Annual Report 2020/2021
Welcome to our Annual Report for 2020/2021
• Actively contributed to the Teesworks skills Academy and a range of other collaborative ventures.
• Developed our campus to include a new University centre, commenced construction on two new T Level centres, developed a campus heart masterplan, launched an adult and community learning centre and moved to the final stage in a masterplan to relocate TTE to our main campus in 2024.
• Diligently prepared for the launch of new T Level qualifications – which commenced in September 2021.
Whilst much of the news for last year was taken up with COVID, the College continued to operate throughout, keeping staff and students safe across our sites, and ensuring disruption to learning was minimised and student outcomes and our services to employers were not only maintained but maximised.
Despite the challenging and uncertain economic climate, the College is confident that, working with our local partners, we can serve employers with highly skilled talent that they need and play an increasingly important and exciting part in regenerating our local and regional economy.
• Most pleasingly – securing the best satisfaction scores ever from over 7000 staff, students and employers in our annual surveys.
In this context
• Worked with external agencies, to effectively support increasing numbers of students with mental health and other safeguarding and welfare support needs.
• Launched our new Teaching and Learning Strategy – Taking Teaching Higher with increased investment in coaching, mentoring and external professional development.
Rob ChairDaviesofGovernorsZoe PrincipalLewisand Chief Executive Officer
• Reflected on our recent lockdowns and launched our new digital strategy – with a view to eradicating digital poverty amongst our students within three years.
the College is proud to have achieved many things last year including:
• Secured Outstanding financial health for a second year running.
“We would like to congratulate our students, staff and governors for what has been another amazingly successful year for the college.“
• Expanded our sector skills academies, working with local employers and our local job centres and utilising new devolved flexibilities to meet local employer needs.
• Significantly increased the diversity of our staff body.
• Maintained the excellent student outcomes of our recent past – with the majority of our qualifications having been externally assessed rather than teacher assessed and comparing well to national and local comparators.
The acquisition of a respected apprenticeship training company (NECC training) covering complementary sectors and a wider geographic reach across the Northeast of England –creating Northern Skills Group (2016)
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Launching our new improved sector-based work academies (2019)
The College strategic plan and curriculum has been developed in direct response to government policy and feedback from local employers and stakeholders including: A significant expansion of STEM facilities and subjects (2015)
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Forming part of the North East Institute of Technology (2019)
• Collaborating with local providers as part of the Teesworks Skills Academy consortium (2021)
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STEM Centre
Middlesbrough College is the largest provider of post-16 education and training in the Tees Valley serving 13,000 learners from across the Tees Valley and beyond.
Acquiring a well-loved specialist engineering training provider TTE (2020)
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IOT & University Centre Middlesbrough opening by Professor Brian Cox CBETTE Site MC Digital Construction Skills Workshop us
Commencing T Level delivery – creating centres of excellence in digital and construction (2021 / 2022)
About
• The proportion of pupils in the local authority who achieve GCSEs grade 5 or above in English and mathematics is significantly lower than the national average
Lower than average job density and high proportion of low skilled / low paid jobs
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A lower proportion of the population is qualified at Level 2 and above than in other regions of England, and 16% of the population have no qualifications.
At Middlesbrough College we firmly believe that every one of us has the potential to achieve great things and through building confidence, developing new skills, and providing work simulation and relevant industrial experience we can unlock ambitions and support everyone, no matter what their starting point, to achieve a brighter future.
A net graduate exporter with a proportion of those that remain here, being under employed
Middlesbrough College is situated in the heart of the Tees Valley, an exindustrial area characterised by some consistent and common economic •themes:Thesecond most deprived LEP area in England
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The College curriculum has been developed over years, through strong bi-lateral partnerships with employers and through close and regular analysis of the changing labour market requirements and annual progress, achievement and destination data of our prior students.
