Salford City College Group - Strategic Plan 2022 - 25

PRINCIPAL’S ADDRESS

I am immensely proud to present our Strategic Plan for Salford City College Group (SCCG) detailing what we hope to achieve over the next three years. The 2022-2025 Strategy presents a major opportunity to continue building on our educational framework to improve the chances, opportunities and aspirations of the people of Salford and their economic prosperity.

Salford is a thriving cultural, economic and residential location with a mixture of waterfront, urban and countryside environments, creating places where people want to live, work, study, invest and visit. As the only college in the city, it is vital that we continue to unlock talent and meet the local and national skills need. We are proud to be a World Skills Centre of Excellence and it is our mission to transform the lives of our communities and ensure we continue to ‘Level Up’ Salford.

Our College plan, for innovative and sustainable change, has been split into six strands representing key areas of the College, with a clear focus on educational excellence. At the heart of the College’s success is our students and staff who feel valued, engaged, and challenged in their inspiring and thriving surroundings.

There has been much to celebrate, including recently winning the SFCA Social Mobility Award, achieving Learning Provider of the Year for our Apprenticeships and becoming finalists in the AoC Beacon Award for Employer Engagement. We are very ambitious and will always strive for more and hope students, schools, employers, partners, stakeholders and staff will all see their priorities brought to life in our strategic plan.

Group Principal & CEO

REBECCA PARKS

OUR VISION

TO BE A BEACON OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE

OUR VALUES

OUR CORE VALUES ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO, AND WE ACT WITH:

RESPECT INTEGRITY KINDNESS

OUR SHARED PURPOSE

WE BELIEVE IN THE VALUE OF EDUCATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

OUR CITY: SALFORD

The City of Salford covers 37 square miles and the five districts of Salford, Eccles, Worsley, Irlam and Cadishead, and Swinton and Pendlebury. The Blackfriars, Broughton and Ordsall districts of Central Salford are just one minute’s walk from the heart of Manchester’s shopping and central business districts - just across the River Irwell which runs between the two cities. Salford’s closeness to Manchester City Centre makes it an important part of the economy and culture that is driving England’s North West forward.

The population size has increased by 15.4%, from around 233,900 in 2011 to 269,900 in 2021. This is higher than the overall increase for the North West (5.2%) and England (6.6%). The name of Salford derives from the Old English word Sealhford, meaning a ford by the willow trees. It referred to the willows or sallows that grew alongside the banks of the River Irwell.

The local authority has set out its growth strategy and is committed to transforming the City. Salford’s vision is for ‘A fairer, greener and healthier Salford’ and there are several City-wide strategies to support this vision. The ‘Great Eight’ ambitious priorities include: tackling poverty and inequality, creating a learning City, promoting connectivity and providing an economy for all. A number of key developments will provide training and employment opportunities for Salford residents and many investment opportunities: City Centre Salford; the Quays and Media City; the GM Western Gateway and the RHS Garden Bridgewater.

OUR CITY: SALFORD

A key investment for the City is a large-scale regeneration project that is well underway in an area of Salford called ‘The Crescent’. These plans will unlock Salford’s future on a global scale by bringing together industry, education and community. The plan is to bring innovation to the forefront in a way that serves communities close to home and across the globe, creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to excel in a variety of subjects. The Crescent will be connected to the wider world with a new thriving and sustainable transport hub – enabling easy access to Manchester, the wider city region and beyond. This will include improved cycling and walking routes, and the transformation of Salford Crescent train station to include a Metrolink stop.

