Latest Ofsted report

“Students continue to make good progress from their starting points across their learning programmes. This includes in communication, literacy, numeracy, and social, emotional and behavioural aspects. Most students complete their courses successfully. Many achieve accredited qualifications in areas that will be of benefit to them in the future, for example in horticulture, skills for work, catering, and health and safety.”

“The standard of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Leaders and managers implement effective strategies to ensure continued improvement to teaching practices.”

“Communication between the residential houses and the college is very well established and is effective. Staff share information appropriately and sensitively, and this actively and successfully promotes the welfare, well-being and achievements of residential students. Key workers from the residential houses support residential students in their lessons and college activities. This is reciprocated with college staff supporting students in their residential houses. As a result, support staff provide good levels of continuity between both settings. They identify and support individual students’ needs or issues swiftly and effectively to help them to achieve.”

“Staff promote equality and celebrate diversity effectively across the provision. They promote a culture of inclusion, respect and tolerance in which students with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities enjoy their learning and feel safe.”

“Students enjoy attending college. Many learn skills that they had not developed previously, such as making friends and learning to interact appropriately in groups. As a result, they improve their personal and social skills.”

“Students progress to sustained and positive destinations.”

“Teachers gather accurate information about what students know and can do before they arrive at the college. This helps them to plan programmes and activities that are personalised and help most students to make good progress.”

“Students benefit from a broad range of enrichment activities. They contribute significantly to community and college events.”

“Leaders and managers place high importance on the development of students’ English and mathematical skills so that students can apply these skills correctly in real-life situations.”

“Leaders and managers continue to foster highly effective partnership arrangements with employers and community organisations. These relationships provide good-quality placements and activities for students to extend their learning successfully outside the classroom. Partners are an integral part of college life. For example, they attend college events, present certificates and give wide-ranging support to students.”

“Students benefit from a wide range of high-quality work and community-based activities. Staff plan and review activities with external partners effectively and regularly. Consequently, students increase their vocational and independence skills through challenging, practical activities.”

“Staff support students with complex behavioural needs effectively to help them to recognise their anxieties and to develop strategies to manage their own behaviour successfully.”

“Students develop effective communication skills. They have confidence in using their skills to make choices, express their opinions, work with each other and socialise.”

“Staff use effective communication strategies across all levels of learning to ensure that students understand fully what they need to do to make good progress.”

“Teaching staff are well qualified and experienced. They use further knowledge gained from staff development activities effectively to develop their skills and understanding of the diverse and often complex needs of the students they teach. Teachers tailor most lessons to suit students’ individual needs and abilities. They use interesting and varied activities that motivate students to make at least the progress expected of them.”

“Support for students in lessons is effective. Classroom assistants are knowledgeable about the students they support.”

“The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”

“Teachers gather accurate information about what students know and can do before they arrive at the college. This helps them to plan programmes and activities that are personalised and help most students to make good progress.”