10 2% between 2011-12, which is a different picture from NY as a whole
• Low average wage per job - £25 3K as compared to £26 8K in West Yorkshire and £30 4K nationally This is in stark contrast to the high percentage of the working age population with level 4 and above qualifications – residents find it hard to gain employment where pay is commensurate with their educational attainment
Y&NY Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) Priority Sectors
• Digital and Technology
• Agri-Skills
• Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing (including Rail)
• Construction
• Health & Social Care
• Visitor Economy
Themes
• Low Carbon
• Innovation
• Green Skills
• Emerging Technology
• Rurality
Selby College occupies a site of approximately 18 6 acres comprising 9 4 acres of built-up campus and 9 2 acres of sports and playing fields Square footage is 17,177 m2 and facilities encompass some of the latest teaching aids and technology, aimed at helping our learners to progress, including:
• Impressive construction workshops
• Following a £600k investment in its Engineering facilities, the College now has a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on campus, as part of its role within the Yorkshire and Humber Institute of Technology
• Professional hair and beauty and beauty therapy salons and a spa
• A fully equipped sports hall and gym
• An award-winning restaurant which is equipped with fully functioning kitchens and a licensed bar
Approach to developing our Annual Accountability Statement
Informed by National, Regional and Local Priorities
Our strategic planning processes and the development of this Annual Accountability Statement have been informed by national priorities, confirmed in the DFE’s Meeting Skills Needs: Guidance on Accountability Agreements 2024-25 and the Local Needs Duty (December 2023) –
These National Skills Priorities have been agreed across Government and are areas with high volumes of vacancies which are expected to increase; long-term structural barriers to recruitment, retention, and progression issues; and are important in providing opportunities for employment in key growth areas such green jobs, creative industries and science and technology (including AI and quantum computing).
These sectors are:
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Digital and Technology
• Health and Social Care
• Haulage and Logistics
• Engineering
• Science and Mathematics
In addition, we have determined the priorities identified within key regional and local strategies and documents
For Castleford and Wakefield Colleges, this includes –
• WY Local Skills Improvement Plan (August 2023)
• WYCA Strategic Economic Framework (September 2020)
• WYCA and LCR LEP Employment and Skills Framework (June 2021)
• WY Climate and Environment Plan 2021-24
• Wakefield District Economic Strategy 2018-23
• Wakefield Climate Change Action Plan (September 2020)
For Selby College, this includes –
• Y&NY Local Skills Improvement Plan (August 2023)
• Y&NY LEP Plan to Reshape our Economy –Greener, Fairer, Stronger (October 2020)
• Local Industrial Strategy 2020
• Y&NY LEP Skills Strategy 2021-26
• Y&NY Low Carbon and the Circular Economy: An Assessment of Skills Supply and Demand (February 2021)
• Y&NY’s Routemap to Carbon Negative – Priorities & Actions for 2022-27
• Y&NY Sector Study – Sector Profiles and Action Plan (March 2022)
• Selby District Council Plan 2020-30
• Selby District Council - Low Carbon Strategy 2021 – 2030
• The Selby District Economic Development Framework 2017-22 and beyond
• HEY LEP Economic Growth & Workforce Wellbeing Strategy 2021-2026
• East Riding Economic Strategy & Action Plan 2018-2022
• HEY LEP Green Jobs and Skills Analysis (December 2021)
As mentioned, we have worked closely with the Chambers of Commerce in Mid Yorkshire and West and North Yorkshire and have been extensively involved in the development of the Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) for NY and WY, including attendance at all planning meetings and involvement within all priority skill sector groups, steering groups and employer engagement activities
Our priorities within our Accountability Statement and our provision will deliver the priorities outlined within the WY and NY LSIPs, led by the West & North Yorkshire and Mid Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce and Industry as our employer representative body (ERB)
The LSIPs set out the key priorities needed to make technical education and skills provision more responsive to the changing needs of employers and the local economy The LSIP frameworks enable us to work effectively with employers to understand their skills needs and how we can meet them through existing provision and changes to provision locally
Alongside the development of the higher-level technical skills both WY and NY require, we are committed to being as inclusive as possible within our Colleges, to engage hard to reach young people Therefore, as well as developing advanced level skills, a key part of our curriculum strategy is to offer a wide ranging and inclusive education which is purposeful and meets the skills needs of all individuals within the communities we serve
Working in Partnership with our Stakeholders