Salford has a dynamic and rich heritage - it was home to the first ever gaslit street, Chapel Street, courtesy of the Salford Bible Christian Church; it’s home to the first ever free public library at the Salford Museum and Art Gallery; the first public park in the country at Peel Park and the City even boasts the region’s first five-star hotel at The Lowry. The BBC, ITV and Kellogg’s are also proud to call the City home. The College has forged strong strategic partnerships with these industry professionals and Salford Royal Hospital. Salford Royal, a large University teaching hospital, is within walking distance to two of our College campuses and is one of the top-performing hospitals in England as well as being named in the ‘Top 100 Hospitals in the World’. Also in the region is the University of Salford, leaders in innovation with a clear future focus on robotics, the environment and health. Alongside Salford’s industrious heritage, over half of the land across the City is green space, which represents the largest concentration across any area in the country.

OUR CITY: SALFORD

However, Salford remains a city of contrast. The city is ranked 18th in the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and over a quarter of the City is in the most deprived 10% nationally. It remains the third most deprived area in the Greater Manchester area. The average household income is £28,081k, whilst the average in England is £31, 490k. It has a higher than national average number of students who leave school without achieving a Level 2 qualification, and a higher than national average of young people who are not in employment, education, and training. Some areas in the City, notably Broughton, Langworthy and Little Hulton, experience unemployment rates of 11% compared to the national average of 4.3%. Salford’s overall unemployment figure is 4.4%, again compared to the national average of 5.1%. Therefore, it is vital that we create a clear eco-system that supports students transitioning to College and provides opportunities to secure positive destinations.

Future employment growth in the City is expected to be concentrated in a number of major sectors of the local economy including health, construction, creative, digital and media, business, financial and professional services. This provides a significant opportunity for SCC Group to continue to develop talent pipelines with partners within these sectors to support pathways into employment, education and/or training. We are setting out a new approach to meet the future skills and employment needs of Salford residents and employers across three key areas:

YOUNG PEOPLE

Helping them to progress their studies and aspirations in the working world

ADULTS

Opening up opportunities to upskill and retrain to adapt to the changing world of work

EMPLOYERS

Developing talent pipelines to plug skills gaps in key sectors

EDUCATION IN SALFORD

March 2020 will forever be remembered in history as a time when all the schools, colleges and educational institutes across the world shut down. While no one was prepared for the pandemic, the education system was one of the most disrupted sectors. However, it is commendable how quickly and efficiently the education sector in Salford, at all levels, adapted to the new normal.

The crisis stimulated unprecedented innovation within Salford but also highlighted the extreme economic and social inequality between students. Covid-19 pandemic had a positive impact on education with the introduction of a wide range of distance learning tools and significant technological advancements. It has exacerbated the pre-existing education disparities by reducing the opportunities for many of the most vulnerable students, especially those living in poorer areas. The lack of devices for online education, especially amongst the underprivileged has led to a loss in education for many. These learning losses threaten to extend beyond this generation and erase decades of progress.

The pandemic and the unparalleled education disruption is far from over and it is the college’s responsibility to ensure we meet the needs of our communities and be responsive to a fluctuating landscape, especially as Salford is the fastest growing city in the north of England.

TREND DATA IN SALFORD

• In Salford, there have been increases in younger adults (33% increase in those aged 35-39, 42% increase for 30-34, 26% increase for 25-29) and in school-aged children (28% increase aged 5-9, 24% increase aged 10-14).

• Salford had 17,500 new homes with planning permission (March 2022)

In England, the largest proportionate increases in population from the 2011 to 2021 censuses have been in the older age groups, whereas in Salford they have generally been in younger age groups. The census data also shows an increase in the number of households, evidence from Salford Council shows a high proportion of new homes being built, migration (in and out of the city) and the level of in-year demand for schooling has resulted in an increase pressure on school places and our educational sector within the city.

The Pupil Level Annual School Census, (Spring 2022) provided by the Local Authority shows steady growth over the next 3 years. By 2025 the number leaving secondary education will be 2,625 compared to 2,461 in 2022. This upward trend continues for a further 7 years based on current pupil levels. Our current market share of 16-18 Salford residents is 84% with 16% enrolling at the College from out of area boroughs.

