Inspiring Nick’s new chapter

College head leaves to become a novelist

THE principal who has led Oldham Sixth Form College to national success is stepping down at the end of July, to become an author.

Inspirational Nick Brown (58) has seen the centre become one of the best in the country since it opened in 1992 — amid fears that it would be a white elephant.

All four of its Ofsted reports have been outstanding, with an unprecedented number of top grades in its latest inspection — and success rates have been consistently above the national average.

Negotiations are also taking place to build a world-class science centre.

The father-of-three, who was awarded the OBE for services to further education 2007, was appointed principal 18 months before the college opened.

He is fulfilling a lifelong ambition to write a series of historical novels about ancient Athens and said: “It’s following two characters from the battle of Marathon to the fall of the Athenian empire.

“It’s a very exciting period.

“The are historically accurate but fictionalised.”

Mr Brown will continue do work for the college governors, as well as remaining as chairman of Oldham Partnership

He added: “I think the brave decision the council took to build this college has transformed the position of the town.

“Our strong, well-educated, healthy future for the borough is being built here. It is the most significant step the borough has ever taken and I have been very privileged to be here.

“I promised myself, because I have seen other colleges left in a mess, that I would hand over something really positive and viable to whoever came next. I think the college, particularly the science centre, has got a fantastic future.

“We are approaching the point, and this is our aim, where we get the results of a selective institution in an inclusive college and that’s really hard to do.

“I’ll miss it terribly. For me it has just been a fantastic opportunity and I think the college has made me a better man. I have also enjoyed being the villain in the staff pantomimes!”

Mr Brown trained as an archaeologist at Leeds and Manchester universities and has a masters degree in philosophy.

He worked in insurance, as a farm labour and an archaeologist, but revealed that he got into education as an accident thanks to friends who applied for teaching jobs without his knowledge.

Mr Brown, whose late father was a head at Royton and Crompton School, taught in Manchester and Leeds before coming to Oldham as an education adviser.

He was then put in as head teacher of Breeze Hill school to deal with discipline and emerging racial problems, having previously been at a Burnage school where a pupil was fatally stabbed.

The principal’s post has been advertised in the national press with a salary of £90,000-£110,000 and the closing date for applicants is February 8.


Funding confidence

NICK Brown is confident that funding can be found for the college’s proposed multi-million regional science centre.

Negotiations are taking place after plans were hit by the Learning and Skills Council’s funding fiasco and Mr Brown said: “It is much more likely now than it has been at any other time. I think it will be possible to put a package of funding together in the relatively short future.

“Our growth in science and maths in the college is enormous. We know there is going to be a demand for science and technology trained people in Manchester, and we are going to be able to provide them.”


£2m extra tuition for pupils

K pupils will get extra tuition with the help of more than £2 million Government aid for the next two years.

The money is being allocated under two schemes: one-to-one tuition for under-achieving pupils and to help children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The One-to-One scheme is for £700,000 in 2009-10, and the Achievement for All is £1million, both rising considerably in 2010-11, before ending in 2012.

And to ensure the smooth running of both schemes, Oldham Council has appointed a senior business support officer to manage the paperwork, arrange events and briefings, co-ordinate applications, collect and analyse teacher assessments and track pupils’ progress, as well as administering grants.

The appointment will free up two council officers who carried out the role in 2009. One-to-One teaching has already been offered to 1,600 pupils in Oldham, and will double in 2010-11. They get 10 hours of individual teaching at school, after school or during holidays or weekends.