Barnfield College
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Barnfield College
| established = c. 1968
| type = Further education
| founder = Jim Horroks
| principal = Cath Gunn
| location = Luton, Bedfordshire,
England
| website = [http://www.barnfield.ac.uk barnfield.ac.uk]
}}
Barnfield College is a further education college in Luton and is part of the West Herts College Group. In 2024 Ofstead rated the group as 'Good'.{{cite web |author=Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) |date= |title=Further education and skills inspection report: Inspection of West Herts College |url=https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50249114 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=26 April 2024 |website=Ofsted}}
History
=Origin=
In 1958, Luton Technical School moved to a new building off Barnfield Avenue, and the name of the school was changed to Barnfield Secondary Technical School. With the introduction of comprehensive schools in Luton in 1967, it became Barnfield High School. The number of pupils declined; in 1968 parts of the building were taken over for teaching hairdressing and dressmaking; and in 1970 the College of Further Education took over the whole building.A. Allsopp, Crimson and Gold: Luton Modern School, Luton High School for Girls and Luton Technical School, pages 375-397, {{ISBN|1-903747-55-4}}, Book Castle, 2004.
In 2003, Barnfield College became the first general further education college to be awarded Beacon status.[http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/13557/4/success-for-all-newsletter-may-2003.pdf Success for All], May 2003, page 3.
=Barnfield Federation=
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).[https://feweek.co.uk/2014/05/30/ex-barnfield-boss-talks-ghost-learners-financial-probes-and-the-audi-pay-off/ Ex-Barnfield boss talks ghost learners, financial probes and the Audi pay-off], FE Week, 30 May 2014. By 2007, the Barnfield Federation included a nursery, primary and secondary schools and a college.[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/698902/Barnfield_College_FE_Commissioner_s_intervention_assessment_report.pdf Further Education Commissioner assessment summary], 2018. In 2010, it opened one of the first studio schools in Britain (Barnfield Skills Academy).[https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2430111 Barnfield Studio School], Ofsted report, 2014. 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.{{cite web|url=http://laa.barnfield.ac.uk/ |title=Welcome to the Barnfield Academy of Law & Accountancy website |access-date=2013-11-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101220620/http://laa.barnfield.ac.uk/ |archive-date=2014-01-01 }}
As of October 2013, the federation was under investigation by the Department for Education and the Skills Funding Agency.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-24659157|title=Barnfield Federation investigated over 'grade massaging'|work=BBC News|date=29 October 2013}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-warning-notice-to-barnfield-college|title = Academy trusts: Notices about poor performance| date=8 February 2019 }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-25761701|title=Barnfield Federation education company: New inquiry launched|work=BBC News|date=16 January 2014}} A key element of the investigation focussed on a £915,000 funding claim for students that did not study at the college.{{cite web |url=http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/crime/barnfield-investigation-referred-to-police-1-5884085 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222044423/http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/crime/barnfield-investigation-referred-to-police-1-5884085 |archive-date=22 February 2014 |title=Barnfield investigation referred to police - Luton Today}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-26233131 |title=Barnfield College 'wrongly claimed' £1m of funding |work=BBC News |date=26 February 2014}} The outcomes of the investigations were jointly announced on 28 February 2014{{cite web |url=http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/education/damning-report-of-barnfield-investigation-is-published-1-5907057 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305160754/http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/education/damning-report-of-barnfield-investigation-is-published-1-5907057 |archive-date=5 March 2014 |title=Damning report of Barnfield investigation is published - Luton Today}} by multiple news sources, which summarised reports from the Further Education Commissioner,{{cite web
|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/282645/140214_Lord_Nash_Matthew_Hancock_letter_to_Barnfield.pdf |title=Letter|website=gov.uk|access-date=14 July 2023}} the Skills Funding Agency{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-funding-agency-barnfield-college-investigation|title=ESFA post-16: Intervention and accountability|date=21 November 2022 }} and the Education Funding Agency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/financial-management-and-governance-review-barnfield-federation|title = Financial management and governance review: Barnfield Federation}}
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-28458478|title=Barnfield Federation education chain 'to be split up'|work=BBC News|date=24 July 2014}} In 2015 the schools split from Barnfield and formed the Shared Learning Trust.
=Merger with West Herts College=
At the end of January 2019, the college legally became part of West Herts College, although it has continued to operate under the name of Barnfield College.{{Cite web|url=https://www.westherts.ac.uk/media/6579/west-herts-college-finance-statements-19-20.pdf|title=West Herts College Report and Financial Statements For The Year Ended 31 July 2020|accessdate=14 July 2023}}
Notable alumni
- Rankin, portrait photographer & director
- Glyn Dillon, graphic artist and costume designer
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Schools in Bedfordshire}}
{{Universities and colleges in the East of England}}
{{Luton}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|51.905913|-0.421939|display=title}}
Category:Further education colleges in Bedfordshire
Category:Further education in Luton
Category:Educational institutions established in 1968
Category:Learning and Skills Beacons