• Salford has also had an increase in children aged under 15 of 18.6% compared to 5.0% for England as a whole.

• In 2021/22 - 1393 in-year secondary school applications were received – this is an increase of 226 compared to 202021 academic year. 196 of these applications were from pupils out of area. 258 are from families new to the country (59 Hong Kong nationals, 24 Ukraine and 175 from other countries).

• The number of households in Salford increased from 103,556 in the 2011 Census to 115,100 in the 2021 Census, which was an increase of 11.1%.

OUR SCHOOLS: PRIMARY

The quality of primary education provision is strong, of the 76 primary schools in Salford, 98% are judged good or outstanding by Ofsted (as of July 22) compared to the national average of 89%. Average attendance within Salford primary schools is 92.4% and year on year outcomes have been in line with the rest of England.

However, the results from 2021/22 KS2 Statutory Assessment Tests (SATs) have fallen nationally but to a greater extent within Salford. Unlike most other examinations where alterations to assessment papers, lowered grade boundaries or advanced information was received, this was not the case for these Key stage 2 tests. Ofsted and The Department for Education wanted a clearer understanding of the impact of the pandemic on primary aged students in order to analyse variations between pupils, schools and local authority areas. Therefore the 2021/22 data is not directly comparable with earlier years, and we need to be cautious in drawing conclusions.

However, it does present interesting findings for primary aged pupils in Salford especially around their writing skills. Of the 3 measures tested, writing was significantly lower and did highlight some issues around pupils’ abilities to construct sentences and write at length which maybe a direct consequence of Covid, coupled with an increased reliance on technology. These issues in literacy can be seen in all age groups and therefore has become a key focus for the College. We have developed a whole college literacy strategy to improve reading, writing and communication skills across our broad curriculum.

OUR SCHOOLS: SECONDARY

We serve as the main provider for 15 partner high schools in Salford. The successes seen at primary schools within Salford are not mirrored at secondary school with only 47% currently being judged good or better by Ofsted compared to the national average of 79%. However, in 2021/22 the percentage of pupils achieving 4+ in GCSE English and Mathematics was 60.2%, which is lower than the national average of 67.1%, but demonstrates a significant improvement since 2018/19.

Transition into secondary education can be difficult for many and in Salford only half of pupils are making the expected progress required. For disadvantaged pupils only 42.1% are entering KS3 with the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at KS2. Therefore, primary and secondary schools are working collaboratively to address this need and changes in Year 7 are being implemented.

The average attendance at secondary has decreased by 3.6% in the last few years and, although linked to the impact of the pandemic, this decline needs to be reversed. A robust action plan is happening in the City to address these issues and Salford has been named as a Core Education Investment area, allowing a range of programmes to be implemented in all schools. This DfE funding, alongside other initiatives including the levelling up premium for teachers in Salford, will help to reinvigorate the future of education. Fifteen million pounds will be invested over the next 4 years to ensure the 2,000 individuals in the city with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are not disadvantaged. The mission is to ensure there is an equal offer across Salford for SEND, allowing consistent practices to be replicated across all settings.

Through the College’s partnership work with Salford Council and our partner schools, we have a great understanding of the challenges and needs of our communities and our strategic priority is to ensure a clear eco system from Primary to College and beyond, as education and training are key to a successful future.

THE NEET CHALLENGE

The number of young people in Salford aged 16-18 who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is above the national average. Launched in 2019, the council’s NEET Reduction Strategy and action plan sets out to further reduce adverse indicators and missed life opportunities for these young people. By working in partnership with the council on the NEET Reduction Strategy, SCC Group is committed to improving the understanding and identification of young people who are at risk of becoming NEET, supporting more young people to make better transitions into appropriate post-16 education and training and ensuring we have a high quality and highly responsive post-16 education and training offer.

Through the College’s partnership work with Salford Council and our partner schools, we have a great understanding of the challenges and needs of our communities and our strategic priority is to ensure a clear eco system from Primary to College and beyond, as education and training are key to a successful future.

