Bill Grady OBE

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Bill Grady OBE

• Peripatetic Principal

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Bill Grady OBE

• A scientist/engineer
• 40 years in FE
• Just about every job found in a College
• 21 years as a main scale lecturer
• Promoted by accident
• Introduced Task Based Learning into NTC in 1988
• Principal
• NTC
• IoW
• Nescot
• Plymouth
• Totally committed to the job we do!

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The Isle of Wight CollegeDecember 2001

• 6 Principals in 6 years
• Some disastrous inspection results
• An Island Population that believed it was the
  worst in the UK
• Staff who were beginning to believe it!
• The most mobile staff had left or were leaving
• Deficit 1999/2000 - 753,000
• Deficit 2000/2001 - 516,000
• Deficit 2001/2002 - 634,000
• Would not be able to pay salaries in April 2002
• Overdraft of 1.5million by end of year

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Some of the Causes

• An Island Population of 129000, 27 of whom are
  over 60
• The employment pattern on the island
• Broad based thinly populated curriculum - small
  class sizes
• A Bums on Seats culture leading to poor
  retention and achievement
• A cut throat culture of competition on the Island
• The lack of self belief and self value of staff
  throughout the organisation

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A Significant Challenge!

• 85 of the Households on the Island have total
  income less than 25000
• Wage levels on the Island are only ¾ of the UK
  Average
• 80 of school children come from the 20 most
  deprived wards in the UK
• Most educational performance indicators place the
  Island behind averages in the UK
• Average points score of 16 year olds joining
  College 29

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Saving 700,000

• Close all courses currently making a loss
• Cost 1400 students
• 39 redundant teaching posts
• Knock on effect on support posts
• Significantly improve retention
• Grow, particularly by increasing enrolment onto
  existing courses
• Rationalise number of qualifications
• Introduce a flexible delivery model
• No loss of students
• 30 redundant posts
• Responds to needs of students
• Different from school
• Corporation and LSC support

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The Recovery Plan

• A major curriculum review
• The introduction of significant amounts of TBL
  immediately
• Withdrawal from some curriculum areas
• 30 redundancies
• An increased focus on Quality

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The Positives

• Total support from the Staff
• Support from Corporation
• Support from the LSC
• Hope for the BQ initiative
• Quality of infrastructure
• IT
• GTI
• Curriculum

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Why Task Based Learning?

• Educational
• Flexibility
• Financial opportunities

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Educational

• 1993 - the knowledge base in the world doubles
  every four years
• Multiple careers
• Puts the learner in control
• Allows lecturers to give time to those who need
  it most
• Improves retention
• Improves achievement
• Never turn any student away
• Most of all - its fun

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Financial

• Total control over staffing levels
• Costs
• teaching environment
• learning materials
• staff development

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Implementing TBL

• Infrastructure already present
• Targets set
• 50 by March 2002
• 100 by September 2002
• Importance of physical environment
• Some of the setbacks
• Staff response
• Student response

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2003

• Successful implementation of TBL
• 72 of IoW students prefer TBL
• The BQ redevelopment had begun
• Significant improvements in staff morale and self
  belief
• Renewed confidence of the LSC
• Successful Collaboration on the Island
• Huge Island support

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Driving Up the Quality of Teaching

• Carried out by accredited OFSTED and ALI
  associate inspectors
• November 2001
• 55.5 good or outstanding 29.5 satisfactory
• 15 unsatisfactory
• March 2002
• 62 good or outstanding 29 satisfactory
• 9 unsatisfactory
• Significant agreement with College OTL all drop
  in

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At Inspection October 2003

• Teaching
• 69 good or outstanding
• 27 satisfactory
• 4 unsatisfactory
• Curriculum
• One area - Outstanding
• Five areas Good
• Three areas Satisfactory
• Leadership and Management
• Good

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Becoming Financially Sound!

• December 2001 Category C
• 01/02 Operational surplus of 8,000
• 02/03 Operational surplus of 250,000
• All Debts Paid
• The College continues to make year on year
  surpluses
• College now satisfies criteria for Financial
  Health Category A

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Stats 16-19 Level 1
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Continuing Success

• The College was recognised in the Annual
  Inspection report for 2003-4 as being one of
  those showing outstanding progress
• 2004/5 Overall Retention, Achievement and
  Success Rates put IoW College in top 10 of
  Colleges

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Finally

• Frontline staff actually do the job
• But without leadership from the Board and Senior
  Managers, it will not happen!