Rutland College
Encyclopedia
Rutland County College is a post-16 ( or sixth-form) college, based mainly in Oakham
, Rutland
, England
. It plans to move to new premises in September 2012.
Originally called Rutland Sixth Form College, it was built on the site of the former Rutland Girls' Grammar School. Despite local opposition, it was incorporated into Tresham College in August 2000, changing its name to Rutland College.
In 2009 Tresham Institute announced its intention to withdraw from the Oakham site. As Tresham owns the site and assets, it is selling the existing buildings and land, leaving the local community to find a new site and the capital to build a new 16-19 college. In autumn 2009 Rutland County Council announced that Casterton Business and Enterprise College
(an 11-16 community college) would take responsibility, in partnership with the County Council and Tresham, for managing the college and would provide 100 sixth form places at its Great Casterton
site in addition to at Oakham. The second phase of the proposal include moving to a new site to be identified later. In November 2010 it was announced that the College would relocate to occupy the EEF
Conference Centre in Barleythorpe
(about a mile from Oakham) in September 2012.
The College prospectus describes a new post-16 programme with a range of courses including ‘A Level’ subjects, the new 14-19 diplomas, apprenticeships, or career specific ‘vocational’ training.
Rutland County Council minutes reported in July 2010 that 157 new students had registered along with 119 current students. The local press reported in September 2010 that the College needed to enrol 222 students to secure funding and that the College had exceeded that target and had 240 students registered. However, it was later reported that only 220 students had enrolled.
There was discussion in the local media about both the lack of transparency of the decision to award control of the College to a school and the viability of the scheme. Rutland County Council excluded the press and public from some of its deliberations on the matter.
Casterton Business and Enterprise College with Rutland Council undertook the statutory minimum six-week consultation of some of its proposals, this involved public meetings in Oakham, Uppingham, and Casterton and a questionnaire . The meeting in Uppingham was arranged after complaints that none had been scheduled in the town. The overwhelming consensus at the meetings and in response to the questionnaire was against the proposal. In particular the effective exclusion of the 11-16 schools in Oakham and Uppingham in the process was opposed. The wording of the consultation questionnaire was criticised. The parents of the children at the local primary schools where not sent copies of the questionnaire. The information given required “clarification” in a second document. Council responses to formal objections are given in . The Council voted to go ahead with the proposal, despite the opposition. At the Council meeting those councillors who spoke in favour of the proposal dismissed the opposition as unrepresentative. The argument was made that the rejection of the proposal would result in Tresham's complete withdrawal and this was confirmed by the Tresham Principal. A number of questions about the openness and accountability of the process have been asked and reported in the local press. The key decision was made at an “Informal Cabinet” meeting, with only four councillors present. However the Council member holding the Education portfolio stated at public meeting that she was in Africa when the decision to go forward without the involvement of two of the three feeder schools. but later said she had been present at all the meetings involving the consultation. The consultation process cost £177,010, of which £136,022 was spent on education consultants and £24,300 was spent on marketing. In July 2010 the Council gave retrospective approval for £30,000 to be spent on the costs of setting up the trust; at this point half of this money had already been spent.
Oakham
-Oakham's horseshoes:Traditionally, members of royalty and peers of the realm who visited or passed through the town had to pay a forfeit in the form of a horseshoe...
, Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It plans to move to new premises in September 2012.
Originally called Rutland Sixth Form College, it was built on the site of the former Rutland Girls' Grammar School. Despite local opposition, it was incorporated into Tresham College in August 2000, changing its name to Rutland College.
In 2009 Tresham Institute announced its intention to withdraw from the Oakham site. As Tresham owns the site and assets, it is selling the existing buildings and land, leaving the local community to find a new site and the capital to build a new 16-19 college. In autumn 2009 Rutland County Council announced that Casterton Business and Enterprise College
Casterton Business and Enterprise College
Casterton Business and Enterprise College is one of three mixed comprehensive schools in the county of Rutland, England. Located in the village of Great Casterton, the school provides education for 11 to 16 year olds, as well as a Childcare Centre for the under 5s and an adult education programme...
(an 11-16 community college) would take responsibility, in partnership with the County Council and Tresham, for managing the college and would provide 100 sixth form places at its Great Casterton
Great Casterton
Great Casterton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located at the crossing of the Roman Ermine Street and the River Gwash.-Geography:...
site in addition to at Oakham. The second phase of the proposal include moving to a new site to be identified later. In November 2010 it was announced that the College would relocate to occupy the EEF
EEF the manufacturers organisation
EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, works with manufacturing, engineering and technology-based businesses in the UK.EEF is the largest sectoral employers' organisation in the UK...
Conference Centre in Barleythorpe
Barleythorpe
Barleythorpe is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about a mile north-west of Oakham.Barleythorpe Hall was a home of Lord Lonsdale and later an elderly person's home...
(about a mile from Oakham) in September 2012.
The College prospectus describes a new post-16 programme with a range of courses including ‘A Level’ subjects, the new 14-19 diplomas, apprenticeships, or career specific ‘vocational’ training.
Rutland County Council minutes reported in July 2010 that 157 new students had registered along with 119 current students. The local press reported in September 2010 that the College needed to enrol 222 students to secure funding and that the College had exceeded that target and had 240 students registered. However, it was later reported that only 220 students had enrolled.
There was discussion in the local media about both the lack of transparency of the decision to award control of the College to a school and the viability of the scheme. Rutland County Council excluded the press and public from some of its deliberations on the matter.
Casterton Business and Enterprise College with Rutland Council undertook the statutory minimum six-week consultation of some of its proposals, this involved public meetings in Oakham, Uppingham, and Casterton and a questionnaire . The meeting in Uppingham was arranged after complaints that none had been scheduled in the town. The overwhelming consensus at the meetings and in response to the questionnaire was against the proposal. In particular the effective exclusion of the 11-16 schools in Oakham and Uppingham in the process was opposed. The wording of the consultation questionnaire was criticised. The parents of the children at the local primary schools where not sent copies of the questionnaire. The information given required “clarification” in a second document. Council responses to formal objections are given in . The Council voted to go ahead with the proposal, despite the opposition. At the Council meeting those councillors who spoke in favour of the proposal dismissed the opposition as unrepresentative. The argument was made that the rejection of the proposal would result in Tresham's complete withdrawal and this was confirmed by the Tresham Principal. A number of questions about the openness and accountability of the process have been asked and reported in the local press. The key decision was made at an “Informal Cabinet” meeting, with only four councillors present. However the Council member holding the Education portfolio stated at public meeting that she was in Africa when the decision to go forward without the involvement of two of the three feeder schools. but later said she had been present at all the meetings involving the consultation. The consultation process cost £177,010, of which £136,022 was spent on education consultants and £24,300 was spent on marketing. In July 2010 the Council gave retrospective approval for £30,000 to be spent on the costs of setting up the trust; at this point half of this money had already been spent.