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About KFE

Kent Further Education (KFE) was originally established as the Kent Association of FE Corporations shortly after incorporation of FE colleges in 1993. It then comprised 7 colleges and since then has consolidated as three college parent groups and has consolidated and evolved its partnership and collaborative activities.

 

KFE works pro-actively with key external partners across Kent and Medway and more widely across the region to advance further education in the interests of learners, communities, employers and other stakeholders.

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Several networks and strategic work stream groups operate to support KFE's activities and to consolidate our partnership working across the colleges and with external partners.

​Mission

 

Kent Further Education (KFE) champions the work of the region’s further education colleges across Kent & Medway. KFE promotes their role in developing and building a skilled and motivated workforce and a strong local economy.

 

Vision

 

A pro-active partnership of FE Colleges respected for their quality of provision, positive impact on learners, their communities and for their contribution to the economy.

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Purpose

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In accordance with our mission, we act as a voice for the county’s Further Education sector, and its colleges, to ensure it delivers the skills and training required by students, employers and the community. Kent Further Education is at the heart of helping to deliver the Government’s ambitious targets, for 16-18 education and training, the technical skills agenda, Apprenticeships, Higher Education and adult training in the county.

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Core Values

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  • Openness and transparency

  • Pro-active positive collaboration

  • Mutual accountability and respect

  • Collectively supportive in furtherance of common goals 

  • Encouraging collaborative cultures

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The Chair of KFE rotates between the Principals. The current Chair of KFE is Simon Cook. KFE's operational structure, Strategic Board details and Network group Chairs are shown here.

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The KFE Strategic Director is Jonathan Shaw

The KFE Operations Director is Mark Hill - Contact

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Strategic Goals

Strategic Goals

KFE operates to an Annual Strategic Plan and an Operational Plan, which ensures its activities linked to the following Strategic Goals are advanced systematically and effectively. This includes KFE's advocacy and collaborative work, the functions of its various senior management network groups, awards sponsorship and skills competitions.

Strategic Goal 1

To ensure Kent FE is cohesively advocated and at the forefront of post-16 education & skills strategy, development and delivery in Kent, the SE Region and nationally for pPost 16 learners.

Strategic Goal 2

To act as a facilitator of quality improvement initiatives, enhanced collaboration, collation and sharing of KPIs, benchmarking, market intelligence data, joint project opportunities and external partnership activities.

Strategic Goal 3

To position KFE and its colleges to become the primary driver and lead on the county’s employer engagement activity, enabling the aims of the Skills White Paper, whilst informing and supporting other key agencies in delivery of the wider skills strategy agenda.

Network Groups

KFE Structure - Strategic Board, Networks and Strategic Work-stream Groups

KFE is led by the Principals' Network Group (PNG). Overall strategy is devised and implemented through the PNG and informed by college governing bodies. The PNG is supported by the KFE Strategic Board. Priorities are driven in overall operational terms through KFE's Strategic Work-stream Groups and as appropriate its standing Networks. KFE is supported in this work by its Strategic and Operational Directors.

 

The Strategic Board comprises the overall Principals / Chief Executives of each college, supported by a member of their respective senior teams and the KFE Strategic Director. The KFE Strategic Board operates at a high level, informing KFE's overall in-year strategic progress, engaging external organisations, agencies and partners, as well as determining the partnership's on-going priorities and associated activities and projects.

 

The Strategic Board provides oversight to and steers the activity and focus of the various KFE Networks and Strategic Work-stream Groups (SWG). It may also commission specific project activities and / or start and finish task groups in-year, in response to evolving strategies and local, regional and national developments and opportunities. The latter includes establishment of new Strategic Work-stream Groups where necessary.

 

KFE Networks and SWGs are thematic in nature and support KFE's and each college's work through sharing of information, developments, good practice, external guest presentations and sharing of benchmarking data. They are supported by senior members of each college's management teams with specific and relevant remits. Networks and SWGs meet at least termly with most holding 3 to 6 meetings annually.

