Two colleges branded inadequate by Ofsted last year have both emerged badly in the latest of three monitoring visits each from the education watchdog.
Lesoco, in South London, and Stockport College have shown weaknesses during previous monitoring inspections and both were again making “insufficient progress” in key areas, said inspectors who visited last month.
A Skills Funding Agency spokesperson said: “We aware of the findings of the recent Ofsted monitoring reports and continues to work with Lesoco and Stockport College as they implement their improvement plans.”
The most recent visit for Lesoco, formerly grade three Lewisham College and grade four Southwark College, found there had been insufficient progress to improve quality of teaching, learning and assessments, learner attendance rates, or in strengthening tutorial and learning support arrangements.
However, it had made “reasonable progress” in improving maths and English provision.
The college’s initial inadequate grading in November led to a visit from the FE Commissioner and the resignation of the principal Maxine Room.
Her successor, Ioan Morgan, said: “Since the last monitoring visit and the helpful comments from Ofsted, the pace of improvement has increased.”
He added: “The appointment of new and experienced leaders working with a streamlined existing team will ensure momentum is evidenced and that outstanding provision present in parts of the college are replicated throughout.”
Stockport College, which fell to inadequate having previously been outstanding, had made insufficient progress in creating and implementing a post-inspection action plan, improving maths and English and in performance management by senior leaders.
It was, however, was judged to have made reasonable progress on teaching and learning and curriculum change planning.
It too was visited by the FE Commissioner and saw principal Stephen Carlisle replaced by Ian Clinton.
Mr Clinton said: “Following the FE Commissioner’s intervention… a range of measures and targets were agreed, many of these relate to financial matters and the curriculum agenda. The college remains on track to achieve these targets by the end of the academic year.”
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills declined to comment.
Staff and students from Yorkshire-based Dearne Valley College and Specialist College Doncaster joined forces to build and paint a racing car that can be driven by people with a variety of disabilities. The vehicle was donated to the Speed of Sight charity run by record-breaking blind racing driver Mike Newman, writes Paul Offord.
