WIREDGOV

Nearly four years after it was established, the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) commissioned a second independent evaluation of its work across the further education system.

The findings of its first evaluation, which considered the impact of  CEL’s interventions on individuals, organisations, learners and the  further education sector, were published in March 2007. The latest research went a stage further to assess whether there had been improvements, especially around leadership and management, since the provider’s last ALI or Ofsted inspection. It also sought to identify evidence of any correlation between CEL engagement and subsequent improvement in leadership being recognised in the inspection process.

The sample size for this study was 74 organisations, including FE colleges, sixth-form colleges, work-based learning, adult and community learning and other providers.

The evaluation found a very high level of correlation between CEL engagement and improved performance, predominantly in leadership and management. Other key areas of improvement highlighted in the inspection reports included:

* generally higher levels of attainment and achievement
* increased motivation amongst middle and senior management staff
* better provision for WBL and better employer engagement
* generally, more strategic focus with better financial management
* a higher capacity to improve, greater awareness of issues that needed
addressing, and plans being embedded to address these in the future.

Lynne Sedgmore, chief executive of CEL, said, “We accept the difficulty in isolating CEL’s contribution from other interventions and forces that have shaped, to some degree, the extent of leadership and management performance and resulting inspector comments. Nevertheless, we are delighted that this independent study has been able to demonstrate evidence to support that there has been positive impact.

“Oakleigh Consulting’s comprehensive study confirms what we have heard from leaders across the sector about our work. To date, we have engaged with more than 25,000 individuals, and are committed to working with the sector to deliver programmes and services that can really support a challenging improvement agenda. The FE system is going through a period of significant change, and the quality of leadership and followership at every level is vital to its long-term sustainability, health and reputation.”

The “Review of FE provider inspection reports” was published at the end of August 2007, and may be downloaded from the publications page on CEL’s website.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The research was commissioned by CEL and undertaken by Oakleigh Consulting between March and July 2007, and the “Review of FE provider inspection reports”, is available to download from
www.centreforexcellence.org.uk/UsersDoc/ReviewProviderInspection.pdf  

The findings of the earlier research project were summarised in “Review of CEL’s impact in the FE sector”, available to download from www.centreforexcellence.org.uk/UsersDoc/ImpactReviewSummary.pdf 

About CEL

The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) was launched in October 2003, as a key national agency within the Success for All initiative. CEL has a crucial role to play in developing organisational leadership in the further education system to anticipate, influence and respond to government policy initiatives, including, for example, the 2006 white paper, "Further Education: Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances".

CEL's remit is to foster and support leadership improvement, reform, transformation, sustainability and quality improvement. It serves the existing and future leaders of all providers within the further education system, including FE colleges, training and work-based learning providers, adult and community providers, offender learning, specialist colleges and voluntary organisations.

Following the publication of the white paper, CEL is involved in the introduction of a mandatory principal's qualification and the development of the quality improvement strategy for further education. The white paper also heralded an expansion of CEL's diversity and equality remit.

CEL now operates through a charitable trust formed by its operating company on 1 April 2006.

To date, more than 1,160 different organisations and 25,800 individual participants have engaged with CEL. No fewer than 15 participants from recent cohorts of CEL's Senior leadership development programme (SLDP) have been promoted to the role of principal.

CONTACT

Lindsay Baugh: (07736) 246 697 or (01707) 392 552
Email: lindsay.baugh@howardsgate.co.uk