Our students 50% female 61% adults 50% male 39% 16-18 9% Entry 11% Level 1 35% Level 2 38% Level 3 2% Level 4 3% Level 5 2% Level 6 0.1% Level 7 31% consider themselves to have a learning difficulty or disability 14% are from a black and minority ethnic group 34% live in depriveda area 75% live within the Tees Valley authoritycombined 31% live localMiddlesbrough’swithinauthority Student study levels Over 13,000 students
Student Satisfaction Student Outcomes 95% of students would recommend Middlesbrough College as a place to study (6% above national average) 95% of students said they had good online support during COVID-19 96% of students said their teaching was good (5% above national average) 96% of students said the college supports people from different backgrounds 98% of students feel safe in college (5% above national rate) 91.5% (nationalAchievement16–18-year-oldRaterate84%) 92.2% High AchievementstudentsNeeds Rate 92.1% Adult Achievement Rate (national rate is 85.7%) 94% Higher studentsEducationpassrate 98% of Adults doing Access to HE courses progress into EducationHigher 56% of HE students doing a degree gain an upper second class or first 71.1% Northern Skills Group and 67%) (nationalAchievementcombinedapprenticesTTERaterateis 97% of GroupCollege,MiddlesbroughwouldemployersrecommendNorthSkillsorTTE
Our staff
4.5%BAME1.9%LGBT+female60%40%male with4.4%adisability2%apprentices Staff age range 2%<20 15%20-29 23%30-39 23%40-49 24%50-59 13%60+ 1,011 members of staff What staff 94%say of staff say it is a friendly place to work 94% say the opportunitiespromotescollegeequal 93% feel safe at work (in a COVID year!) 92% said pandemicthroughcommunicationtheCOVIDhavebeen good 93% Middlesbroughrecommend College as a good place to work
Our strategic plan Our OurTakeTakeChallengeDoWorkRespectAimvaluesHighOthersHardWhat’sRightYourselfPrideResponsibilityvision Our Strategic Plan To be an outstanding provider of education and training, which improves educational outcomes, employment prospects and lifetime opportunities for our students. One Community Provide a safe, welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment for our community. One Team Attract, develop and retain a highly skilled, value driven and passionate team of staff. Organisational Resilience Maintain financial and regulatory stability. Mission To skillseducationprovideandthatenhance the region’s economic & social prosperity. One Ambition Ensure students achieve their full potential teachingoutstandingthrough&learning CommitmentOne Support developmenttheiremployersourwithworkforceneeds. ONEVOICE - Work closely with our externalpartners shaping policy and adaptingouroffer.OUTSTANDINGTEACHINGANDLEARNINGOUTSTANDINGTEACHINGANDLEARNING
• Consulted with employers about a potential relocation of TTE onto the college site and developed our design to include new green energy in direct response to local priorities
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• Supported inward investors such as Anglo American with their recruitment of new staff and apprentices
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Adapted delivery modes and practical assessments to ensure no student was disadvantaged by the pandemic
One Commitment
Teachers went above and beyond to support our students and apprentices to achieve their qualifications at above national rates
Launched a new Taking Teaching Higher Strategy – investing over £300,000 in mentors, coaches, professional development, research informed practice and personalised continuous development of our staff
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Supported 1076 students to progress to University including one of our A Level students securing a place at Oxbridge
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One Ambition
• Ensured no material achievement gaps exist between different groups of learners – highlighting the great support for learners with learning disabilities and difficulties and special educational needs
Became an active partner in the Teesworks Skills Academy supporting the regeneration of the largest development zone in Europe
• Became a World Skills Centre of Excellence to expand the opportunities our students get to participate in skills competitions and showcase and develop their skills
• Supported employers and apprentices throughout a period of intense disruption to remain on programme and achieve their apprenticeship at above national rates
Innovated our student work experience – including working with employers to provide virtual work placements where possible
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Worked closely with our employer partners to develop, design and specify equipment requirements for our new T Level digital centre and new T Level construction centre
Launched our new Adult and Community Centre at 2 Queens Square to accommodate the increasing demand for bespoke adult retraining courses and expanding sector skills academies
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Our strategic plan
Our strategic plan One Community • Working with partners, supported students in increasing numbers with their welfare and safeguarding needs – sometimes remotely • Provided a welcoming and harmonious environment where students displayed respect for staff and each other • Expanded our offer of English for speakers of other languages and created a bespoke centre to meet the education and pastoral needs of individual • Maintained a solid careers service in-spite of the significant disruption to both the education and employer workplace • Maintained a proactive, well attended student council where students feel able to make suggestions and positively contribute to the development of the college • Work with community organisations to offer support for example with COVID vaccination staff, holiday hunger activities, charity and fund raising activities • Taken prompt action to respond to national concerns raised around the prevalence of sexual abuse and harassment • Our accreditations include Disability Confident Leader, Bullying Intervention Group and the Matrix Quality Standard One Team • Adapted our campus to ensure a COVID safe environment including hire of a marquee, one way systems, extensive health and safety measures • Expanded our communication with staff throughout the pandemic –resulting in the highest staff survey result ever with all sections in the upper quartile nationally • Significantly increased the proportion of new staff who are from BAME communities • Developed and automated our people management systems including on line appraisals, holidays, sickness reporting
