Agency tutors cost busy Walsall College £120,000
Walsall College spent almost £120,000 on agency staff as it saw rising numbers of students, it has emerged.
Bosses at the Wisemore campus say there has been rising numbers signing up at the college which caters for around 7,500 people.
The cash was mainly spent on lecturing but also included for an assessor and learning support during the 2013/14 academic year, figures have revealed.
The college has seen rising number of 16 to 18 year-olds wanting to attend full time courses, with an increase of 7.4 per cent for this year.
Peter Merry, director of finance, said it was also necessary on occasions to bring in specialist staff to assist the college.
He said: "Walsall College prides itself on its outstanding Ofsted rating, awarded for our success in delivering first class education and training to students with qualified lecturers with industry experience.
"At times it is necessary and standard procedure to utilise agency staff to respond to a specific skills need. In the 2013/14 academic year we experienced significant growth in a number of curriculum areas with more students enrolling on to our courses.
"Students are at the heart of everything we do and we are committed to ensuring they are able to acquire real world experience, commercial awareness and the knowledge and skills to be job ready as well as gain qualifications."
The outlay of more than £118,000 included the areas of science, hospitality, ICT and construction.
The college was rated as outstanding by Ofsted following an inspection last year.
It became the first of its kind in the country to be awarded the grade under tough new inspection rules.
Assessors praised success rates achieved by students, which put the college in the top 10 per cent in the UK.
The £64 million campus opened in 2009 as part of a land swap agreement which saw Tesco open on its old grounds.
There are plans to expand with a new £11m business and sports hub due to open next year.
While a school specialising in engineering is also poised to relocate nearby in 2016.
The Black Country University Technical College (UTC), which opened in September 2011, is to move to a former car repair shop next to the college.
The empty building will be refurbished as part of the £6m plans and an extension would be built to allow the school to cater for up to 480 pupils aged from 14 to 19.
Up to 300 students are expected to make the move to the site, off Portland Street, from April 2016 after the current site in Vernon Way, Bloxwich, was said to be too restrictive.
