Ofsted Inspection Report

“Outstanding grades across the board!”

- Most recent inspection report -May '24

We’re pleased to announce that last month Ofsted inspectors awarded the College the top ‘Outstanding’ grade in every one of their seven categories: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, education programmes for young people and provision for learners with high needs.

After a very thorough inspection visit, involving nine inspectors working with us over four days, we’re delighted to see such glowing feedback.

It’s great to see the real hard work of all of our staff over many years recognised in this way, with inspectors highlighting the “high-quality teaching by subject specialists” in “calm and highly focused learning environments that support and enable students to learn very effectively”.  It’s also pleasing to hear inspectors confirm that we “identify good teaching practices and share them successfully”, ensuring that “teachers are confident to try different approaches making teaching relevant and interesting”.

We’ve always worked hard to ensure that our students are ready for their future goals: it’s great to see an Ofsted judgement acknowledging that staff have “high aspirations for what students will achieve and where they will move on to when they leave college”, ensuring that “students are very effectively equipped to make successful decisions to identify appropriate career choices and pathways”.

Most pleasing of all, is of course, the praise that has been directed towards our students, who “consider the views and beliefs of others and treat each other with dignity and respect”. Their behaviour is “exemplary” and  “quickly become empowered to take ownership of their futures and their place in society as active citizens”. We are, of course, extremely proud of all of them and the central role that they have played in the success of the college over many years.

Thanks also go, of course, to the many members of our wider community – including parents – who the Ofsted Inspector had reported responded to Ofsted questionnaires in very large numbers and in such an “overwhelmingly positive” fashion.

We believe that this success has roots that go back many years: as the Principal, Ian MacNaughton, explains: “This Ofsted ‘outstanding’ judgement is a ringing endorsement to the ongoing high quality of the work here at The Sixth Form College.  We have all worked hard to sustain a very positive and inclusive ethos for many years and this has enormously contributed to the impressive success of our students.  Inspectors rightly identified the enormous contribution of excellent pastoral care and support and enrichment activities in this success; it’s always been central to what we do”.

“I must, of course, take the opportunity to thank our fantastic team of staff: we have, for many years, benefitted so much from a team of committed professionals, very skilled at working with students this age. We believe that our students respond very positively and contribute significantly to the calm and focussed young adult environment that staff have built here at the College – and this provides fantastic opportunities for our students to make the most of their talents and skills and foster their personal development and wellbeing.  Our students certainly benefit from a very high quality sixth form experience and it’s great to have this recognised so resoundingly by Ofsted ”.   

PHOTO – Principal Ian MacNaughton and members of the College Council celebrate our success