City of Wolverhampton College praised by Ofsted
A college has maintained its good Ofsted rating after an inspection by the schools watchdog.
City of Wolverhampton College has been ranked as good overall – and in seven of eight inspection areas.
Inspectors praised students’ high achievement rates, development of the skills they need for further study or work and progression to further training or employment.
The college was rated good in its previous inspection in 2014.
In the latest visit, the college’s culture of high expectations and close relationships with local and regional employers were also highlighted by inspectors.
Principal Claire Boliver said: “The things in the report that stand out for me were that it recognised we have really high aspirations and expectations. We’re here for the students and apprentices. We are all about getting people on the right track – getting them into employment and university, whatever they want to get them into their chosen careers.
“We are extremely passionate about that and that comes through in the report. And we don’t work completely independent to achieve that, we are embracing all the partnership opportunities that are available to us.
“That is our culture, our ethos and that’s what we’re about.” The college was ranked as good – the second highest rating possible – in terms of effectiveness of leadership and management, study programmes for 16 to 19 year olds, adult learning programmes, provision for students with high needs, quality of teaching, learning and assessments, personal development and welfare, and outcomes for students. Just one sub-category – apprenticeships – was rated as requiring improvement.
Kirk Hookham, vice principal for curriculum and quality at the college, said: “Maintaining our good Ofsted rating is fantastic news. It is official recognition of how our tutors and support staff work tirelessly to ensure the skills our students develop are of a high standard and what employers require.”
A team of nine Ofsted inspectors visited the college last month (nov) – in the same week it won its fourth national Association of Colleges Beacon Award, for careers education and guidance.
The college was rated top in the West Midlands for student satisfaction in July and employer satisfaction in October.
