3.5 Education and learning

3.5.1

Plain English Version

We have three well-regarded major universities in the city plus others in the region so Birmingham should be in a good position to provide the skilled graduates business needs.  Yet, as the West Midlands Skills Partnership notes, “The region is poor at retaining graduates – more than half take a job outside the West Midlands. Many of the graduates we do hold on to are employed in low level jobs that do not fully exploit their potential”.

Original Document

Universities are key tools for future success and with three well-regarded major universities in the city plus others in the region, Birmingham should be well placed to deliver the graduate skills base the city needs. Yet as the West Midlands Skills Partnership notes, “The region is poor at retaining graduates - more than half take a job outside the West Midlands. Many of the graduates we do hold on to are employed in low level jobs that do not fully exploit their potential”.

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3.5.2

Plain English Version

The main reason Birmingham loses it’s graduates is that the city doesn’t provide the range and quality of jobs it takes to tempt these skilled workers to stay.

Original Document

There may be a number of reasons why graduates find Birmingham unattractive, but the extent to which highly skilled labour moves between cities depending on the cultural, social or environmental offer of a city is limited. Rather it is the job offer that matters. Employment is the main determinant of migration patterns. Birmingham does not provide the range and quality of jobs necessary to attract these skilled workers.

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3.5.3

Plain English Version

We need to improve education and skills for people with all levels of academic achievement.  This includes schools, workplace training and lifelong learning.

We can plan to use the city centre as a focus for this learning.  This may be through some physical form such as a new school or college or through a change in culture and outlook that the city centre plan is working to bring about. A skills strategy for Birmingham will only work where employers and workers buy into it for the long term. This means we need a culture of learning across the board, but especially one that most helps the least educated, those trapped in cycles of low achievement and aspiration.

Original Document

But education and skills need to be developed across the range of occupations and skills levels, not just for the higher level qualifications. This includes schools as well as facilities for workplace training and lifelong learning. A spatial plan for the city centre can help this process by providing a focus for this activity. This may be through some physical form such as a new educational facility or through the change in culture and outlook that the city centre plan is working to bring about. A skills strategy for Birmingham will only work where employers and workers buy into it on a long term and continual basis. A culture of learning is something that is required across the range of skills but impacts disproportionately on those at the bottom end of the skills market who are disengaged from education at an early age and are trapped in inter-generational cycles of low attainment and low aspiration.

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3.5.4

Plain English Version

Birmingham’s city centre is has a strong and developing reputation for research in higher education, particularly in medical, bioscience and biomedical engineering. This is supported by the universities – Aston University, the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University and University College Birmingham (formerly Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies) and Newman University College. There are also Matthew Boulton College and South Birmingham College.

All of these have an important role to play in improving skills and nurturing spin-off and start-up industries. Things need to get better though as higher education qualifications within the city centre are still well below government targets.

Original Document

Birmingham’s city centre is a strong and developing higher education and research base, particularly in medical, bioscience and biomedical engineering. This is supported by the universities – Aston University, the University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, University College Birmingham (formerly Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies) and Newman University College. There are also significant colleges which include Matthew Boulton College, and South Birmingham College. These establishments have an important role to play in improving skills levels and nurturing spin-off and start-up industries. Whilst the city centre is therefore benefiting from an increasingly skilled supply of labour with improvements in educational attainment, there are still improvements to be made. Indeed, higher education qualifications within the city centre are still well below government targets.

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3.5.5

Plain English Version

We predict that the city centre will see  a steady increase demand for primary and secondary school places.  At the moment there are more than enough primary school places in Birmingham city centre, especially when allowing for plans to extend some city centre schools.  However if Birmingham city centre is to have more family homes in the future there may also be a need for more schools.

Original Document

Forecasts by the City Council’s Children, Young People and Families Directorate show a steady increase in the number of primary and secondary school places within city centre wards. There is currently no shortage of primary school places in Birmingham city centre and some of the future needs can be provided within existing schools and plans for further extension of some city centre schools. However if Birmingham city centre is to accommodate more family oriented housing in the future, there may be a need in the future for more schools and a more diverse range of schools.

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3.5.6

Plain English Version

Transforming Education is a programme that aims to meet the councils target of ensuring that every child gets a job, either paid or voluntary, once they finish school. To do this, they must leave school with the appropriate skills and qualifications necessary for further education. The Transforming Education programme includes: Building Schools for the Future (Transforming Secondary Education); Birmingham Academies; Special Provision; Primary Capital Programme; Information and Communications Technology and the 14-19 Curriculum.

Original Document

Transforming Education is a programme that, in line with the Council’s priorities, aims to ensure that every child gets a job, either paid or voluntary, once they finish school. To do this, they must leave school with the appropriate skills and qualifications necessary for further education. The Transforming Education programme includes: Building Schools for the Future (Transforming Secondary Education); Birmingham Academies; Special Provision; Primary Capital Programme; Information and Communications Technology and the 14-19 Curriculum.

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3.5.7

Plain English Version

The Government have a plan called Building Schools for the Future (BSF) that aims to refurbish or rebuild all secondary schools over the next ten years. None of the schools in the City Centre is scheduled to be developed  yet (scheduling has been done up to 2011)

Original Document

There is an opportunity for Birmingham to rebuild or refurbish all of its secondary schools over the next decade as part of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Birmingham is the largest urban Building Schools for the Future project in the country. This programme will take place over six phases with the priority based on factors such as pupil attainment and the degree of disadvantage. None of the priority schools to be developed in the first phase (2009-11) is located in the city centre.

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3.5.8

Plain English Version

Birmingham’s academy schools (state schools set up with the help of outside spponsors) are an important part of the Transforming Education programme in the city and by 2012 seven academies are planned throughout Birmingham. Of these St Albans CE (Angelina Street) is located in the city centre, Heartlands High School (Great Francis Street, Nechells) is close to the city centre and the Digital Media and Performing Arts Academy will be located in Eastside by Millennium Point. This Academy will take pupils from across the West Midlands and is walkable from New Street Station.

Original Document

Birmingham’s academies are an important part of the Transforming Education programme in the city and by 2012 seven academies are planned throughout Birmingham. Of these St Albans CE (Angelina Street) is located in the city centre, Heartlands High School (Great Francis Street, Nechells) is close to the city centre and the Digital Media and Performing Arts Academy will be located in Eastside by Millennium Point. This Academy will take learners from across the West Midlands and is walkable from New Street Station.

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3.5.9

Plain English Version

We need more nursery places and schools for younger and pre-school age children within the BCity Centre area,  if it is to have more family-friendly housing in the future.

Original Document

Education provision also needs to be improved for younger and pre-school age children within the Big City Plan area, especially if the city centre is to accommodate more family-friendly housing in the future.

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Question ED1

Plain English Version

How should the Big City Plan make sure that it supports more education at all levels in the city centre?

Original Document

What provision should the Big City Plan be making for the expansion needs of education at all levels in the city centre?

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Question ED2

Plain English Version

What can the Big City Plan do to help people have better skills and qualifications at all ages and so helping the city to grow?

Original Document

What can the Big City Plan do to assist in raising skills and qualifications at all ages and thus improving the future growth prospects of the city?

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