Colleges drop courses due to funding pressures, survey finds

The Sixth Form Colleges Association's annual survey suggests two-thirds of colleges have had to drop courses due to funding cuts.

The SFCA sent its annual questionnaire to all 90 sixth form colleges in England in September, and 80 responded.

The findings indicate that over half (58 per cent) have also reduced or removed extra-curricular activities such as music, drama and sport.

Over a third of colleges (39%) have dropped courses in modern foreign languages, with A-levels in German, French and Italian being the main casualties.

84 per cent of colleges are teaching students in larger class sizes.

Nearly two-thirds of sixth form colleges (64 per cent) say the amount of funding they will receive next year will not be sufficient to offer the support needed for disadvantaged students.

90 per cent of colleges are either extremely concerned or concerned about the financial health of their institution.

The SFCA says the sector has suffered three funding cuts since 2011 and has also had to contend with rising costs in increased employer contributions to pensions and national insurance schemes.

"This year's funding impact survey suggests these two increases [pensions and national insurance] will cost the average sixth form college an additional £189,932 per annum," the report says.

It says the absence of a VAT refund scheme for sixth form colleges - which is available to school and academy sixth forms - leaves the average sixth form college with £385,914 less to spend on front-line education.