A mostly encouraging week for FE, with regards to Ofsted reports, saw West Cheshire College shed its inadequate tag.

It went up to grade three from its previous inadequate rating, in a report published January 23 and based on a visit in December.

Leaders at the 6,300-learner college were praised for having “rigorously monitored the impact of their actions to rectify the weaknesses identified at the last inspection”, which was carried out in September 2015.

The report also recognised how “well-managed” apprenticeship programmes “result in a high proportion of apprentices achieving their qualifications and progressing into sustained employment”.

It added: “Learners gain the technical skills and knowledge they need for work. Rates of progression to further study or employment are good.”

But attendance and punctuality were found to be not good enough, while the report said: “Leaders and managers have not been successful in improving the quality of English and mathematics provision; consequently, learners’ progress is slow and too few learners improve their grade or achieve their qualification.”

Independent training provider LIGA (UK) Ltd had its grade boosted from three to two in a report also published January 23 but based on a December inspection.

Inspectors noted that leaders and managers had “successfully resolved all areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection”, and awarded the Oxfordshire-based provider grade two across the board.

Meanwhile, Essex-based People and Business Development Ltd saw its rating drop from two to three.

The report was only published January 25, almost three months after the inspection was carried out at the end of October.

Apprentices’ declining completion rates and lack of progress were among the issues contributing to the training provider’s lowered grade.

No inspection reports for sixth form colleges, adult and community learning providers, employer providers or other FE and skills providers were published this week.

 

General FE colleges Inspected Published Grade Previous grade
West Cheshire College 12/12/2016 23/01/2017 3 4
         
Independent learning providers Inspected Published Grade Previous grade
People and Business Development Ltd 31/10/2016 25/01/2017 3 2
LIGA (UK) Ltd 13/12/2016 23/01/2017 2 3

 

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