What Kind of Town Guarantees Education for All?

10 May What Kind of Town Guarantees Education for All?

 

A recap from the April Citizen Gathering at the St Neots Initiative

As the sun heated up St Neots on an unusually warm spring evening, residents, educators, youth workers, and business leaders gathered inside the Citizen Hub to ask a bold question:

What would it take for St Neots to become a town where everyone, regardless of age or background, can access the education they need to thrive?

This was the challenge set out by Alex Hughes, Acting Chair of the St Neots Initiative (SNI), in his opening provocation:
“It’s reasonable to expect that every resident of St Neots should have access to education.”

In a time where national headlines too often highlight declining school performance, further education cuts, or “lost” generations, this was not just a hopeful provocation. It was a call to action and as the rest of the evening showed, it struck a chord.

Alex reflected on the uncomfortable reality of the education landscape both nationally and locally. He acknowledged the visible and invisible barriers that face residents across all age groups, but also pointed to the opportunity for SNI’s unique role as a convener of people, partners, and purpose.

The room included representatives from the Combined Authority, local school trusts, Bedford College Group, Cambridge Regional College, youth workers, community leaders and most importantly, citizens ready to co-design new solutions.

The Panel: A Collective Voice for Change

Daniel Gossage, the newest volunteer with SNI, chaired the panel discussion with energy and compassion. The line-up included:

Sam Squire, CEO of Inspire 2 Ignite CIC

Dan Burns, Assistant Principal at Cambridge Regional College

Nick Hayward, Deputy Director, Bedford College Group

Katy Davies, Director of Citizen Hub St Neots

What emerged was a clear, shared vision:

There is talent in this town. There are opportunities in this town, but the current system doesn’t connect the two well enough. “It’s not just a skills gap—it’s a passion gap.” and  “Young people don’t know what’s possible, and adults don’t always feel welcome back into learning.”  were messages heard loud and clear.

Key issues raised included:

Lack of trust between education systems and communities

Slow growth in apprenticeships

Underused facilities in schools after hours

Poor visibility of available education and skills pathways

This wasn’t a theoretical conversation, it was rooted in the lived experience of learners, educators, and employers.

 

Co-Design in Action: The Five Rooms

Participants then split into five themed groups to dig deeper. These weren’t traditional focus groups, they were co-design spaces. Post-it notes, heated debates, laughter, and new ideas flowed across every corner of the Citizen Hub.

1. Pre-19 Education Pathways (Facilitated by Sam Squire)

The current FE offer in St Neots is limited, fragmented, and largely invisible.
The group called for a “visual ecosystem map” showing:

Every opportunity (college, course, apprenticeship, employer)

Entry requirements

Passion areas and progression routes

They also championed embedding coaching in secondary schools to support young people in answering:

What do I enjoy?

Where do I feel energised?

What does success look like to me?

2. Adult Education (Facilitated by Alex Hughes)

There is demand among adults, but low visibility, high complexity, and stigma.

The group proposed:

Unlocking vacant retail units for community learning

Simplifying paperwork and sign-up processes

Developing a town-wide learning campaign, with “sector champions”

Joining regional trailblazer projects to access funding and momentum

“People want to learn. The system just makes it harder than it needs to be.” was a collective message.

3. Social Challenges (Facilitated by Daniel Gossage)

From transport and mental health to unpaid internships and inaccessible apprenticeships, this group named the barriers others ignore.
They called for:

Restoring free foundational English and maths for unemployed adults

Requiring fairer access to work experience

Building mentorship networks with relatable role models

Tackling school-to-college disconnects

4. Business Needs (Facilitated by Katy Davies)

The conversation began with one phrase:

“We just want applicants who can tell us who they are.”

It evolved into a sharp reflection on employer responsibility. Too many job specs are unrealistic. Too many internships are unpaid. Too many expectations are outdated.

The group urged employers to:

Be braver in recruiting

Engage earlier with talent

Offer open-access opportunities, not just via “who you know”

Create mentorship and work experience offers now, not when it’s convenient

5. Who’s Missing From the Room (Facilitated by Richard Shaw MBE)

This group reflected on absence, who wasn’t represented, and why it matters.

They noted:

Not all School senior leadership was present

Transport providers weren’t at the table

Evening facilities sit locked and unused across local schools

Their challenge: if we want change, we must bring the full system together.

 

Recommendations

For Local Schools and Colleges

Co-create flexible learning models with the community that adapt to diverse needs

Promote careers across vocational, creative, and entrepreneurial pathways as well as Higher Education

Build bridges with employers through experiences, events, and joint projects in and out of school hours

Reframe “success” beyond traditional academic benchmarks

Participate in future citizen gatherings

For Local Businesses

Open your doors, literally. Invite the community in at least once a year, let them see who you are, not just where you are

Scrap outdated job requirements and ensure that local is a unique advantage to citizens

Sponsor real, paid apprenticeships and collaborate with further education for upskilling existing workforce

Collaborate with local education providers early and often.

For Local Government

Ensure Information, Advice and Guidance professionals are accessible in the town to all citizens

Improve transport and access support for learners

Invest in Further Education in St Neots, not just for it

Introduce more paid internships across sectors

Empower St Neots to trailblaze innovative pilots

Engage local landlords and broker opportunities for pop up learning spaces

For Community

Engage in workshops and safe spaces provided for confidence, identity, and resilience

Build peer networks and engage in championing education for all generations of the town

Act as connectors between young people, families, and employers

Use vacant buildings creatively to provide informal learning spaces

 

What’s Next for St Neots?

There’s no silver bullet, but there is a clear mandate.

St Neots doesn’t need to wait for a national policy shift to lead. With the right partners, funding, and collective will, the town could model a community-rooted education system that shows the rest of the UK what’s possible.

This is just the beginning. With new leadership coming into St Neots Initative and growing capacity within its leadership, we commit to finally pursuiting an education focused sub group. It will take us a little bit of time but the members have shown this is a key challenge and opportunity for the town, with real current battles to overcome together.

Recommendations for SNI include:

Publishing a town-wide Learning & Opportunity Map

Launching a Young Leaders Development Programme

Connecting schools, colleges, and employers to build a shared strategy

Advocating for funding, transport, and equitable access

 

Thank You & Get Involved

To everyone who joined us, thank you. For your honesty, creativity, and energy. For recognising that education isn’t just a system; it’s a social contract. Together, let’s build a place where every resident, young or old, has a place to learn, grow, and lead.

If you’d like to share your perspective or simply share your ideas…

Get in touch: chair@stneotsinitiative.org.uk

The next Citizen Gathering will be in June. Please check it out and sign up if you wish to join in conversations that could shape future versions of the town.

Theme: Health & Wellbeing in Our Town

https://linktr.ee/citizenhub for sign up links