Wolverhampton College praised after turnaround

Two years after failing an Ofsted inspection its performance has been applauded by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills.

The college has recently won the right to provide apprenticeships for both the BBC and the aerospace giant Moog.

Now it is set to get an estimated £1million-plus cash injection from the sale of its former horticulture centre for housing on green belt land in Compton.

City of Wolverhampton College principal Mr Mark Robertson, who has held the post for a year, said today: "All the money from the sale of this land will be ploughed in to the education of the students. It will be of enormous benefit to the college and improve the life chances of the people of this city."

He added: "We have recently won the right to provide apprenticeships for both the BBC and Moog and are on a journey to becoming an outstanding college. But we have some real challenges to face because we had no money to invest as a result of under investment in the past. For instance IT equipment used by the students has been outdated and not able to prepare them properly with the skills required for modern work but the new investment will resolve that problem before the start of the new college year."

Mr Robertson confirmed that a potential buyer had been found for its former horticulture site in a sale expected to raise over a million pounds for the college. He said the windfall would be spent on equipment for training in retail and high value manufacturing as well as updated the IT.

The Department of Business Innovation and Skills carried out a two week review of the College in May. Its conclusions, due to be published shortly, are understood to praise staff and management while highlighting the 'excellent service' provided for employers by modifying programmes to meet specific needs.

Matthew Hancock, Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise, added his tribute by acclaiming the 'impressive changes' made to improve the quality of the College. It is now in a 'very different' position than it had been two years ago, concluded the report.

The College failed an Ofsted inspection in early 2012 but confidently expects to continue its bounce back by being categorised as at least 'good' when Ofsted inspectors return to carry out a further check in a couple of months.

Wolverhampton City Council Planning Committee has now given the Strategic Director of Education and Enterprise delegated authority to grant planning permission to the College for a scheme that will allow the existing outbuilding on its former horticulture centre to be knocked down to make way for 12 homes to be constructed on the 0.78 hectares site at the rear of the Cedars in Compton Road West.

It is understood that a developer - believed to be Redrow - is already in line to buy the land for over £1million with the final price still to be finalised.