Council & Committees
Council
The work of the Association is supported and guided by the SFCA Council that meets on a termly basis. Governors and Principals from all seven SFCA regions and the Roman Catholic colleges are represented on the Council. A Finance and General Purposes Sub-committee of five Council members monitors the work of the SFCA Executive in more detail.
Our Committees
The work of the SFCA Executive is also supported by three policy committees: Funding, Curriculum and Quality, and Governance. The Chairs of these policy committees are members of the Council and membership is drawn representatively from each region. Two Negotiating Committees of Principals and Governors support the SFCA Executive in taking forward the vital work of negotiating national pay and conditions with the trade unions that represent teaching and support staff.
Council
Each of the seven SFCA regions, as well as the family of Catholic colleges, is represented on the SFCA Council.
Members of the Council act as an advisory body and a sounding board for SFCA strategy and activity, and they act as a channel of communication to ensure that the latest information, advice and guidance from the SFCA team is available to all the colleges in their regions.
Catholic Colleges Council member
Nick Burnham, Principal, Cardinal Newman College - Chair
Tom McGee, Aquinas College, Governor
North-West Region Council member
Jayne Clarke, Principal, Oldham Sixth Form College
Lynda Allen, Sir John Deane's Sixth Form College
North-East Region Council member
Tim Fisher, Principal, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Alan Foster, Governor, Wilberforce Sixth Form College
Midlands Region Council member
Peter Cooper, Principal, Hereford Sixth Form College
Eileen Hartley, Governor, Bilborough Sixth Form College
East Region Council member
Jo Trump, Principal, Hills Road Sixth Form College
Lorna Anderson, Governor, East Norfolk Sixth Form College
London Region Council member
Gill Burbridge, Principal, Leyton Sixth Form College
Nader Shater, Governor, St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College
South-East Region Council member
Emma Young, Principal, Godalming College
Jeremy Pattison, Governor, Godalming College
South-West Region Council member
Marian Curran, Principal, St Brendan's Sixth Form College
Curriculum & Quality
The challenge to improve and the means by which to measure performance are critical drivers in all sectors of education, not least among sixth form colleges who constantly strive to be better. The Curriculum & Quality Policy Committee leads on all aspects of performance management, considers all curriculum developments and provides support to colleges as necessary.
Committee work includes:
- Preparation of SFCA policy statements on the post 16 curriculum and SFCA policy statements on quality in sixth form colleges.
- Reviewing curriculum developments arising from government policy or proposed by examination boards and reviewing developments in quality assurance systems (both internal and external).
- Preparation of draft responses for SFCA to consultations on curriculum and quality assurance issues.
- Consideration of aspects of the post-16 curriculum to research and review in order to inform SFCA Curriculum Policy.
- Promoting a sector-wide approach to improving quality through peer review, benchmarking, sharing good practice.
- Organisation of training events/conferences as appropriate - including the annual SFCA Curriculum and Quality Conference which takes place in the Autumn Term.
- Supporting lobbying and promotional work of the sixth form college Sector.
- Commissioning research, internal and external as appropriate.
SFCA responses to government consultations on Curriculum & Quality
Funding Committee
This Committee lobbies on behalf of members on all funding issues and the national funding methodology. The Committee aims to influence decisions on policy, monitors policy impact and responds accordingly on behalf of the Sixth Form College sector. Committee members represent regional views and feedback meeting discussions to their regions.
Recent work has included
- Preparation of advice and guidance to members on funding issues.
- Preparation of draft responses to consultations on funding issues.
If you are interested in joining the Funding Committee, please email noni.csogor@sixthformcolleges.org for more information.
Governance Committee
This Committee works collectively as an advisory and consultative body and provides a voice for Sixth Form College Governance through regional consultation and response.
The Governance committee meets regularly throughout the year. Their work includes:
- Monitoring of reviews of Governance in Sixth Form Colleges and other work being undertaken by relevant government departments
- Monitoring and discussing the latest developments in education policy and matters directly affecting Sixth Form Colleges, influencing policy and responding to developments where necessary
- Considering and contributing to the development of induction, training and support materials for Clerks and Governors
- Responding to matters of particular difficulty, sensitivity or emergency and offering advice to member colleges
- Assisting with the organisation of workshops for Governors and an annual Clerks Conference.
Key Publications:
Briefing: ONS reclassification of Sixth Form Colleges
Are you a Governor at a Sixth Form College and would like to added to the SFCA distribution lists? Please contact jonathan.isaacs@sixthformcolleges.org
Negotiating Committees
Two Negotiating Committees of Principals and Governors support the SFCA Executive in taking forward the vital work of negotiating national pay and conditions with the trade unions that represent teaching and support staff.
Committee work involves negotiating with the unions representing teaching and support staff on a range of pay and conditions issues and consulting the unions on Model Procedures. The annual pay increase is due each 1st September, with the resulting settlement impacting on college budgets for that academic year.