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• Launched our Employer Assistance Programme to all staff - with a good take up of 24 hour counselling and other services Ensured regular discussions with unions and other staff bodies to ensure our covid response and flexible working policies were proportionate Recruited and trained over 40 kickstart employees securing over 50% in permanent positions at the end of their placement
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Taking Teaching Further programme: supporting teachers new to FE increasing levels of adult education through meeting devolved authority priorities and achieving high quality employment outcomes national policy through becoming an early adopter of T Level qualifications, becoming a partner in the North East Institute of Technology Professor Brian Cox to open our new University Centre financial impact of the pandemic on Outstanding financial health for the second year £20m capital programme improve and expand 2021 T Level Digital centre and Construction centres opened 2022 Campus Heart, LRC refurbishment, Reception modifications completed 2021/22 T Level support fund replacement lifts, ambitious digital strategy including MC Click device scheme which will eradicate digital poverty from students over a three year period positive enrolment across all provision types in spite of the environment risk management processes include COVID
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Organisational Resilience • Successfully managed the
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One Voice Achievements this year: • Worked with the Association of Colleges to actively influence education policy with a particular focus on the White Paper – Skills for Jobs and the funding and accountability reforms • Membership of the Local Enterprise Partnership and Skills Advisory Panel developing and delivering a local skills strategy as part of our Mayoral Combined Authority • Secured and delivered a range of collaborative projects including: TRIP Project with 4 partner colleges: Enhancing T Level Teaching and Learning through Digital − CCF Round 1 with FE+ partners: developing learners’ digital capability ETF Mentoring and EdTech Mentoring programme
Our strategic plan
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Middlesbrough College celebrates success at every opportunity with over 235 student awards being given - even throughout Covid! Here are just some of our amazing students from 2020/21.
Hannah Motson receiving the Higher Education Business Student of the Year Award
Adam Tinning receiving the Customer Service Apprentice of the Year Award
Erikka Parker receiving the A Level Mathematics 2nd year student of the Year Award
Summary of awards
Steven McLean receiving the A Level Special recognition Award
Nathan Johnson receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award for Construction Multi Skills Holly Williams receiving the Hair and Media Make-up Student of the Year Simon Waters receiving the TTE Level 3 Mechanical Student Award Mariyah Malik receiving the Outstanding Achievement Student of the Year Award in Travel and Tourism
Summary of finances The College Group manages financial performance against the strategic plan by reference to a suite of financial performance metrics, all of which were met or exceeded in 2020/21: Financial objective Year to 31 July 2021 At least “Good” financial health (ESFA methodology) 260 points Outstanding Meet bank covenants 100% Deliver an operating surplus £2.4m EBITDA of at least £3m £4.9m Annual Capex at least £1.25m £7.9m Current ratio >1 1.84 EBITDA at least 7% of income 10.4% Borrowings to income less than 35% 24.8% Summary performancefinancial *Year to 31 July£’0002020 Year to 31 July £’0002021 Total income 42,636 46,766 Staff costs 25,813 28,592 Other Operating Expenses 13,345 14,439 Depreciation and amortisation 3,527 3,406 Interest and finance costs 624 652 (Gains)/losses from disposal of assets (291) (2) Total expenditure 43,018 47,087 Pension Actuarial gain/(loss) (17,467) 5,325 Total comprehensive income (17,849) 5,004 Underling surplus 1,480 2,417 Sector specific EBITDA 3,646 4,899 The College Group has continued to deliver strong financial performance through the year to July 2021, improving its underlying surplus (which adjusts earnings for non-cash pension accounting entries) by £0.9m driven by growth in total income. *Includes TTE acquisition for part year
Strategic Priorities Going Forward Deliver the first phase of our Taking Teaching Higher Strategy - including a successful revalidation of our ITE programmes451263 Deliver the first phase of our Digital Strategy - including launching MC Click and moving towards a Microsoft campus Deliver our ambitious campus development plan –including securing a positive future for the TTE site Develop a careers strategy and action plan –including expanding our support for students’ next steps and further improving student destinations Re-launch our personal development and employability programme and enrichment offer Successfully deliver the first wave of T Levels
