COLLEGE OUT OF INTERVENTION
We are pleased to formally announce that today, 23/9/25, Weston College has had its Financial Notice to Improve (FNTI) officially withdrawn by the Department for Education (DfE).
As reported, Weston College received a FNTI in Summer 2024 having uncovered and reported to authorities, failures of governance which included high remuneration packages to the retired ex-principal, and failure to disclose such details of senior pay as required through the Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (EFSA) college accounts direction.
Working proactively with the FE Commissioner and Department for Education (DfE), the College was able to quickly meet the recommendations of the FNTI report. We are pleased to announce that following a visit in Summer 2025 by the FE Commissioner and their team, the DfE has withdrawn the FNTI, and the College is therefore no longer in intervention.
Interim Chair of Governors Tim Jackson said: “As a result of the investigation and in response to the verbal recommendations by the Further Education Commissioner’s Office in June 2024, later formalised in the report publication in April 2025, significant changes were approved by the board and implemented in Summer 2024 and subsequent months to recruit significant numbers of new members, strengthen governance, improve oversight and due diligence. These changes have been repeatedly monitored by the new board and shared with the FE Commissioner team and the ESFA at the regular intervention case meetings and has led to the outcome announced today.”
“In the last 16 months as Interim Chair, I have seen first-hand the positive impact that the College has on young people, adults and employers within North Somerset and the wider region. The College has much practice which is amongst the best in the country. I am thrilled that the College has had its notice to improve withdrawn and I would like to thank colleagues who have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome and who have prioritised the integrity and interests of the whole community of the College and the governance of all college activities in line with the Nolan principles of standards in public life.”
“The staff here at the College are exceptional and under the leadership of the new Executive Team and a, completely new governing body and Governance Professional, the College will now be able to focus solely on its roadmap to becoming extraordinary for our learners, employers and our wider community. Competent, transparent and strong governance is the best assurance for any public institution (colleges or other) in avoiding anything like this in future. We hope that all colleges use the lessons of our past to validate their own governance arrangements and organisational controls.”
Principal and CEO, Pat Jones added: “The investigation and subsequent FNTI has been traumatic for colleagues, and this announcement is a significant step in the journey of putting this behind us. On behalf of all within the College, I extend my sincere gratitude to our valued stakeholders, partners, and wider community for their unwavering support during this period.”
“As a college looking to the future, we collectively do so with a renewed sense of responsibility and pride in what we do. This college provides exceptional learning opportunities and produces learners who are highly motivated and who can learn in real-world, aspirational environments. We have forged highly effective partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders that enables us to clearly meet local needs and have a positive impact within the local community and region. We have had a fantastic start to the new academic year with some exceptional success stories already. As we move forward into an exciting phase of our journey, we will continue to prioritise our staff through a new set of organisational values, and a new curriculum strategy that puts inclusion at its core and powerfully tackles the social, economic and geographical challenges within our community.”
