1. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin
3 February 2012- Issue 108
Mayoral Hustings: The Great London Skills Debate and London Colleges
Manifesto
We announced in the previous Bulletin that AoC London had invited four of the Mayoral
candidates (Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone, Brian Paddick, Jenny Jones) to a hustings event on
Thursday 23 February. That date didn’t work for the candidates and we are trying to pin them
down for another date which would either be Tuesday 28 February or Friday 2 March.
AoC London has produced a London Colleges Manifesto to share with the Mayoral and
Assembly candidates. It is going to the printers next week. The intention is to launch it at the
hustings event.
In the event that it proves impossible to get the candidates together on one of the alternative
dates, we will send the Manifesto to the Mayoral candidates and send you a copy for you to use
in your dealings with Mayoral and Assembly candidates.
Apologies that we can’t confirm a date for you but please note the provisional new dates of 28
February and 2 March. We’ll let you know as soon as we firm things up.
Colleges in their Communities: NIACE Follow-up Seminars
NIACE has asked if we can help them to identify appropriate people to invite to follow-up
seminars to last year’s influential Colleges in their Communities project and we are delighted to
do so. NIACE has been commissioned by BIS to carry out some development work following
on from the Colleges in their Communities Inquiry. This work includes developing a
framework for a community curriculum for Colleges and a framework for community
engagement, responsiveness and accountability. In order to inform this work NIACE will be
holding six invitation seminars, with 12 -15 participants in each seminar.
We have already written directly to Principals and Vice Principals inviting them to nominate
either themselves or a colleague who could contribute to the seminars. If anyone would like to
find out more about the seminars, please contact Alistair Lockhart Smith who is the Project
Officer leading on this project: alistair.lockhart@niace.org.uk
WorldSkills UK update
Our colleagues at WorldSkills UK have reminded us that there’s just over six weeks to go until
competition entries close on Thursday 15 March for WorldSkills UK competitions. There are
WorldSkills UK competitions in over 40 skills which will bring together the very best talent in
their bid to become the national UK champion. For anyone interested in pursuing this on
behalf of their students or apprentices, please follow the link at enter now. If you need any help

2. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 3 February 2012
in thinking about whether or not to enter students/apprentices for competitions, please see the
step-by-step guide or call the WorldSkills UK contact centre on 0800 612 0742.
Student Finance England
With the student finance application window now open for academic year 2012/13, Student
Finance England have improved upon their existing materials and introduced new resources
aimed at both partner practitioners and the students they advise in order to gain a better
understanding of funding available to higher education entrants, which, given the changes to
the student finance system in the UK for 2012, is now more important than ever.
Student Finance England have launched their new practitioner website which can be found
within the "Stakeholders and Partners" section of the suite of webpages at www.slc.co.uk or via
the direct link www.practitioners.slc.co.uk. You can use the following link to explore the
resources available or place an order for hard copies of materials:
http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/resources/downloads-and-orders.aspx
If you would like Student Finance England to deliver training/update sessions on student
finance please contact Ben Rutter, Student Finance Consultant for London - 075544 58871,
ben_rutter@slc.co.uk.
The Wonder Club
The Wonder Club Theatre Company creates exciting site-specific promenade work around the
world. They are coming to London with their new show Don’t Stray from the Path at the Old
Vic Tunnels and would like to offer you and your students a unique opportunity to see the
show and get behind the scenes to see exactly how this kind of work is created. They’re offering
discounted tickets to the show at a rate of £5 (reduced from £10) for students with an after show
discussion and dissection of the piece included in that price. Please contact Sam Griffiths for
more information: dontstrayfromthepath@gmail.com. If you would just like to buy tickets for
the event please visit their web page: http://www.thevaultfestival.com/products-page/week-
one/dont-stray-from-the-path/
National Apprenticeships Week 6-10 February 2012
The fifth annual National Apprenticeship Week 2012 will take place from 6-10 February and
looks set to be the biggest and best yet. Hundreds of Apprenticeship events are expected to take
place across England. NAS have created a ’Hub’ of resources which includes the 2012 toolkit
that can be used to help Colleges support the Week.
