The college has received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted, the government’s inspection body for schools and colleges.
At the end of a 4-day inspection from 7 to 10 January 2019, a team of Ofsted inspectors judged the college to be good across all eight areas of inspection: effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; personal development, behaviour and welfare; outcomes for learners; 16 to 19 study programmes; adult learning programmes; apprenticeships; and provision for learners with high needs.
Principal David Pomfret said: “I am delighted with this outcome. Since the last inspection 2 years ago, staff, governors and management have worked hard to deliver improvements in a number of areas and Ofsted’s findings are a resounding endorsement of the progress we have made.
“I am sure that parents, students and employers will be reassured and encouraged by Ofsted’s recognition of the inclusive and supportive culture at the college and by the description of the college as a welcoming and friendly place to study, where learners feel safe, are well behaved and motivated, have high attendance and develop substantial new skills that they will need for their future.
“The report is very detailed and contains a lot of extremely positive things about our college, its staff and students. It’s fantastic that Ofsted have recognised that we provide some of the best facilities in the country and that our learners benefit from using high quality resources in inspiring environments.
“Inspectors also noted how well the excellent industrial knowledge and skills of our staff prepares students and apprentices for the workplace, and how the vast majority of our learners progress into employment, apprenticeships or higher education. The report states that teachers and assessors motivate students and apprentices well and, as a result, learners become increasingly independent and interested in their own learning. This helps them to develop their skills and knowledge at an appropriate pace.
“This is a fantastic college, serving a diverse community and supporting the skills needs of the economies of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and beyond and this report recognises how well we do this. For young people and parents currently considering next steps after Year 11, this report illustrates that the college is a real option for all students.”
The inspection report noted that ‘students and apprentices enjoy coming to college and many describe the welcoming, inclusive and supportive college environment as being like a big family in which they feel safe, make friends, and develop a wide range of new skills and knowledge.’
Ofsted found that ‘students and apprentices develop a good range of personal and social skills, are courteous, behave well, and display respect for each other and college staff’. The report notes that students have high aspirations as a result of effective and impartial careers education.
It also mentions the comprehensive work experience opportunities students have, which helps them to develop effective employability skills and deepen their understanding of the world of work and their knowledge of their chosen industry.
To read more, visit: http://old.cwa.ac.uk/governing-body/ofsted-and-performance-data/