As well as being informed by national, regional and local strategic priorities, we have identified key priorities and target outcomes through engagement with external stakeholders and partner organisations, also taking into account the views of our internal stakeholders – our students (and parents and carers) and our
Civic Partners
As well as the LSIPs and our relationships with the Chambers of Commerce, we have strong relationships in place with West Yorkshire Combined Authority, York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority, Wakefield District Council, North Yorkshire Council and East Riding Council
We have further cemented relationships with DWP and JCP, as well as skills partnerships within all areas and will continue to do so
Employers
We currently work with more than 1,300 employers, both large and small, in a variety of ways We have embedded employer forums in key curriculum areas and have a clear focus on listening to employers to inform everything we do – from ensuring our course offer is aligned to their skills needs, to the development of technical pathways with the launch of additional qualifications, right through to broadening the learning experiences for our students via employer input
Furthermore, we deliver a large number of apprenticeships, industrial placements and work experiences through working with employers, in order to develop much-needed skills and maximise job opportunities in priority sectors
One of our key performance indicators is related to regularly engaging with employers, and we have employer forums established within each of our priority skills sectors
Education Partners
We play an active role in the WY Colleges Consortium, and the Y&NY Colleges Group and the Y&NY Institute of Technology We have strengthened our relationships with our partner universities and increased our engagement with Yorkshire Learning Providers through their much-valued initiatives and opportunities to collaborate with other colleges and independent training providers In addition, we work closely with other educational partners through the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) boards, which are designed to deliver the priorities established within the LSIPs, encourage collaboration and joined-up thinking around progression routes and avoid unnecessary duplication
Our partnerships with secondary schools are crucial and we have strong relationships with 60+ partner schools across the areas we serve In addition, we have strengthened relationships with feeder sixth forms, for their students to progress into our HE provision We engage with New College Pontefract regularly to discuss curriculum developments and plans
Our Principal chairs the Wakefield Employment & Skills Board, which connects a wide variety of educational providers in working together to benefit the city The Council has recently been awarded membership of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities In addition, our Children’s University provision enables us to engage effectively with primary schools in the Wakefield and Selby areas.
Community Partners
We continue to develop our relationships and activities with a wide range of community groups, voluntary sector organisations and projects to benefit our students, enhance their experiences and add value to the communities we serve
We have also strengthened our links to community learning providers, in Wakefield – the Adult Community Education Service, and in North Yorkshire – Community Learning, to avoid duplication of provision and encourage progression routes
Consultation with Stakeholders
As part of our meeting the Local Needs Duty, we held our annual Stakeholder Strategy Event in January 2024, involving almost 40 external stakeholders, as well as our Governors, Executive Team and Directors We consulted on our planning and priorities, and discussions and feedback from this session, employer forums and subsequent meetings has enabled us to finalise the strategic priorities outlined within this document
We will continue to take this approach and to engage with all of these stakeholder groups to ensure we meet local, regional and national skills priorities, and this will enable us to refine and monitor our performance against our priorities and targets and meeting the Local Needs Duty
“As part of our meeting the Local Needs Duty, we held our annual Stakeholder Strategy Event in January 2024, involving almost 40 external stakeholders”
Contribution to meeting
National, Regional and Local Priorities
Summary of Priority Skill Sectors - on a National, Regional / Local Basis
Heart of Yorkshire Education Group delivery in Priority Skill Sectors
Strategic Aims, Objectives and Targets
The following strategic aims and objectives are outlined in detail in our Strategic Plan 2022-25 and in supporting strategies and plans, which have been developed in consultation with our key stakeholders
Strategic aims
1. Develop a skills offer that is aligned to the needs of the areas we serve through partnership and collaboration
Objectives and targets to deliver impact and contribution towards national, regional and local priorities for learning and skills 2024-25
