We have recently finished advising Oxford and Cherwell Valley College (OCVC) on a “first-of-a-kind” joint venture with the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) to become the provider of further education (FE) services to Reading College.
Mills & Reeve associate, Neil Burton, led the team from Mills & Reeve, who worked closely with OCVC to help get the venture off to a great start. The Mills & Reeve team also included Christian Bull and Robbie Turner (real estate), Brian Marshall (corporate) and Nick Abbott (employment).
“This is one of the first FE institutions in the UK to be run by a joint venture – a business structure actively supported and encouraged by the new coalition Government. Given the timescales and complexity of the transfer, and the need to maintain continuity from one academic year to the next, the venture went very smoothly,” Neil said.
College provision in Reading was provided by Thames Valley University until the recent transfer to Reading College. The new partnership between OCVC, an Oxfordshire based FE college, and LSN, a not-for-profit organisation active in improving education and training, is set to expand the range of courses and opportunities available to people in and around Reading.
Sally Dicketts, Principal of Reading College, said: “We are thrilled at the opportunity to deliver dynamic and high quality further education courses and are focused on supporting the various local needs of all the community. This exceptionally complex transaction really feels like we’re breaking new ground. The venture could pioneer the way of the future for FE and other education services. It took a great deal of expertise to make sure it got off to the best start, which is why we chose to work with Mills & Reeve.”
As well as a range of A-levels, GSCEs and Access courses, Reading College provides a wide range of vocational opportunities, from apprenticeships to other work-based learning courses.