Will course locations be changed?  

Courses and teaching staff will continue to be based at their current locations. In addition to this, our long term aim is to be able to add new courses to meet local demand.

Does the merger mean cuts in provision and staff? 

Absolutely not. The location of the campuses is such that there is no clash between Central Bedfordshire College and The Bedford College Group, so no need to “rationalise” provision. No teaching posts will become redundant. There will however be an increase in other staff as the college builds its management capacity. There will be no redundancies among support staff.

Is the merger about making profit? 

Further education colleges, while independent of local authority control, are regulated and funded by the state. They do not make profits for the benefit of shareholders. Any surpluses are used for investment and/or ensuring financial sustainability.  

How will the college maintain its presence in the community? 

We will continue to maintain our identity as part of The Bedford College Group and work with our community partners through our existing management team.  

I’m a parent. Will the merger affect my child’s course options?  

There are likely to be more courses as we continue to develop our offering in the future. Our current courses will continue to run as before, at the same locations. It may be that your child will have more options in terms of what courses they can do if they wish to continue their studies later on. 

I’m an adult. Will my options be different? 

We expect the offer to adults to expand on a number of fronts as we increase our activity in higher education (degree level) and investigate the feasibility of increasing our provision at new locations in the communities. The current adult course offering will continue. 

What will the college be called after merger? 

We will still be Central Bedfordshire College, as part of The Bedford College Group. The Group cherishes the history and tradition of its constituent colleges and ensures they each maintain a strong management structure and identity.  

What does The Bedford College Group gain from the merger? 

The addition of Central Bedfordshire College will increase the Group’s capacity to contribute to the social mobility of the communities it serves and benefit the local economies by meeting the skills needs of businesses. 

Find out more about the merger on our Merger Updates page.