Applications are being accepted now at each college and open enrolment will begin on Thursday 25 August.
The three-way merger has been progressed over the past year. The Corporation of Greenwich Community College (GCC) approved the plans following a Structure and Prospects Appraisal requested by the FE Commissioner in early 2015.
Following this, the Corporation of Bexley College approved its own merger with Bromley College in March 2016 and has since held an extensive consultation with stakeholders across the region.
A new logo and branding strategy has been developed for London South East Colleges, which will be rolled out over the coming months. This has been created to reflect the dynamic, forward thinking nature of the organisation – where students are empowered to find the careers they aspire to.
London South East Colleges has a combined turnover of £50m. The group is being led by Principal and Chief Executive, Sam Parrett OBE. She says:
After a huge amount of hard work over the past year, I am absolutely delighted to announce the completed merger of our three colleges – and the launch of London South East Colleges.
By bringing three colleges together, we have been able to secure the future of further and higher education across the South East London. Each college has many strengths, which we will capitalise on to create outstanding provision for our communities.Our expert teaching staff, industry-standard facilities and links with employers will ensure that all London South East Colleges students will have the very best chance of career success.
This is an exciting time for us all. Our new, more resilient organisation will bring benefits not only to students, but to local businesses and the economy as a whole. I would like to thank our staff, students and stakeholders for all their support. Without this, we would not have reached this point.
The Royal Borough of Greenwich, London Borough of Bromley and London Borough of Bexley have also welcomed the merger. In a joint statement they have said:
We all recognise the need for high quality Further and Higher Education provision across our region. This merger, and the creation of London South East Colleges, is an excellent example of organisations working together to improve services across Boroughs.
The Government has been clear in its desire to see larger, more resilient colleges – and London South East Colleges is leading the way here.
We wish the new merged college all the very best and are absolutely confident that the communities of Bromley, Greenwich and Bexley will continue to have access to first class education and training opportunities. Excellent education provision will inevitably help local businesses fill their skills gaps – ensuring that our economies will continue to grow and thrive.
Each college within London South East Colleges will continue to offer a wide range of courses and qualifications across Bromley, Bexley and Greenwich. From vocational courses covering many subjects, to degrees and professional qualifications – there is something to suit everyone, whatever their age, interest or ability.
Sam Parrett adds:
Going forward it is very much ‘business as usual’ for London South East Colleges. I would encourage people to have a look at the many opportunities we offer across our sites and apply now for courses starting in September.