Welcome to the 157 Group

The 157 Group was established in March 2006, in response to the recommendation of Sir Andrew Foster in his report ‘Realising the Potential’. In paragraph 157, he advocates:

“…a greater involvement of principals in national representation, in particular those from larger, successful colleges where management capacity and capability exists to release them for this work. There is a strong need for articulate FE College principals to be explaining the services they give to society and how colleges can make a significant contribution to the economy and to developing fulfilled citizens.”

Furthering Education

157 Group college principals are committed to furthering the aims and objectives of the Group which are to:

• develop and practice a leadership paradigm for FE colleges
• enhance the reputation of FE colleges
• play a leading role in shaping and delivering a quality improvement agenda for the further education system
• work towards, and once achieved, if appropriate, to administer, self-accrediting and self-regulating status for members
• develop projects or enterprises on behalf of the members.

The criteria for membership of the Group are: first, that the last Ofsted leadership and management grade must be at least a grade 2 and second, that the college has a turnover of not less than £35 million per annum. Some smaller colleges may be included if they are thought to
exert regional influence, but they must have the threshold leadership and management grade.

To learn more about the work of the 157 Group and the individual member colleges, please click on the links above.

Members can log in where indicated in the right hand panel of this screen.