FURTHER EDUCATION LANDSCAPE

Education enriches people’s understanding of themselves and the world, improves the quality of their lives and brings broad social benefits to individuals and society. The Further Education (FE) Sector has a key role to play in enriching the lives of the individuals and the communities it services and SCC Group is central to improving educational outcomes both locally and regionally.

Collaboration across the 10 areas of Greater Manchester through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is important for Salford. Together the 10 councils, and partners from across the public, private, community and voluntary sector are working to ensure Greater Manchester is a place where everyone can live a good life, growing up, getting on and growing old in a greener, fairer, more prosperous city region. The Greater Manchester Strategy sets out a route over the next decade to delivery this vision for the benefit of our people, our places and our planet, with a focus to make Greater Manchester a great place to visit, invest and study, with thriving businesses which are UK and world leading, in sectors including low carbon and digital.

NATIONAL

Over the last 15 years, the Further Education sector has seen over 25 significant reform policy initiatives, such Area Reviews, the requirement to study towards GCSE English and Maths, the Augar Review, the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, the devolved Greater Manchester Adult Education Budget funding model, the launch and expansion of T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications and the Skills for Jobs White Paper.

The latest reform, the Skills and Post-16 Education Act, is transforming the skills, training and post-16 education landscape and level up opportunities across the country. This legislation will make sure everyone can gain the skills they need to progress into a rewarding job, and businesses have access to a pipeline of talented, qualified employees for their workforces –boosting productivity.

OUR PLACE IN THE CITY

Our vision is for SCC Group to be exceptional. To achieve our vision we are seeking to build on our outstanding success, history and upward trajectory by recognising that we cannot afford to stand still. Eccles Sixth Form, Pendleton Sixth Form and Salford College (Worsley College and City Skills College) merged in 2009 to form Salford City College, due to our successes and the opportunity to create a college in the heart of media city, we opened Future Skills College in 2013. Today we are a highly successful, thriving, and dynamic multi-site college. We offer a very wide range of academic and technical programmes to young people and adults within Salford, across Greater Manchester and beyond. Our turnover has increased to over £40 million over the last five years.

We employ just over 620 people, and our financial health is, at the time of writing, assessed as ‘Outstanding’. We have a passion for teaching, learning and the student experience. During all Ofsted inspections we have been rated as ‘Good’ and we are committed to ensuring students have a rich curriculum and pastoral offer which prepares them for positive destinations, ‘Leaders and curriculum managers ensure that the content of the curriculum prepares learners effectively for their next steps in their education or career pathway’ (Ofsted 2019).

£40 MILLION

‘Good’ Rating

Pendleton Sixth Form College was established half a century ago from Salford Grammar School for Boys, Pendleton High School for Girls and De La Salle College

The College Group has a turnover of over £40 million

The College Group delivers to over 9,900 learners

Worsley College was established over 100 years ago

The College Group employs over 620 people

OUR AWARDS

We celebrate and recognise the achievements of our students and staff.

Centre of Excellence 2022

National Student of the Year

Commended for:

• Engagement with Employers

• Support for Students

• Team of the Year

• Lifetime Achievement Award Business Collaborarion

Commended for:

• Mental Health & Wellbeing

• Support for Students

OUR STUDENTS

In 2020/21 we had more than 4,500 full time 16-18 students and over 1,500 Apprentices enrolled at our college. We also had over 5,000 adult learners taking part in evening classes, community learning, professional training in the workplace, English for speakers of other languages, and skills for life such as numeracy and literacy. We have a successful, highly regarded higher education offer and more than 250 learners are currently studying a higher education course with us. We have embraced the government drive to support people to develop the skills needed to get good jobs and improve national productivity. As the rate of technological change increases, the College will be crucial to building an agile and adaptable workforce. The number of unemployed Salford residents has increased significantly from 4, 675 (2018/19) to 11, 495 (2021/22) so we have developed a comprehensive Local Skills Strategy which outlines our innovative Industry Partners concept, whilst making sure our provision remains flexible, so that adults have the chance to retrain, update their skills and move into growth sectors.

