LAST week, Stroud College formally merged with Filton College, creating the new entity of South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

This development secures the future of Stroud College, further enhances the quality and scope of courses on offer, and, above all, opens up many more opportunities for young people.

I have been a governor of Stroud College for more than 10 years, serving as vice-chairman and chairman of the finance and general purposes committee, so I am very familiar with the recent history of the college and the pathway to the merger. As Member of Parliament, I was also involved in the process to secure ministerial approval for the merger and so I am delighted with this outcome.

For the first time in many years, I am no longer a governor of a school or college. To be fair, my parliamentary commitments prevented me from attending many of the board meetings since the general election but I was and remain proud of the contribution that all governors made in recent years.

Stroud College was very fortunate to have Dr Beri Hare as principle for the years until the merger and staff, students, governors and the community have all benefited from her leadership and dedication. Her predecessor, Di Dale, also made a significant and positive impact to the college’s development.

The importance of leadership and management of schools and colleges cannot be overestimated. This is a point that the Coalition Government has made and, more directly, it is a theme of Sir Michael Wilshaw, the new chief inspector of Ofsted.

Failing and coasting school and colleges will be subject to more frequent inspections without warning, and reports will be sharply focussed and ‘parent friendly’. Governors, too, will need to be sure of their ability to contribute to improving standards where necessary.

I have established an All Parliamentary Party Group on Governance and it is already developing ideas to recruit more governors and help all governors to support the drive for improved standards.

If you would like to discuss the issues raised above, please contact me on 01453 751572 or visit my website – www.neilcarmichael.co.uk