National Colleges Process Evaluation

This document describes an evaluation of the UK's National Colleges, which were established with a £80 million government investment in 2016 to bridge technical skills gaps in growing sectors. The Institute for Employment Studies conducted the evaluation using qualitative methods, including policy reviews, case studies, interviews, and surveys, though the latter had a low response rate. The findings indicate that while the colleges were effective in securing funding, forming governance structures, and partnering with industry and educational bodies, they encountered issues such as funding delays, staffing challenges, and lower than anticipated student enrollment. Financial sustainability was also a concern due to delayed funding and loan repayments. Despite these challenges, the industry-focused curriculum was well-received, and employers were satisfied with the course delivery. The evaluation highlights the need for clearer commissioning guidance, improved financial support, and better planning for future initiatives like the Institutes of Technology. It also points out the importance of strong industry ties for recruitment and the successes in curriculum development, despite ongoing challenges in recruitment, financial management, and diversity goals. The National Colleges' ability to deliver industry-focused education and support learners, including efforts to improve diversity, has been met with mixed feedback from staff, employers, and learners, with the long-term success of these institutions hinging on addressing issues of low student numbers and financial viability. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Department for Education (DfE)
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Process evaluation
• Process methods: Case studies; Other; Surveys and polling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: February 2020

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes