Trafford College Group, owners of Stockport College, have begun a consultation on improving training and education in Stockport through a proposed merger with Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College.
The two have been working closely together over the last year and, at a strategic level, both colleges see their future together. To this end, the colleges’ Governing Bodies have agreed to conduct a consultation about a proposal to merge. Central to the proposal is the commitment that provision will continue at both colleges, each with its unique identity, as at present.
The full proposal for the merger has been outlined in a consultation document produced by the two colleges. An extract of the proposal is included below:
Our proposal is for a ‘Type B’ merger between Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College and The Trafford College Group. This means that the property, rights and liabilities of Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College would transfer to The Trafford College Group.
The heart of the strategy is delivering ‘ONE COLLEGE, LOCAL DELIVERY’ that encompasses all parts of the proposed Group and is aimed at ensuring everybody plays their part in making the Group the best college in the North West. To achieve this aim the merger would enable the integration of Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College into the current The Trafford College Group structure, retaining local delivery and identity whilst creating a single legal entity. In particular, there are complementary curriculum offers at The Trafford College Group (particularly Stockport College) and Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College which provides opportunities for specialisation and viable diversification.
The merged college will be financially viable and will, where possible, develop the offer where we have the expertise, resource and a track record of high-quality delivery. We will ensure that we retain the excellent level service provided to our students and respond to the needs of our community at all levels of the curriculum. The merged college will maintain and grow a comprehensive academic and vocational learning offer for residents across Stockport, Cheadle, Marple and surrounding areas.
The full proposal and merger document can be found at https://stockport.ac.uk/merger.