Through our Curriculum & Skills Strategy 2022-25 and our Annual Curriculum Plans, focus on the delivery of our three key drivers –
1 Developing Advanced Skills for the Region
2 Having an Inclusive Curriculum to engage and progress
3 Having a clear commitment to growing Sustainable and Green Skills
Our skills and curriculum offer will –
• Deliver national, WY and Y&NY LSIP priorities and meet the needs of employers and residents in the areas we serve
• Be informed by extensive stakeholder and employer engagement and partnership working with employer forums in our priority skill sectors
• Facilitate delivery and future growth of national and regional priorities
In 2024-25 we will do this through delivery of the following objectives and targets –
For 16-18 year olds -
T Levels
We are building on the success of our existing T Level delivery and expanding our offer further to include more specialised pathways, tailored to meet career outcomes In 2024-25, we will deliver –
Five pathways in Construction (Civil Engineering, Construction in the Built Environment, Engineering & Electrical Installation, Engineering & Gas, Engineering, Plumbing & Heating), Manufacturing and Processes & Control (Fitting & Assemby Technologies), Management & Administration (Business Support), Education & Early Years (Early Years Educator), Health (Adult Nursing), Digital (Digital Support, and Digital Production Design & Development), Legal Services, Crime & Criminal Justice
In addition, we will launch the Foundation T Level Year at Level 2 in Construction & the Built Environment, Electrical Installation, Engineering Fitting & Assembly Technologies, Health, and Early Years
We are also developing T Levels across further curriculum areas in priority skills sectors ready for launch in September 2025
Building on the introduction of foundation provision at Selby College and the excellent track record of inclusion at Castleford and Wakefield Colleges, we will continue to grow our entry and level one provision to ensure greater levels of inclusion, participation and progression, including programmes in –
Art, Design & Media, Care & Early Years, Construction Carpentry and Bricklaying, Construction Plumbing Studies, Computing and Digital Design, Land-based Studies, Hair & Beauty Therapy, and Animal Care
In the development of digital skills –
• Continue to capture student start points around digital competencies and confidence through our digital skills assessment on our Navigate system and measure the progress of digital skills development at the end of each academic year
• Ensure 100% of 16-18 year old students receive cyber safety training as part of their pastoral curriculum
• Ensure all students can access digital skills development through our enrichment offer and iDEA platform with an expectation that all students undertake the six core modules and achieve a bronze award during their time with the Group
• Offer digital skills enrichment activities such as VR Club, Coding Club and Content Creation within our Digital Innovation Pods to maximise opportunities to expose students to more innovative ways to use technology
Apprentices
• Increase participation/starts in our apprenticeship programmes by 10% on 2023-24 starts (all in key priority sectors)
• Continue to develop and launch new apprenticeship standards in priority skill sectors For 2024-25, this will include L2 Emergency Contact Handler and L3 Power Distribution
Adults Skills
• Ensure at least 90% of our Adult provision is focused on delivering LSIP priority skill sectors
• 10% growth of priority essential skills programmes, including Levels 1 and 2 in English and Mathematics and Digital
• Subject to securing funding, we will aim to deliver Skills Bootcamps and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in Construction Site Operatives, Principles of Carbon Capture & Storage, Heat Recovery, Large Goods Vehicle Driver, Pipelaying & Groundworks, Glazing and Fenestration, Project Management, Software Development and Construction for HMP Whealstun, Rail Track Maintenance, with a minimum of 197 learners undertaking these programmes
• Include the further development, delivery and growth of innovative programmes focused on sustainability and low carbon, through the Local Skills Improvement Funds, in partnership with other colleges in our regions
• Develop blended and online learning delivery modes for key programmes at Level 3 and above, including Access to Higher Education and launch a minimum of three programmes in 2024-25
Objectives and targets to deliver impact and contribution towards national, regional and local priorities for learning and skills 2024-25
Higher Education
2. Ensure our curriculum delivery is high quality, inclusive and ambitious and we provide an outstanding student experience
• We are developing the modularisation of HE in preparation for the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, to enable adult students to access career promotion through higher level skill development. We will offer Higher Technical Qualifications in key priority sectors, including Health, Digital, Computing, Engineering and Construction
• Develop of a new top up degree in Engineering ready for launch in September 2025
