DARLINGTON College and Stockton Riverside College have today announced plans to merge amid a major overhaul of post-16 education across the Tees Valley.

Elsewhere in the region, it is proposed that Middlesbrough and Redcar & Cleveland College and Hartlepool College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College also join together.

Education bosses say the mergers will improve the delivery of specialised qualifications, increase apprenticeship opportunities and align courses on offer with the skills requirements of employers.

It is claimed the changes will ensure high-quality further education opportunities for young people and adults remain available in each town and that the financial stability of colleges is strengthened.

The Tees Valley Area Review, which was one of the first in the country, covered the five local authority areas of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton, which aligns with the area served by Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU) and the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA).

Six colleges were involved in the review  - Cleveland College of Art and Design, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton Riverside – and four Sixth Form Colleges: Hartlepool Sixth Form College, Prior Pursglove College, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College (Darlington) and Stockton Sixth Form College.

Representatives from each of the colleges, the local authorities, TVU and TVCA formed a steering group, which was co-chaired by Gill Alexander, Hartlepool Council chief executive and Sir David Collins, the Government’s FE Commissioner.

A number of draft recommendations have now been agreed by the steering group which will go forward to be the subject of further work, detailed appraisal and public consultation.

In addition to the proposed mergers it has been agreed by the review steering group that:

  • Cleveland College of Art and Design will remain as an independent institution, seeking to build further on their art and design specialism.
  • The recently merged Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College will pursue academy status and establish or join a multi-academy trust with local schools.
  • Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington will remain independent and pursue academy status as part of a multi-academy trust with local schools.

Darlington College and Stockton Riverside College say they are confident that by working together there is more opportunity for growth, future sustainability and high quality provision for students and businesses.

Pat Howarth, chair of the Darlington College Board, and Mark White, chair designate of the Stockton Riverside College Board, said in a joint statement that the discussions had been very positive and in the spirit of an equal partnership, maximising the strengths of both organisations.

They said the proposals would build on the positive collaboration between the two boroughs, good transport links and a strong sense of history.

The colleges’ campuses in Darlington, Stockton and Billingham will remain and will continue to serve their local communities.

College staff were informed of the proposed merger at a series of briefings this morning.

The chair and chair designate said: “We believe there is huge potential and a great opportunity for both colleges to work together. This is a period of significant change in the further education sector and we are positioning ourselves to seize new opportunities for students, staff and employers across the communities that we serve.

"It will be business as usual for the students and the employers the colleges work with."

Officials said the merger would enable the sharing of best practice, further opportunities for workforce development and enhanced purchasing power.

Both colleges are financially viable and do not need to merge, the statement said.

It added: "They are choosing to consider this merger as they believe it is the right thing to do for the area. Efficiencies will be explored but significant redundancies are not anticipated.

"The proposed timescale for any change will be at least 12 to 18 months with governing bodies agreeing on key values and undertaking full due diligence."

The proposed merger will be recommended in the FE Commissioner’s Report into the Tees Valley post-16 landscape which has been taking place over the last eight months.

Last year, Darlington College was judged inadequate by Ofsted, but bosses said inspectors had found that significant and swift progress had been made in subsequent monitoring visits.