One such successful venture between key stakeholders has been, ‘Build Salford’, which is a three-way partnership between Salford Council, a consortium of leading national and local employers within the construction sector and the College. This trainee programme is targeted at 16-24 year olds and gives Salford residents the opportunity to gain advanced skills leading to employment or apprenticeship pathways.

OUR STUDENT POPULATION

OUR STUDENT STANDARDS

At SCC Group, college life extends beyond the classroom, and we offer a wide range of activities, reflecting the varied social and cultural mix of our students on campus. We celebrate our students’ successes as well as those from our college communities. In summer 2022, one of our students won two National BTEC Awards, the first being Science Learner of the Year and the second award was for the Overall Learner of the Year, which are incredibly achievements. Also in this year, the College was recognised for a Beacon Award and received commended Status’ for the support we offer students.

OUR PARTNERS

Working collaboratively with our industry partners to create unique and enriching learning opportunities.

OUR COLLEGES

Salford City College Group is a family of colleges which all have a distinctive culture and curriculum, but consistency is our approach to learning and standards. We are committed to ensuring that every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential through a wide range of post-16 education and training from Entry Level to Level 7. We support our learners in developing their academic, personal and social skills so they are fully equipped for future progression to higher education, apprenticeships or employment. At all our colleges we are proud to offer unrivalled mental health services and welfare support, ensuring that every student has access to the advice and guidance they need. The College’s inspiring team of teachers go above and beyond to help their students achieve not only their qualifications but also to guide them on their journey into work, further education, and university. Our engaging and inclusive curriculum is delivered across six campuses and various community venues.

CITY SKILLS

This College focusses on providing industry standard teaching expertise, and facilities that support the development of skills in the Construction Industry. The college has a regional reputation for excellence and is regarded as a Centre of Excellence for Construction by employers and key stakeholders across the region. In recognition of its reputation and growth in student numbers, City Skills has recently been the recipient of government funding to support its ongoing growth and development as a leader in the sector. City also delivers courses for adults in Construction, Maths and English and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). ESOL, one of the largest programme areas at City Skills, was developed in direct response to the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees in Salford and supports not only language acquisition but also the development of wider skills relating to settling in a new and unfamiliar country.

WORSLEY COLLEGE

This College, which is in the north west of the city, provides outstanding learning experiences for learners of all ages who wish to pursue a career in the Hospitality, Retail, Enterprise and Hair and Beauty Sector. It is also widely recognised for its development of widening participation programmes such as The Prince’s Trust.

PENDLETON SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

This college is renowned as a Centre of Academic Excellence for young people that places high-quality teaching, pastoral care, and strong student support at its heart. More than 2300 students study A-Levels and Level 3 Advanced Study Programmes and The Pendleton Performing Arts Departments has a national reputation for excellence that supports students to progress to prestigious destinations such as the Royal Academy of Performing Arts (RADA) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

ECCLES SIXTH FORM COLLEGE

Eccles is recognised as Centre of Vocational Excellence. It boasts outstanding facilities and provides exceptional learning experiences delivered by teachers who use well established industry experience and links to support students into specialist employment and higher education programmes. Eccles Sixth Form College also has well established links with Manchester United and Salford Reds. The college’s Inclusive Learning Department delivers outstanding provision for learners with high needs.

FUTURESKILLS AT MEDIACITYUK

Located in the heart of MediaCity, FutureSkills boasts outstanding industry standard facilities and highly committed teachers and specialists in their field of expertise support digital natives with the skills that they need to be successful in what is a fast moving and evolving industry. The University Centre at Salford City College is regarded for its university-style campus, outstanding facilities, and care for students on HE programmes in their sector.

