3:26pm Tuesday 9th March 2010
By Joanna Kilvington
Student numbers could be halved and up to 80 members of staff at Richmond College could face the axe in a drastic plan by the education centre to balance its books.
The college, in Egerton Road, announced the measures this week as part of a money-saving plan union leaders have called “gravely worrying”.
It also revealed the number of 16 to 18-year-old students will be slashed, from the current target of 4,196 for 2010 to 2011, to between 2,400 to 3,200 in the future, partly due to the funding cuts.
A Richmond College spokeswoman said the drop in student numbers was also a result of major changes due to affect post-16 education, which would see the college working with partners, including Richmond Council, to for a smaller college .
The college’s branch of the University and College Union (UCU) hit out at the job cuts, arguing they would pose a danger to the standards of teaching and scupper the college’s hopes of continuing as a “centre of excellence”.
David Carrier, UCU branch chair at Richmond College said: “We have pledged to oppose these cuts and fight to defend students’ educational opportunities.
“We are against outsourcing support-worker roles to low-paid contractors, a move that invariably brings deterioration in quality, or trading redundancies for other measures that would threaten standards, such as making teachers teach more classes each week, increasing class sizes and cutting subject course hours.
“Such measures would cut teachers’ time for marking and preparation and undermine their ability to help students achieve their full potential.
“Teachers are also gravely worried about the danger that these cuts pose to standards and student attainment.
“How can a college lose so many of its staff and hope to continue as a centre of excellence?”
Last year the college sent more students to university than any other school or college in the UK, with 129 youngsters going to Russel Group universities.
At a meeting of the UCU branch, on February 25, members voted unanimously to try and defend education at the college.
Members also voted to take part in a ballot for action with other colleges in London where redundancies are threatened and to write to the college governors to seek an urgent meeting.
Twickenham MP Vincent Cable also expressed his concern at the news, saying it was “deeply worrying”.
But Richmond College said the cuts were necessary to put it on a more secure financial footing, after being hit by increasing costs combined with changes to national funding. It argued the proposed changes would pose no threat to students or their courses of study.
Principal David Ansell said: “Taking prudent financial action now will ensure a sustainable future for the college and allow our professional and valued workforce to continue to serve individuals, business and the wider community.
“All members of staff have received written communications regarding the strategic direction of the college and were invited to attend meetings where they could raise any concerns directly with me.
“It is of paramount importance that we continue to offer a breadth of curriculum and maintain the excellent student support systems that have contributed to making the college one of the top performers in London.”
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