Response to government's plan for failing colleges

The union added that an emphasis on the small amount of colleges judged to be inadequate was unhelpful and said there needed to be a clear transparent process where colleges were deemed to be struggling, not privatisation by the back door.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'In the past few weeks the chancellor has announced more cuts to the further education budget and students aged 24 and over must now take out loans to cover their fees, so we won't be getting too excited about funding that merely represents a drop in the ocean.

'The emphasis on failing colleges is disappointing at a time when private companies have made no secret of their desire to move into areas of post-16 education that they believe might turn a profit. There must be clear protection of public assets and a transparent process for any intervention in our colleges. This simply cannot be privatisation by the back door.'

Ofsted currently rates two-thirds of colleges to be good or outstanding and just 4 per cent are judged inadequate. On Monday (1 April) the government introduced loans for anyone aged 24 and over who wanted to study a college course at level 3 or above.