THE BUSINESS CENTRE AT FRONTIER HOUSE

The Business Centre is home to the Employer Services and Apprenticeship team. The principal focus is to support businesses across the Northwest and beyond to develop today, for their workforce of tomorrow. The Business Centre affords employers meeting and training space, as well as networking opportunities. A growing number of key employers are also signed up as Salford City College Industry Partners, meaning they help inform curriculum development and design, they afford high quality work experience for students and support our staff to be world class through industry CPD placements and mentoring. The Industry Partners concept ensures long term, strategic relationships, where employers ensure we can deliver the highest quality and most up to date learning for our students, who in turn are better prepared than ever before to meet the changing needs of the sectors they are moving into.

OUR STAKEHOLDERS

“

The Governing Body is fully supportive of the strategic plan, and absolutely committed to the Colleges’ social remit.”

- Jackie Flynn, Chair of Corporation, Salford City College Group

“

It is vital that industry work in collaboration with education institutions to develop the best talent for the future. We are delighted to be a lead Industry Partner with the Salford City College, ensuring we can work strategically with the College to help develop our next generation of employees.”

“

Salford Council work strategically with SCC Group to secure the future lives of our residents. We fully support their 3 year strategy and will continue to collaborate in various projects throughout the City.”

- Tom Stannard - Chief Executive, Salford City Council

“

Manchester United Foundation are proud to be working with Salford City College Group. We feel the values of both organisations are aligned as we put the development of young people to the forefront of everything we do.”

- Nic Hodkinson - Director and Owner, Seddon

- Ciaran Donnelly – Education and Skills Manager, Manchester United Foundation

OUR STORY

CELEBRATING OVER 100 YEARS OF DELIVERING EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

OUR OBJECTIVE –PEOPLE

To be an exceptional employer where staff and students are developed and thrive because they feel valued, engaged, and challenged.

Our people, both staff and learners, are the very heart of our organisation. Here at SCC Group, we recognise and celebrate that our staff are our greatest and most valued asset and that our successes are as a direct result of the quality of people who work here.

In total, we employ just over 650 staff across a variety of teaching, support, professional services and management roles. Regardless of role, we believe all employees are educators and we work together to develop a highperformance culture and workplace where engaged and talented people achieve truly exceptional, sustained results to benefit our students.

As an organisation we are determined, creative and not afraid to challenge the status quo to further enhance both our learner and staff experience. We seek to do this by listening to, inspiring and working in partnership with our people and our stakeholders.

POSITION 2022 OUR AIMS IMPACT 2025 WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

To be the College of choice: attracting, appointing and retaining high quality talent, who are value driven, hardworking and excellent practitioners in their field

By retaining our professional workforce it will mean all students receive a high quality education and experience so they can achieve their next steps and have a better future, highlighted in our positive destinations survey

We will be an attractive employer and recognised in the Sunday Times Best not for profit Top 50 Employer

To ensure that staff are developed, feel a part of and actively engage in all aspects of college life

Staff will receive excellent developmental opportunities and we will invest a percentage of additional income into developing and rewarding our people

We will ensure that the results of our annual staff survey remain positive

To provide a professional and customer focused HR service underpinned by best practice and efficient processes

We will ensure that all Professional Services areas, including HR, adhere to the College’s ‘Gold Standards’

We will ensure that our turnover and levels of absence rates remain low

To provide holistic support for staff and students’ physical and mental health and well-being

Initiatives such as #WELLSTUDENT and #WELLSTAFF will be launched and fully embedded at the College, and we will receive recognised awards for our support for students and employer wellbeing

OUR OBJECTIVEEXTERNAL PRESENCE

To develop a clear eco system with productive links to schools, universities, employers, and other key partners, whilst raising the external profile of the College.

Our colleges serve as the main post 16 option for learners at secondary schools in Salford with a high proportion coming from within the city. With over 10,000 learners, the College has a responsibility to ensure key relationships are fostered to benefit the wider community.