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3. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 3 February 2012
College News Story of the Fortnight
College celebrates National Apprenticeships Week with over 60 vacancies
The College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London will hold an Apprenticeship Fair on
Wednesday 8 February, 4 – 7.30pm, as part
of the Enfield Centre’s Open Day,
located on 73 Hertford Road. With over 60
apprenticeships available on the day, the
Fair also celebrates National
Apprenticeship Week (6-10 February), and
follows on from an earlier Fair held in
January.
Attended by partner organisations who are
currently running apprenticeship
programmes with the College, they range
from fashion to railway engineering, with Photo credit: The College of Haringey, Enfield
apprentices employed by various and North East London
organisations across London. Two tailoring
apprentices are currently working at Maurice Sedwell Tailors on Savile Row, gaining the
garment-making skills, which have taken tailors on the Row centuries to perfect.
Partners include Fashion Enter, National Telecoms Partnership (NiTP), Silver Track, and
Apprenticeships First - the College’s specialised apprenticeship training agency.
Apprenticeships are regularly available with all these organisations, including; CIS who are
currently recruiting for 25 Accounting Apprentices; Fashion Enter who are looking for two
Fashion Buyers to work for House of Fraser, and NiTP who want to recruit IT enthusiasts.
CIS Intake Manager, Nazia Khaliq, said: “The Fair is a great way to meet young people who are
keen to earn and learn at the same time. We currently have 25 Accounting Apprenticeships
starting in May so anyone who’s interested should come down and find out more.”
Vice Principal, Jane O’Neill, added: “Anyone who is looking for work in any of these industries,
but still needs the skills and qualifications to gain employment, should visit the Apprenticeship
Fair. There are over 60 vacancies available at the moment, with more being created every
month.”
Apprenticeships allow people to learn and earn at the same time, with most receiving on
average £95 per week. Some apprenticeships are for 16 – 24 year olds only, and all apprentices
should be educated to Level 3 only. For more information, please visit:
www.conel.ac.uk/apprenticeships or call Apprenticeships First on 0800 0678 3000.
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4. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 3 February 2012
Recent meetings
Date Event/meeting Attendees Feedback
24 Jan Meeting with Trisha KA Discussion on some internal research.
Wormald, KPMG
24 Jan AoC Parliamentary KA Launching a new publication which
Reception highlights the successful role of Further
Education Colleges, working alongside
Jobcentre Plus, to secure sustainable
employment for people without a job.
26 Jan Meeting Paul KA Procurement proposal
Stephen
(Westminster
Kingsway College)
Rena Prindiville and
Carl Johnson
27 Jan Meeting with Nick KA Meeting about London HE in FE
Davy and Rachel
Cowie, HEFCE
31 Jan Shared Services JS Meeting about Shared Services provision in
Focus Group the AoC and how to promote Shared
meeting Services
1 Feb WorldSkills JS The agenda included:
Champions Meeting Membership and Chair update
Champions Group Remit
Have a Go Campaign
UK Competitions Cycle
WorldSkills London 2011 Legacy
and the Skills Show
2 Feb Meeting with David KA Catch up meeting
Ansell (Richmond
upon Thames
College)
2 Feb The London Skills Cancelled; Colleges will be contacted
and Employment individually
Observatory meeting
Future meetings
Date Event/meeting Attendees Agenda
7 Feb AoC London Head of KA The agenda for this meeting includes
Student Services discussions on IAG with Fiona McMillan, AoC
network meeting President; Feedback on the National CEIAG
Survey from Lindsey Bowes, CFE along and
some representatives from LSIS and NUS.
There will also be a presentation from
AllAboutCareers and an AoC London update.
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5. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 3 February 2012
9 Feb Meeting with Andrew KA, JS The agenda for this meeting includes:
Emerson, SEETEC, Welcome and introductions from Ian
Ian Ashman (Hackney Ashman, Chair of AoCLR and Principal,
Community College Hackney Community College
and RC members Brief presentation by Andrew Emerson
(Seetec) and Ronan Smyth (Ingeus) on
behalf of the London Prime Contractors
Response by London Colleges
Next steps
9 Feb AoCLR Regional AoCLR Agenda includes funding updates from SFA
Committee meeting and YPLA and also updates from the AoC
Board, Governors’ Council, Marketing
Committee, AoC London, AoC Procurement
proposal and Podium.
