PAT STATEMENT ON FURTHER EDUCATION WHITE PAPER

27 March 2006

The Professional Association of Teachers (PAT), which has dedicated sections for lecturers and support staff in further education, has welcomed the White Paper, Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances, published today (27 March 2006) by the DfES, but warned that a massive boost to the pay and career prospects of college staff is needed for the proposals to be effective. The Association is also concerned about what will happen to 'failing' colleges.

PAT General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "The Foster Report last year raised some of the problems colleges face, many of which result from under-funding at a time of increased expectations. PAT therefore welcomed the investment in further education announced in the Budget last week. Today's White Paper builds on that.

"We are pleased that the White Paper highlights the key role further education colleges have in post-16 education and their fundamental importance to the economy.

"The extension of free education for 19-25 year olds, the Adult Learning Grants and Learner Accounts should help young people to stay in education and training and improve their skills and life chances.

"Proposals for colleges and businesses to work together should be of mutual benefit to both. We hope too that the National Skills Academies will prove to be centres of excellence that will improve the status of vocational education and training.

"Encouraging 'high-flyers' to work in FE is a positive move to both improve the recruitment and retention of staff and raise the profile of this often neglected and over-looked sector. The 'continuous professional development requirement for all staff' will be widely welcomed, but we will need to study the details of how this will be achieved and funded.

"However, unless the DfES takes action to boost the pay and career prospects of college staff, to bring them in line with colleagues in secondary schools, these positive proposals will fail. PAT has been pressing the Government to tackle this unfair disparity in funding. The DfES needs to look to the recent settlement in Welsh colleges, where efforts have been made to improve pay levels.

"Lecturers are paid considerably less than secondary school teachers. Statistics have shown a 14% difference between the average pay of a lecturer and a teacher. Further education makes a vital contribution to our economy, and status and pay disparities need to be resolved to create true professional parity between FE lecturers and school teachers.

"The further education sector will play a key role in the revised 14-19 curriculum, but the additional pressure of the new curriculum and a different, younger age group of students to the ones FE lecturers are used to mean there are resource issues to be addressed, as well as those of qualifications and pay.

"PAT also has great concerns about what would happen to staff and student in 'failing' colleges from which LSC funding would be withdrawn. Closing a college would be enormously disruptive and dispiriting for both students and staff. Action is needed to address institutions with problems, but underperforming colleges need increased support and resources – they do not need to be deprived of funding. They need the collaborative efforts and investment of the local community and local and national government to turn them around.

“We remain concerned about the powers and motivation of the proposed 'providers' that would 'enter the system'. These organisations will have their own agendas – primarily making a profit. PAT is worried that providing high quality education may not be their overwhelming priority.

"We will study the White Paper in detail and make a full response in due course."

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