Through continuing to improve the Colleges profile and reputation in local, regional, and national markets it will position us as the outstanding educational provider of choice.

POSITION 2022 OUR AIMS IMPACT 2025 WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

To strive to be the 1st choice for post 16 education in Salford

We will ensure a wide-ranging curriculum offer with outstanding teaching and resources, allowing our profile and reputation to develop further. This will result in an increased number of Salford school leavers and adults joining the College, as per our growth plan

To be recognised nationally for an outstanding student experience

Student retention and satisfaction will remain high at the College, and we will achieve external recognition for our outstanding work

To build key strategic relationships within the city so that the College has a voice

We will have established a clear eco-system working with schools, (primary and secondary), third sector organisations, employers, and industry partners across Salford and beyond

OUR OBJECTIVERESOURCES & BUSINESS OPERATIONS

To manage the College’s finances, estates, and resources effectively to provide an exceptional and sustainable learning environment.

The College’s turnover stands at over £40m, with a variety of income streams, most notably the 16-18 core funding. The College operates on six main sites and delivers training at two outreach centres and several community venues. The college serves a wide community that is socially, culturally and economically diverse, and occupies a pivotal role in the training of young people, adults and employers.

Over the next three years, we will ensure that the college’s estate provides outstanding teaching and learning resources with state-of-the-art facilities which support the curriculum offer in response to meeting local and national industry and employer needs.

POSITION 2022

OUR AIMS

To ensure financial sustainability whilst maintaining the exceptional quality of our learner experience

IMPACT 2025

WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

We will achieve a Financial Health rating, as categorised by the Department of Education, of good or outstanding annually

To provide high quality support and services that are efficient, adaptable and meet all business needs

We will be recognised by all stakeholders as providing an outstanding level of service

To ensure our estate is well maintained with industry standard facilities in order to attract talent to the College, inspire learners, employers and stakeholders

Continual investment will be made so that the College can compete with industry, monitored in the stakeholder estate, facilities and environment satisfaction survey

OUR OBJECTIVESUSTAINABILITY

To lead by example on environmental sustainability, providing solutions through collaboration and engagement, underpinned by our commitment to the Green agenda.

The sustainability agenda, and the aspiration of operating in a net zero carbon existence is one of, if not the biggest challenges facing all communities across the globe.

Education for Sustainable Development, a UNESCO United Nations led concept, has been adopted by the UK Government, ensuring that in coming years as a major post 16 education provider, we will be monitored against our contribution, commitment and implementation of the sustainability education agenda.

Aligned to the Climate Change Act by 2050 we must be a carbon neutral organisation. Salford City Council has set a target of for the City of Salford achieving carbon neutrality 12 years ahead of this in 2038.

We must become a green college, support the development of a green community around us and be at the forefront of developing the green skills the local and regional economy needs.

POSITION 2022 OUR AIMS IMPACT 2025

WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

To educate students, staff and stakeholders to build a more sustainable future

Sustainability will be embedded within all curriculum areas and enrichment activity

Staff and students will understand how they can contribute to the Green Agenda and their efforts will be recognised in various ways

To develop a net zero college

There will be a further reduction in carbon over the next three years by 30% to achieve our goal of ‘Earth30’

To deliver green skills and support green jobs

We will open our first Green Technology Area at our City Skills College, which will have training and activity to support the skills needs across the region

To deliver green skills and support green jobs

There will be regular green activities and nature events occurring across the College, contributing to the sustainability agenda, but also supporting well-being, motivation and morale

OUR OBJECTIVETEACHING & LEARNING

To inspire people in our city and region through the provision of an outstanding, inclusive, and ambitious curriculum that provides an engine for social mobility.

The College has refined its pedagogic approach to ensure all our students receive high quality and consistent teaching, learning and support. The College has been proactive in responding to the significant amount of curriculum reforms, whist still maintaining quality.