 

External speakers are a regular feature and enquiries are welcome from partners and organisations wishing to highlight an initiative or raise a topic with KFE. Please use the contact form or email us if you wish to enquire about being a guest at one of our future meetings. Commercial queries should not be directed to KFE unless relevant to the partnership.

 

The summary below sets out the structure below the KFE Principals' Network Group; Strategic Board functions, SWGs and their leads, plus the remits for the standing KFE Networks.

TIER 1
KFE Strategic Board

  • Determining and implementing the KFE Strategic Plan, in addition to the on-going KFE strategic planning and direction

  • High Level options reviews and collaborative scope assessments for joint approaches to the FE provision mix in the county

  • Gathering of key data and information to support KFE Strategic Goals,  collaborative activity, commissioning and procurement

  • External engagement with key strategic partners, agencies and organisations including SELEP, KMEP, Local Authorities and ESFA

  • External engagement with other providers and provider networks including HEI's, KATO / ITPs and schools

  • Oversight and steering of KFE Network Groups including receiving activity update reports

  • Commissioning, contributing to and overseeing project and task group activities as required

  • Driving and encouraging a culture of trust and collaboration across member colleges and their staff teams

  • Improving the profile of Kent FE and the offer to the benefit of individuals, communities and businesses across the county and region in line with the KFE Strategic Goals.

KFE Strategic Workstream Groups

NHS Collaboration

 

Jim Mawby - MKC (Lead)
Dan Shelley - EKCG
Lindsey O'Malley - NKC

Adult Provision & Funding

 

Dan Shelley - EKCG (Lead)
James Egan - MKC
Steve Humphries - NKC

Staff Recruitment

 

Chris Hare - MKC (Lead)
Neala Whybrow - EKCG
Mark Andrews - NKC

University Engagement

 

High Needs Provision & Funding

 

Efficiency, Finance & Procurement

 

Mark Andrews - NKC (Lead)
Paul Sayers - EKCG
Jim Mawby - MKC
Lucy McLeod - EKCG (Lead)
Christina Hart - MKC
Lindsey O'Malley - NKC
Lawrence Jenkins - NKC (Lead)
Dan Shelley - EKCG
Martin Peat - MKC

SDF & LSIP

 

Paul Sayers - EKCG (Lead)
Chris Hare - MKC
Mark Andrews - NKC

KFE Network Groups

Teaching, Learning & Assessment Network

 

Strategic Safeguarding

Network

Marketing &

Communications Network

  • Identifying TLA challenges and investigating ways to resolve them collaboratively

  • Sharing best practice examples across the KFE partnership and disseminating project outcomes

  • Sharing and developing approaches to observations

  • Consulting on approaches to CPD and staff development

  • Implementing the education inspection framework

  • Reviewing emerging research  and themes in TLA

  • Supporting the annual KFE TLA Conference (#TLAC)

  • Exchange of Safeguarding and wider linked issue approaches

  • Sharing of Prevent strategies

  • Consideration of related H&S issues and developments

  • Campus security

  • Supporting and identifying collective staff development

  • Responding to or undertaking consultations

  • Engaging external speakers

  • Progressing relevant initiatives

  • Kent Children's Safeguarding Partnership liaison

  • KCC Social Services liaison

  • Good practice sharing

  • Sharing information and approaches to Marketing & Communications

  • Identifying effective recruitment strategies

  • KFE advocacy

  • Joint campaigns

  • Promoting KFE through social media and on-line means

  • Linking websites as appropriate

  • Reducing competition issues

  • FE profile raising

  • Supporting joint events

  • Collaboration on external events

  • KCC partnership and other event planning

  • Supporting KFE events

Contact

Contact KFE

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KFE is administered and supported by www.rule5solutions.com as is this website. If you wish to contact Kent Further Education please complete the form below.

Mark Hill
KFE Operational Director

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