10 Feb Meeting with Paul KA, JS Regular catch up meeting
Tucker, JobCentre
plus
Events and Dates for the Diary
 National Apprenticeships Week: Monday 6 February – Friday 10 February, London.
There is a ‘hub’ of information which can be accessed here.
 AoC London Heads of Student Services network meeting: Tuesday 7 February, 10am-
1pm, AoC Offices, Stedham Place. For more information please contact Rebecca Breen:
Rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk
 A London Region Post-14 Network Research and Policy Working Day: 14-19 qualifications
and curriculum: policy and practice in the new context. Tuesday 21 February, 10am-
3.30pm, Nunn Hall, Institute of Education. Please email Richard Bull r.bull@ioe.ac.uk to
reserve your place.
 AoC London International meeting: Tuesday 21 February, 3-5pm, Ealing, Hammersmith
and West London College. For more information please contact Rebecca Breen:
Rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk
 AoC Shared Services conference: Wednesday 22 February, Maple House, Birmingham.
More information is available here: Shared Services AoC Conference
 AoC London Head of Sport network meeting: Thursday 23 February, 2.30-5pm, AoC
Offices, Stedham Place. For more information please contact Rebecca Breen:
Rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk
 Are you ready? Raising the Participation Age - opportunities and threats for Colleges 2012
Thursday 23 February March 2012, etc. venues Victoria, London
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6. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 3 February 2012
 LSIS South East & London Teaching and Learning Fair: Friday 24 February, Croydon
College. For more information please contact Abi Lammas: abigail.lammas@lsis.org.uk
 AoC Governance Summit 2012: 29 February 2012 in central London. Places will have to be
limited to three per College for the Principal, Chair, and Clerk, and the event will be free
to attend. For more information and to book your places, please visit
www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/governancesummit2012
 Collaboration in the new HE landscape 2012: An AoC, UUK and GuildHE collaboration,
Thursday 1 March, Woburn House, London
 AoC London Finance Directors’ network meeting: Tuesday 6 March, 9am-1pm, Venue tbc.
For more information please contact Rebecca Breen: Rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk
 The National Careers Guidance Show South, 7 & 8 March 2012 Wembley Stadium,
London. The National Career Guidance Show gives career guidance professionals
working with both young people and adults a chance to network, learn and meet like-
minded colleagues; gain valuable insights and CPD at expert seminars.
 AoC Annual Human Resources Conference and Exhibition 2012: Tuesday 13 March 2012
International Convention Centre, Birmingham
 AoC 14-19 Delivery Structures Conference 2012: Tuesday 13 March 2012, etc venues
Paddington, London
 AoC London Regional Forum: Tuesday 13 March, 4-6pm, Venue tbc. For more
information please contact Rebecca Breen: Rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk
 AoC Annual Communications Conference 2012: Wednesday 14 March, etc. venues
Victoria, London
 AoC London Business Development Managers’ Network meeting: Wednesday 14 March,
1.30pm-4pm at AoC Offices, Stedham Place. Please contact Judith Smyth for more
information about this meeting: judith.smyth@aoc.co.uk
 AoC Annual Communications Conference: Wednesday 14 March, London. A link to the
website for more details and the conference programme is found here:
www.aoccreateevents.co.uk/comms2012
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7. AoC London Region Members’ Bulletin, 3 February 2012
Policy and other documents
GLA news
Mayor announces world class cycling festival
First Police and Crime Committee meeting examines gang violence
Mayor investing over £41 million to secure a bright future for Tottenham
Get Set for a summer like no other - Mayor and Seb Coe announce 2012 ticket windfall for
London’s schools
Mayor opens emergency shelter for rough sleepers in winter weather
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 Cyheme Bilouta
Regional Coordinator Team Administrator (part-time)
rebecca.breen@aoc.co.uk cyheme.bilouta@aoc.co.uk
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