The next five years look to be a period of change, development and opportunity with a greater emphasis on delivering learning programmes that are employer led and provide pathways to support our local and regional economy. Ofsted have included a skills measure as part of their Educational Inspection Framework, providing a review of how providers use labour market information and relationships with stakeholders to inform their delivery.

Changes to the national educational policy are broadly welcomed, however SCC Group must remain committed to ensuring that the curriculum is flexible and broad enough to deliver courses that also align with the college’s social remit evidenced by the colleges widening participation offer and community learning programmes. The ‘devolved’ college model has led to an improved clarity of offer for stakeholders, and improved performance which has in turn led to an increase in student numbers. However, it is now necessary create an overarching SCC Group common language of learning and learning activity processes.

POSITION 2022 OUR AIMS IMPACT 2025 WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

To plan an outstanding, inclusive, and ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all stakeholders in the city

We will be judged as Outstanding by learners, stakeholders and Ofsted with a regional and national reputation for excellence

We will be the trusted provider of choice in the City of Salford, delivering a rich and diverse curriculum offer that meets the needs of all stakeholders

To provide safe, exceptional and aspirational learning experiences that will lead to outstanding levels of learner engagement, achievement and progression to next steps

We will continue to achieve high levels of engagement leading to attendance of above 90% for all programmes

Our value-added performance and/ or achievement will be maintained at 5% above national benchmarks and positive and sustained destinations will exceed the national average

Evidence of positive student experiences will be captured through student voice engagement initiatives

To develop a comprehensive local skills plan that commits to local people securing local jobs

At least 1,000 people each year will secure employment as a result of our education programmes such as our comprehensive apprenticeship, traineeship and adult provision

To create a whole college approach to the Quality of Curriculum

A whole college staff and student engagement framework will be established and embedded in order to monitor performance, celebrate good practice and improve outcomes

OUR OBJECTIVE – WELFARE

To safeguard and promote the health, safety, and positive well-being of all who study and work at the College.

The English Mental Health of Child and Young People Survey (MHCYP) suggests a deterioration in youth mental health. It found that the proportion of children aged six to 16 with probable mental health disorders had increased from one in nine in 2017 to one in six in both 2020 and 2021. The number of young people presenting at A&E with urgent mental health needs has tripled in the last 10 years and the impact of the pandemic is yet to be fully understood.

However, we do know that the pandemic has caused a significant increase in mental health and wellbeing concerns. This is true at the College with over 1,500 incidents being recorded in 2021/22, representing a 100% increase compared to pre pandemic data.

Research on the mental health consequences of Covid 19 is still quite limited. However, it has been reported that nationally there has been an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms as a result of the pandemic. This is likely attributable to a wide range of factors, including: social isolation, anxiety about illness, uncertainty about the future and strained family relationships.

It is therefore more important than ever that the college provides a high-quality support service that meets the individual needs of students and staff and is set in a comprehensive, current understanding of welfare trends and emerging pedagogy and best practice.

POSITION 2022 OUR AIMS IMPACT 2025 WHAT SUCCESS WILL LOOK LIKE

To introduce a 3-stage process for supporting wellbeing of staff and students, which has a clear focus on early intervention that is understood by everyone

We will establish a whole organisational approach to welfare which prioritise early help and prevents mental health reaching crisis point

We will increase the mental fitness of staff and students via a diverse range of initiatives, demonstrated in improved mental fitness scores reported via the Fika diagnostic tool

To further develop transition arrangements and support student integration into life at college

We will have fully implemented our social mobility summer programme to support the most vulnerable year 11 students make a positive transition to college

Improved attendance and retention data, above national averages for all areas, will be achieved

To develop a reputation as an outstanding provider of welfare support

We will continue to receive external recognition for services to welfare support

We will achieve the prestigious accolade of being an Emotionally Friendly Setting