Dudley College is rated in top 10pc in country
Dudley College has been named in the top 10 per cent in England by Ofsted inspectors who heaped praise on its £30 million Learning Quarter scheme.
The scheme, at the heart of the town centre, provides 'outstanding' accommodation and resources for students, inspectors said.
The Learning Quarter includes the Dudley Evolve vocational campus, which opened last September on the site of the former fire station in Tower Street.
A £6m manufacturing and engineering complex – called Dudley Advance – is also planned for a site off Priory Road.
Principal Lowell Williams said the report highlighted the college's 'positive impact' on the town and the community.
The Ofsted inspection report ranked all areas of the college as 'good' or better noting the college's many outstanding features.
Inspectors particularly praised the college for its 'very high' success rates, 'outstanding' accommodation and resources across the new Learning Quarter.
The college's Visual Arts provision area was also awarded the highest grade of 'outstanding'.
Mr Williams said: "We have ambitious plans for Dudley College over the next decade and now have a strong foundation to continue building on.
"With every area graded good or better we are now firmly ranked in the top 10 per cent of colleges in England.
"It's fantastic that the report repeatedly refers to the college as 'outstanding', 'excellent', 'impressive' and 'effective'.
"These comments are testimony to the exceptional hard work of all of our staff, students and governors."
"The report shows the consistent high quality of all of our courses. The report also provides an independent validation of the college's overall success and identifies the positive impact we are having on our local community and on employers."
Ofsted inspectors were impressed by the college's links with employers and other education organisations to provide a broad and appropriate curriculum which matches local and regional needs.
Ofsted introduced new inspection criteria last year that focus on what impact colleges have on learners.
And Mr Williams said it was a credit to his staff and students that they had wowed inspectors as tough standards are set.
"This is an excellent result for the college as this new style inspection framework really tests how colleges are performing," he said. "The inspectors listen to learners, observe lessons and, quite rightly, interrogate all aspects of a college's teaching and learning."
The college came up with the revised £30m scheme after being forced to downscale previous £100m proposals.
Those plans involved the complete replacement of the college with a rebuild in Dudley town centre.
