West Kent and Ashford College requests to go into education administration
![West Kent and Ashford College](https://www.fenews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/tonbridge-campus-front.jpg)
In January 2019 we introduced a new insolvency regime for FE and sixth-form colleges so that there is an orderly process in place for managing a college if it hits financial difficulties and becomes insolvent.
The introduction of the statutory college insolvency regime offers protection to current learners should a college fail financially.
Closure is not an inevitable outcome of a college entering into Education Administration to support this in April we published strengthened College Oversight guidance – a new ‘one-stop’ document which sets out how we will work with colleges to identify issues early on, make sure they are aware of the support available and, where problems persist, explains how we will intervene.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
“Following a request from West Kent and Ashford College, the college has today been placed into Education Administration.
“The ESFA will continue to work closely with the administrators and with West Kent and Ashford College to minimise disruption to staff and students, and to deliver a longer term solution to protect the provision of Further Education in Kent.”
FE Commissioner intervention: West Kent and Ashford College
FE Commissioner’s intervention report summary on West Kent and Ashford College, and the Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills’ letter to the chair. Published 23 May 2019.
A summary of the Further Education (FE) Commissioner’s findings and recommendations following a review into the financial health of West Kent and Ashford College. The review involved intervention visits in February 2019 at the college.
The letter from Anne Milton, (Then Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills), to the chair of West Kent and Ashford College, sets out the outcome of the intervention assessment and confirms the next steps to be taken.
We produce these reports in line with our commitment to intervention in further education.
Documents
FE Commissioner intervention summary: West Kent and Ashford College
Ref: DFE-00105-2019PDF, 292KB, 23 pages
Letter from Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills to West Kent and Ashford College
PDF, 53.8KB, 2 pages
Responses