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‘ofsted watch’

Ofsted report criticises colleges for jobs ‘failure’

Ofsted has criticised colleges for missing skills targets and failing to prepare learners for local job opportunities. The education watchdog found that of the 17 colleges it visited for a survey on local accountability and autonomy, just three were offering a curriculum tailored to their areas. It conducted its survey to find out how the […]

News

‘Excellent’ grade dismissed

FE bosses have urged Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw to be cautious about creating an “excellent” Ofsted grade for college governors working in disadvantaged communities. The education watchdog told FE Week that Sir Michael was interested in “exploring” a rating to top the ‘outstanding’ mark for leadership in colleges. He recently introduced the concept […]

News

A capital in crisis?

Tumbling inspection grades over the last two years have begged the question ‘is London learning?’ Chris Henwood looks at what’s happening to the capital’s big colleges. Are London colleges failing city learners? It’s a simple, but critical question based on a “worrying” trend in Ofsted judgements over the last two years. Of the nine inspections […]

News

Paul Phillips, principal, Weston College

Wrestling fan, booker of TV celebrities and former disco promoter — it’s a picture of North Somerset principal Paul Phillips that not many will recognise. Mention instead the honorary doctorate of letters from Bath Spa University for promoting higher education in FE, an Ofsted additional inspector’s post, or the 13 years he’s spent at the […]

Profiles

Plea for Ofsted to inspect school advice

The government has been urged to “bite the bullet” and call Ofsted in to inspect careers guidance services after concerns over the quality and objectivity of advice given to young people. Association of Colleges policy director Joy Mercer said the watchdog should look at careers guidance during school inspections following a report on the subject […]

News

A framework for Ofsted success

The fear an Ofsted inspection can strike into the hearts of principals is well-known in FE. But could that be changing under the new way of assessing colleges? Stuart Rimmer explains his experience of the revamped inspection framework and the improvements he sees within it. “They are coming” — it was a simple statement from […]

Opinion

Inspection ‘delight’

The principal of an FE provider said she led her centre to an outstanding Ofsted inspection result by focusing on teaching and learning. Maria Gilling, 52, principal at Walsall Adult and Community College (WACC) (pictured right), said she was “delighted and really proud” of her staff for achieving grade 1 — outstanding — in 23 […]

News

Providers no longer penalised for learners finding jobs

FE providers will no longer be penalised for learners on benefits leaving a course because they have obtained a job. The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, (BIS) announced that when working out Qualification Success Rate calculations, they would no longer include those who leave their learning early to enter employment, therefore not achieving a […]

News

Kirklees College “overjoyed” by good Ofsted report

A principal has taken a Yorkshire college from an “inadequate” to a “good” Ofsted grading after downsizing staff and laying out “clear objectives”. Peter McCann transformed the reputation of Kirklees College over 18 months and when the quality watchdog recently re-inspected they found all eight areas of the curriculum to be “good”. Under his leadership […]

News