A SURVEY commissioned by the Tertiary Colleges Network and carried out by the Responsive College Unit has concluded that the tertiary system is the best model for post 16 education.

The Tertiary Colleges Network involves 60 colleges and the Principal of Richmond upon Thames College, Eric Kirby, was one of the six founder members of the group. The network promotes the tertiary education system, whereby schools within a given area do not operate sixth forms but instead young people progress to a single local institution that provides 16-19 education, catering for all attainment levels, as well as adult learning for the wider community.

Richmond upon Thames College was one of ten tertiary colleges whose performance was compared with that of general further education colleges and sixth form colleges in the research - and the findings show that tertiary colleges offer the best of both worlds.

Crucially, tertiary college students benefit from the broadest curriculum choice in terms of both range and level of programme, and the success rate for 16-18 year olds is higher than sixth form college students at all levels. In addition, tertiary college students outperform general further education students at all levels above entry level. Tertiary colleges also offer opportunities for those who gain below average results at 16 to get to university entrance level by the time they are 19 or 20.

These findings came as no surprise to staff and students at Richmond upon Thames College which has consistently topped the Government's league tables for further education colleges in Greater London.

Mr Kirby said: "Having spent the greater part of my career in education in the management of a tertiary college, these research outcomes whilst, not entirely unexpected, are none the less very gratifying."

The results of this research have been communicated to the Learning and Skills Council National Office.

and the government has already instituted area reviews by the LSC and Ofsted area inspections that could support the value of tertiary education systems.

May 30, 2003 10:30