East Riding College is celebrating following the endorsement of the high quality of its provision given by the education watchdog, Ofsted
Students at the College make “exceptional progress” as a result of “outstanding leadership and management”, according to the inspection report made by Ofsted following their visit to the College last month.
The report also highlighted the students’ “excellent” employability skills, “outstanding guidance and support” and the “outstanding financial management of the College”.
All aspects of the College’s provision were graded as at least good with many features graded as outstanding – the highest grade given by Ofsted.
Principal Derek Branton said: “This is an exceptional Ofsted report which follows six successive years of improvements in success rates on our courses, as well as a significant broadening of the curriculum and major improvements to our facilities, notably the opening of the new
Bridlington campus in 2009 which last November won the best education building in Yorkshire award.
“I am extremely proud of what the students, staff, managers and governors have achieved in making East Riding College into such a high-performing college which takes students of all backgrounds and abilities and helps them to reach their potential.”
David Thacker, Chairman of the College’s Governors, said: “My fellow governors and I are delighted with the outstanding achievements recorded in the report.
“We offer our congratulations to the students and, of course, the staff who have inspired and advised them, for the significant improvements in the success rates and the excellent progress made across the whole range of courses in the College.
“ The local community can be proud of the contribution the College has made to the education and training needs of the area and the standards it sets and delivers for the students.”
Highlights from the report include:
• The Principal has established a culture in the College which is open and transparent and which has significantly raised the expectations and ambitions of staff and improved outcomes for learners
• Governors have set a clear strategic direction and are highly effective
• Learners enjoy college, make exceptional progress and have excellent employability skills
• Learners benefit from an excellent range of courses and can progress from entry to advanced level in almost all subjects
• Excellent support, extensive enrichment activities and additional courses enable high proportions of learners to progress to employment, further training or higher education
• Significant numbers of learners make a good contribution to the local and international communities through innovative projects
• Highly effective partnerships with employers are successfully addressing skills gaps
• All managers and teachers are ambitious for the College and are relentless in their pursuit of seeking improvements for learners
• Financial management and control are outstanding
The report highlights five areas for improvement, most of which had already been recognised by the College and are being addressed, such as improving accommodation at the Beverley campus, which the College is seeking to do through the construction of a new campus in the town centre.