• We will develop and produce a new Access & Participation Plan that will include enhanced Educational Gains for our HE learners to further improve the student experience and career preparation
High Needs Learners
• Deliver 400 planned places for high needs learners, which represents a 38% growth on 2023-24
• Successfully deliver three Supported Internship programmes in collaboration with large employer partners during 2024-25
• Continue to prioritise the progression of High Needs and SEND learners into mainstream curriculum
Through delivery of excellent teaching, learning and assessment and an outstanding student experience, ensure we have strong student and apprentice outcomes, that deliver our challenging KPIs, including –
Achievement – we will deliver achievement rates that exceed national averages and show an overall improvement of our achievement rate year on year of at least 1%
Positive destinations – ensure in excess of 90% of our students achieve a positive destination in 2024-25
Engage 100% of study programme students (over 4,500 in 2024-25) in a pastoral curriculum that is informed by employer engagement and the LSIPs, which targets the development of transferrable skills in readiness for employment, including sustainability skills and digital skills development
Deliver effective work-related activity and experiences for all study programme students in line with our policy and commitment, and placements for 100% of students in scope
Provide a careers programme that is informed by stakeholder engagement, to give comprehensive CEIAG for students’ skill development to aid with the navigation of career paths and is aligned to the accredited Matrix standards
3. Develop a strong culture and people who are effective and committed
We will ensure we have high-performing, motivated and satisfied staff who are focused on delivering national, regional and local priorities through –
Ensuring that our staff CPD enhances and improves professional practice and impacts on curriculum innovations, relevance, resulting in high levels of student and employer satisfaction, with a minimum of our benchmarked ‘good’ ratings
Developing the very best leaders and managers to enable us to deliver on our strategic aims and objectives and our identified priorities This will be done through the continuation of our leadership programme with middle managers in 2024-25
Ensuring staff have up to the minute, industry-specific skills, including in LSIP cross-cutting themes of digital, sustainability and EDI, we will have five dedicated development days in 202425 These will include –
• A minimum of ten hours’ industry specific skills updating for all teaching professionals delivering on vocational programmes
• Digital upskilling and the use of artificial intelligence in curriculum delivery and service provision
• Sustainability skills development
• Equality, diversity and inclusion across provision types
• Teaching development and pedagogy
In addition, we will launch our digital skills development framework through our new ‘I-Innovate’ Programme, in which staff will all undertake digital upskilling and exploration in basic digital competencies and XR tools including the use of artificial intelligence -
• All teaching staff will participate in I-Innovate CPD sessions developing their skills over the year, achieving digital badges
• All teaching staff will complete a Jisc digital skills assessment at the start and end of the year to measure progress in digital skills development and confidence
• Each Curriculum team will participate in a VR workshop over the year and be supported to deliver one VR enhanced teaching and learning session within their curriculum area In addition, we will pilot the embedding of VR within the Care & Early Years pedagogy and practice
• Two AI pilot projects will be launched to gauge how AI can be used to support teachers and ease workload One pilot will focus on AI prompting to further enhance skills development
• 15 Digital Champions linked to each curriculum area will have three hours of weekly remission to drive digital innovation within their teams
4. Ensure our finances are strong to facilitate investment in our resources and our offer
5. Commit wholeheartedly to the development of sustainability within our communities
Deliver a financially strong performance through effective financial management and growth of core funding streams in priority skill sectors that reflect national, regional and local priorities, resulting in calculated ESFA Financial Health Grade of ‘good’
Continue to develop estate through delivery of our Infrastructure & Estates Strategy 2022-25, ensuring we have the facilities and equipment to deliver our Curriculum & Skills Strategy 2022-25, with –
• Investment of at least £1 million in digital learning, cyber security and IT infrastructure across all priority skill sectors in 2024-25
• £5 million capital investment in expanding our priority skills areas, including Construction, Digital, Engineering and Health & Care provision
• At least 90% of accommodation in ESFA Category A
• Continuation of delivery of LSIFs in 2024-25, including -
- Three I-Innovate Pods, one in each of our Colleges, which will act as a training hub for digital exploration for both staff and students (£60k)
