KAFEC Director’s Blog

This week saw the beginning of the review of all KAFEC Network Groups.  There have been a number of very positive responses, demonstrating that these network groups are highly valued by their members and there has been a strong consensus that these should be continued.

There are seven KAFEC Network Groups in total:

• Principals’ Group
• Corporate Services Network Group
• Funding and Management Information Network
• Quality and Curriculum Network
• Publicity and Marketing Network Group
• Learning and Development Network Group
• Higher Education Network Group

In addition, the Workforce Development Group, which was previously run by the Learning and Skills Council will shortly become KAFEC-led.  There is also scope to develop further groups to share communications and good practice and these will be developed over the next few months.

Minutes of all meetings will be available from the Member’s Area of the KAFEC website.  If you do not have a login to access this at present please contact the Director of Operations.

For further information on any of the above groups and their work please contact the Director of Operations on 07772 710578 or operations@kafec.org.uk

This has been an interesting week for KAFEC. A review of the partnership took place on Tuesday and Principals discussed individual college priorities, collaborative working and the way forward for KAFEC. Five Principals were able to attend the review meeting and Tony Lau-Walker, Principal of Eastleigh College in Hampshire, assisted the group by acting as a facilitator.

Following a long discussion, four key priorities were selected. These are:

• The continued promotion of Further Education within Kent & Medway, to include the ongoing development of relationships with current and future funding bodies.
• The 14-19 Agenda
• The 19+ Skills Agenda
• The continuation of sharing good and best practice between KAFEC members through the use of internal networks

A strategic plan for KAFEC for 2007/08 will be drawn up following this discussion and will be available to all KAFEC members by the end of 2007.

As a result of this review, all KAFEC Network Groups will be evaluated to ensure they remain relevant and are an appropriate use of members’ time. There are also plans for the role of the Director of Operations to become more outward-facing. Further information regarding the review and its impact will be available in the near future.

Also this week, Kent County Council held a meeting of the Kent 14-19 Strategic Forum to consider the future of strategic discussions and plans surrounding the 14-19 agenda in Kent. It was agreed that a small group, involving one FE Principal and members of the nine planning forums, as well as several others involved with 14-19 education, would take on this responsibility. Information from this group will be disseminated via KAFEC.

On Monday the Chair of KAFEC met with the Project Director of Aimhigher Kent & Medway to discuss the relationship between the project and the FE College partnership. Further information regarding Aimhigher Kent & Medway can be found at www.ahkandm.ac.uk The main aim of the Aimhigher project is to increase the number of students experiencing Higher Education, whether through a Further Education College or Higher Education Institution, by 2010.

For further information or to discuss any of these matters further please contact the KAFEC Director of Operations on 07772 710578 or operations@kafec.org.uk