1. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin – 28 January 2011
Principals’ Forum – 18 January
The Principals’ Forum held at the LDA’s Palestra offices on 18 January 2011 heard a funding
update from Julian Gravatt, AoC Assistant Chief Executive, had a presentation from Richard
Boniface of the Responsive College Unit about an AoC/RCU project called MiDES and
discussed a proposal to establish a College-led group – the London Colleges’ Provision
Review Group – that would give London Colleges the lead in reviewing and planning post-
16 vocational and preparation for life and work provision, to seek to ensure that London has
a wide-ranging offer which is adequate and sufficient to meet the needs of local learners and
employers. A further meeting has been arranged to discuss the proposal, on 17 February at
Hackney Community College. Please respond to Rebecca Breen if you would like to register
your attendance at the meeting.
AoC London Regional Forum Wednesday 9 March 2011: invitation to
Chairs, Governors, Principals and Clerks
AoC London Region and the AoC Governance team are jointly organising a College Code of
Governance Regional Developmental Review Event and Regional Forum on 9 March at City
of Westminster College, Paddington Campus. The agenda is:
4.30-4.35pm Introduction and welcome
4.35-5.00pm BIS/SFA funded projects for Colleges to explore opportunities for
Collaboration and Shared Services
5.00-5.30pm How to ensure that London has the right mix and volume of vocational and
preparation for life and work provision to meet learners’ and employers’
needs
5.30-5.45pm AoC Create and what it can do for London Colleges
Des O’Hare, Director, AoC Create
5.45-6.45pm Consultation on Code of Governance
Kevin McGladdery, AoC Governance Manager
6.45-7pm Summary and closing remarks
A full agenda will be circulated shortly.
Special request to Clerks: we would very much appreciate Clerks forwarding this invitation
to their Governors as we only have contact lists for Chairs of Governors and the event is
open to all.
If you would like to register a place at the event please respond to
AoCLondonRegionEvents@aoc.co.uk by Wednesday 2 March.
LSIS update
Following the LSIS meeting with David Collins, regional Council members and stakeholders
on 6 January, the LSIS Regional Development Manager, Abi Lammas, has reported that the
proposal at the meeting to develop a regional fund has been agreed. The detail is still being
worked out by LSIS but the proposal is for a budget of up to £200k per region to be allocated

2. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
by 31 March on achieving successful outcomes/fulfilling the initial brief. Kate Anderson has
been invited to join a regional steering group to establish and agree criteria for activities that
are regionally important and which offer good sector and good collective coverage. Kate
would welcome your comments on priorities for the fund, which will be open to all
providers in the region. Please respond to Rebecca Breen.
Abi produces a regular regional update on LSIS work in the region. Please contact Abi if
you would like a copy.
WorldSkills Update
WorldSkills London 2011 and Skills Competitions Update
College Principals all received a letter from John Hayes this week encouraging them to get
involved in WorldSkills London 2011 and highlighting the importance of the event in
helping establish a lasting legacy for vocational skills and Apprenticeships in every local
area. The letter included information on ‘What to do now’ and ‘Key Activities for January’
including:
Submitting an application to become a showcasing organisation, as featured in the
last bulletin. The applications information is now available on
www.worldskillslondon2011.com/showcase and the closing date is 17 March.
Planning your visit to the event on any day between 5-8 October. Information is
available on www.worldskillslondon2011.co/education from 31 January. Learners,
staff and parents will be guided round the activities by volunteers who have
experience of competitions or are currently Apprentices to ensure they get
maximum benefit from the experience. The WorldSkills London 2011Education
Experience resources to help prepare and make the best use of a visit are also
available from this date.
Have a Go opportunities will be available and there will be information and advice
available about these skills and the vocational training routes available, including
information about Apprenticeship vacancies. Information about how to organise a
Have a Go event at the event or in the lead up to it will be available from 28
February.
London Colleges may be contacted by Philippa Langton, supported by Laurence Basco, from
the Skills Funding Agency. Philippa is currently Skills Director for London, where she leads
the work of the Agency with key partners including the Mayor of London, and is member of
his Skills and Employment Board. From 1 April she has been appointed London Director for
WorldSkills London 2011 to ensure the fullest engagement of London Colleges, providers,
partners and the Mayor, which is critical to the success of WorldSkills London 2011 in
October.
Skills Competitions
Automotive skills competitions have closed and the SkillBuild construction competition
registrations close at the end of January. Closing dates for registration in all other skills
competitions are 24 March 2011. These competitions include those that will produce the
squad for WorldSkills in Leipzig 2013.

3. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
From 1 February, UK Skills becomes part of the Skills Funding Agency although staff will
continue to work from their offices in London. Competitions will be managed within the
National Apprenticeship Service and there is a regional lead with responsibility for co-
ordinating activity in this area. Peter Butcher from NAS will be working very closely with
his Skills Funding Agency colleagues and will support the work of the Regional Champions’
Group. The London Champions’ group meets on 17th February chaired by Vicki Fagg,
Principal of the College of North West London. Vicki is also the London member of the AoC
WorldSkills Portfolio Group, which has been formed to help embed skills competitions in
Colleges.
Colleges and fundraising
The West London Student Trust has published an initial piece of research into how many
colleges in the UK say on their websites that they are fundraising. Iain Mackinnon, Chair of
the West London Student Trust and Governor of Ealing, Hammersmith and West London
College sees that while activity today in colleges is modest, there is great opportunity for
Colleges to learn from each other and greatly increase what they earn through fundraising.
Iain has set up a free discussion site, for those interested in finding out about opportunities
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/collegefundraising.
Please contact the AoCLR office if you would like to see a full copy of the research paper.
Student Success Story of the Fortnight
Kensington and Chelsea Millinery students make their
mark at celebrity nightspot Punk.
A group of budding milliners from Kensington and
Chelsea College are bringing their creations to the
catwalk for a high-end fashion show at a leading
London nightspot. The talented HNC Millinery
students were given the chance to show-off their
designs at Soho based celebrity haunt, Punk, after
teaming up with fashion designer Sunny Williams.
Sunny selected a range of bespoke hats created by the
millinery students to complement his couture collection,
entitled 'The Radical Tale We Tell'.
The collection made its catwalk debut in front of a select audience at Punk on Wednesday
January 12, 2011. Student Milliner Rachel Drewer said: ‘To be able to work with someone
like Sunny is an amazing opportunity for all of us. We have created a range of elegant and
wearable cocktails hats and headpieces to complement Sunny's stunning collection of
couture designs. Personally speaking, I'm really excited to be involved with such a big show
and can't wait to see our hats being paraded down the run-way in one of London's trendiest
nightclubs. I'm sure we'll all be feeling really proud at the end of it!'
Kensington and Chelsea College's world renowned Millinery Department has a long history
of producing successful students and has nurtured the talents of gifted milliners such as
Justin Smith. The college’s annual end-of-year Millinery and Fashion Exhibition, is also
widely regarded as the place to be to find the industry's next big thing.
For more information about Fashion and Millinery courses visit:
www.kcc.ac.uk/fashion-and-millinery or contact the college's Art and Design Department
on 0207 573 5258

4. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
Exploring the Role of Training Providers and Employers in Local
Enterprise Partnerships and Skills
This series of regional events is jointly run by the AoC and LGA and will look at how LEPs
are developing their relationship with training and education providers and how best to
meet the needs of local employers and learners. It will offer the opportunity to discuss
findings to date of a high level review commissioned by AoC on College engagement to date
in the formulation and establishment of LEPs and recommendations for further
strengthening College engagement in the development of LEPs.
These regional events will look at:
What is the relationship between Government policy concerning LEPs and skills and
education?
What do the LEP bids propose with regards to skills and education
How can local employers, Jobcentre Plus and training providers work more closely
to help local workless people into jobs?
How can training providers effectively engage with LEPs and what opportunities
will result?
For further information or to book online visit: www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/lep2011
Recent meetings
Date Event/Meeting Attendees Outcome/follow-up
18 Jan Strategic Group for KA, Clare The issues covered in the meeting
Sport meeting Howard, Ian included:
Ashman, 1) National developments and
Jacqui Mace, Government funding:
Beth Harris, FESCo / School Sport Partnership
Mike funding
Tweedale Inclusive School Games
People Places Play
2) Sport in the FE sector
developments:
BCS Governance Review
Affiliation proposals
Links between AoC Portfolio
Group, BCS Board and Regional
Groups
3) Issues in London Colleges
18 Jan AoCLR Principals’ KA, JS, RB & See headline
Forum London
Principals
24 Jan AoC World Skills KA, Val The agenda included updates on the
Group meeting Chiesa following: David Cragg, National Projects
Director, SFA on the restructuring of
UKSkills into SFA, Val Chiesa, AoC
WorldSkills Project Director on College
opportunities in WorldSkills London and

5. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
current levels of College involvement in
UKSkills competitions, and Karen
Woodward, Regional Apprenticeship
Director, East & West Midlands, NAS on
Equality and diversity in competitions.
Marion Plant, Chair, also introduced the
WorldSkills team selection event (June
2011).
25 Jan Mike Pettifer, YPLA KA, Mike Regular meeting
and Chris Wright, Pettifer &
SFA Chris Wright
Future meetings
Date Event/Meeting Attendees Agenda
01 Feb AoCLR Head of KA, JS The agenda includes discussion of the
Sport network following:
meeting Update on national developments
Governance proposals:
Geography of regional
competitions (London and SE)
Issues in London Colleges
including: FESCo/School Sport
Partnership funding, Inclusive
school games, People Places Play,
Sport Curriculum issues, Changes
to the entitlement funding and its
possible impact on sports
enrichment provision
Development of an outline
strategy for London
03 Feb GLA Safer Learning KA, JS, Paul Meeting to discuss the development and
meeting Head, Diane progress of the Student Safety Colleges
Newton Model
03 Feb Principals' Forum Sue Rimmer, Follow up session to the Principals’
follow up meeting to Peter Davies, Forum, which took place on 18 January.
model the impact of Michael
changes to funding Farley,
policy Richard
Chambers,
Cathy Walsh,
Andy Wilson
and AoCLR
03 Feb AoC London AoCLR Discussion items include:
Regional Committee Funding updates
Meeting Outcomes of the Principals’
Forum on 18 January
Paper on the New Regional

6. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
Constitution
04 Feb OSG London JS First meeting of the operational sub-
Councils meeting group of the RPG
08 Feb Podium Conference JS This national conference will set out what
remains to be done before 2012. The event
will showcase how Colleges can gain the
maximum benefit from becoming
involved and will provide a one-stop
shop on all Games related activity.
09 Feb AoC Beacon Awards JS John Hayes MP will be presenting this
2010-2011, House of year’s winning Colleges with their
Commons certificates
Events and Dates for the Diary
 Ideas for marketing, social media campaigns, from the people who know:
Wednesday 2 February, Room 152, Birbeck, Malet Street. Events are free to
members of Linking London. To book a place or more for information on how to
join the network or if you are unsure if your institution is in the network please
email: info@linkinglondon.ac.uk. For non members there is a fee of £50 to cover
event costs.
 Countdown to the Games: The definitive conference about London 2012 for Further
and Higher Education. Podium Conference and Exhibition, Tuesday 8 February
2011, ExCel Centre, London. For more information visit:
www.podium.ac.uk/conferences
 Improving Public Information in FE Event: Tuesday 1 March, Westminster Kingsway
College, Vincent Square Campus, London. For more information click here.
 Exploring the Role of Training Providers and Employers in Local Enterprise
Partnerships and Skills: Tuesday 1 March, Westminster Kingsway College, Vincent
Square Campus, London. Details can be found at
www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/lep2011
 Fire, asbestos and other major College health and safety issues: Wednesday 2 March,
Eversheds LLP Regional Office. Details can be found at:
www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/fightingfire
 Finance Directors’ network meeting: Monday 7 March, Venue TBC. For more details,
please contact Rebecca Breen.
 AoC College Pensions Conference: Tuesday 15 March at the CBI Centre, London.
Details and registration can be found at: www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/pensions2011
 Quick Guide to Measuring Social & Economic Deprivation in Inspection: The new
methodology: Tuesday 15 March, Westminster Kingsway College, London. Details
can be found at: www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/quickquidesocialeconomicdeprivation

7. 28 AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, Issue 87
January
2011
 AoC 14-19 Delivery Structures Conference: Thursday 24 March,
Paddington, London. Details can be found at: www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/14-
19/2011
 CIS/MIS Managers’ network meeting: Friday 25 March, Venue TBC. For more
details, please contact Simran Sobhraj.
 Business Development Managers’ network meeting: Wednesday 30 March, AoC
National office, London. For more details, please contact Judith Smyth.
 Embedding Equality & Diversity within Curriculum Planning and Teaching &
Learning | London (2011): Tuesday 5 April, Venue TBC. Details can be found at:
www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/embeddingequality
Policy and other documents
The Intelligence e-Group Despatch
If you would like to view the latest issues of the Intelligence e-Group Despatch please follow
this link. The Despatch is produced by Mike Cooper, from Education Development which
works in partnership with AOSEC, LSC South East, LSN and City & Guilds Institute/Centre
for Skills Development to provide a regular free electronic newsletter updating colleagues
on latest developments in post-compulsory learning and skills and much more. For your
free subscription to the Intelligence e-Group Despatch, e-mail Mike Cooper, giving brief
details of your organisation and role.
GLA news
How will London’s future economic development projects be funded?
Assembly calls for investment in Olympic Park
Mayor hosts second Community Conversation to tackle serious youth violence
Sports stars visit City Hall for London Youth Games funding announcement
If you wish to contact the AoC London office to give feedback on this bulletin, to request
additional information where we have offered it, or to provide suggested content for future
issues, please email Rebecca Breen.
Kate Anderson Judith Smyth
Regional Director Executive Manager
kate.anderson@aoc.co.uk judith.smyth@aoc.co.uk
Rebecca Breen Simran Sobhraj
Regional Coordinator London Region and FE Procurement Administrator
rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk Simran.sobhrai@aoc.co.uk