- Further investment in other specialist IT equipment, including commercial drones (£20k)
- Further investment in clinical equipment for Health and Social Care (£100k)
Provide Education for Sustainable Development to 100% of study programme students through the pastoral curriculum
Ensure our annual CPD programme for all staff includes a key focus on sustainability and sustainable skills development
Provide Education for Sustainable Development related to their employment for 100% of apprentices through our Apprentice 360 Programme
Pilot and deliver courses for Adults at Level 3 and above in sustainability-focused provision and green technologies for
• Heat recovery and heat pump installation
• Carbon capture and storage
• Electric vehicle maintenance
• Electric vehicle charging point installation
• Retrofitting
Maintain active relationships and memberships with sustainability partners and develop actions as appropriate
• EAUC
• YLP Green Skills Forum
• WYCA Travel Planning Network
• Woodland Trust
• WYCA LSIF Partnership
• WYCA Green Skills Taskforce
• Y&NY LSIF Board
• Supply Chain Sustainability School
Strategic aims
Objectives and targets to deliver impact and contribution towards national, regional and local priorities for learning and skills 2024-25
Share progress and engage with all stakeholders through bi-annual updates via ‘Footprint’
Implement our Group-wide Carbon Management Plan, which sets out our contribution to addressing the issues of climate change, through engagement with suppliers, consultants, students and staff to cultivate a culture of carbon reduction, meet performance indicators and facilitate environmental awareness
Meeting the Local Needs Duty
The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group Board of Governors is committed to meeting local, regional and national skills priorities. The objectives and targets set within this Accountability Statement are aligned to the KPIs set out within our Group Strategic Plan 2022-25 In addition, all of our supporting strategies are focused on meeting local, regional and national skills needs, including -
• Curriculum & Skills Strategy
• Stakeholder & Employer Engagement Strategy
• People & Culture Strategy
• Estates & Infrastructure Strategy
• Sustainability Strategy
• Digital Strategy
• Teaching & Learning Strategy
Progress against our objectives and targets is reported regularly and scrutinised by Governors at Board and committee meetings through a detailed set of key performance indicators
Furthermore, Board members regularly consider and review how well we are meeting local, regional and national skills needs through discussion in specific Governor strategic development sessions and regular updates at Board meetings These updates include –
• An overview of our involvement in LSIP development and delivery
• Our progress against core funding targets from WYCA and the ESFA
• Delivery of specific-funded projects through the Local Skills Improvement Fund, Multiply Funding and UK Shared Prosperity Fund
• Partnership work and collaboration with other colleges and key stakeholders
• Detail of our curriculum planning and new curriculum developments
The Group holds an annual Skills Strategy Development Session for external stakeholders, Governors and members of the Senior Leadership Team This year’s took place in January 2024 At this session, we outlined our priorities, our progress and our proposed plans for 2024-25, and this was followed by discussions and feedback to refine our planning
Alongside this, the Board has taken into account the relevant findings and recommendations from our recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023, where we received a ‘Good’ for every judgement and provision type and a ‘Strong’ rating for the skills sub-judgement
The Board continues to be outward-facing and responsive to the skills landscape and is committed to the Group being an anchor institution and a key player in the delivery of technical education and skills development to support the economic growth and social development of the areas we serve
Castleford College
Selby College
Wakefield College
08. Corporation Statement
On behalf of the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group Board of Governors, it is hereby confirmed that the Group’s Annual Accountability Statement and Local Needs Duty as set out above reflects an agreed statement of purpose, aims and objectives as approved by the Board on Tuesday 18th June 2024
Signed by -
Andrew McConnell OBE Chair of the Board of Governors
Sam Wright Principal & Chief Executive
The Annual Accountability Statement and Local Needs Duty will be published on the Group website within three months of the start of the new academic year and can be accessed within the Corporate Documents section
Supporting documentation
All of our supporting documentation can be accessed via our webiste Heart of Yorkshire Education Group - Corporate Documents
Please also note that the extensive reference documents and reports used to inform our planning (national policy and skills priorities, regional and local skills priorities and labour market intelligence) are hyperlinked within our Curriculum & Skills Strategy 2022-25
