Barnfield College

Peter Birkett was appointed as principal in 2005, and the College became the first further education college in Britain to sponsor an academy school (Barnfield South Academy and Barnfield West Academy).[3] It was also selected by the DfES to run one of the first studio schools in Britain (Barnfield Skills Academy). The Federation was also the first to launch a 14-18 Law & Accountancy Academy for students who would like to follow a career as an Accountant or Lawyer.[4] At its peak, the Barnfield Federation included a nursery, primary and secondary schools and a college - sponsored by Barnfield Education Partnership Trust. Dame Jackie Fisher joined that Federation as Interim Chief Executive Officer in February 2014.[5]

As of October 2013, the federation was under investigation by the Department for Education and the Skills Funding Agency as reported in the media, and was also under a pre-warning notice.[6][7] As of January 2014, the investigation had been escalated; it was reported that the FE Commissioner Dr David Collins was carrying out a two-week investigation.[8]

As reported on BBC Three Counties Radio on 18 February 2014, via an alleged leaked report from the UK Government, a key element of the investigation had been focussed on a £915,000 funding claim for students that did not study at the college.[9][10]

The outcome of the reports were jointly announced on 28 February 2014 [11] by multiple news sources, which summarised reports from the FE Commissioner,[12] the Skills Funding Agency [13] and the EFA.[14]

In July 2014 it was announced that the schools would be split from Barnfield College to form their own multi-academy trust. The college would then focus on further and higher education provision.[15] In 2015 the schools split from Barnfield and formed the Shared Learning Trust.