WESTON College has made it into the top five highest achieving colleges in the UK after being judged as outstanding by Ofsted inspectors.
The college was awarded a grade one result in all four key areas of inspection and is the first further education college in the west of England to achieve such results under new Ofsted inspection framework.
A further five ‘outstanding’ ratings in curriculum areas inspected have put the college among the UK’s top five.
In their report, inspectors judged as outstanding the overall effectiveness, outcomes for learners, quality of teaching, learning and assessment and the effectiveness of leadership and management.
These relate to every area of the college’s education programme, including 14-16 part-time and full-time provision, 16-19 study programmes, 19-plus learning programmes and apprenticeships.
They also praised the college’s teaching and learning, saying that students “benefit greatly from the culture of respect, hard work and enjoyment that permeates the college”.
The inspectors said: “The vast majority of learners successfully complete their courses, often achieving higher grades than expected when they started.”
They also praised the college’s management and said the principal, Dr Paul Phillips, governors and leaders provided outstanding strategic direction and vision. Particular praise was given to the college’s support for students with learning difficulties and disabilities, with inspectors saying that for many it was a “life-changing experience”.
John Penrose, Weston MP and a long-term governor at the college, said: “I’m totally thrilled by this amazing result.
“They just keep going from strength to strength.
“And now Ofsted have made it official by rating them as outstanding, which makes them one of the best in the South West.”