Ofsted | FE Week

Is Ofsted measuring the wrong things in FE?

The government needs to establish a set of FE-centric measures to get a better idea of what it wants from the sector. Ali Hadawi has a few suggestions Two new Ofsted reports out this week have raised the proportion of colleges now rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ to almost three quarters. There is no denying that […]

College sector performance continues rapid improvement

Just under three quarters of colleges are now rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, as the sector’s rapid improvement continues into 2018. Two reports published this morning – for Chelmsford College and Craven College – record a crucial step up from grade three to grade two. And Leicester College and Lakes College both achieved the […]

College still allowed to provide apprenticeships despite ‘inadequate’ Ofsted

A college rated ‘inadequate’ for its apprenticeship provision more than seven months ago was given special dispensation to remain on the register of apprenticeship training providers. St Helens College (pictured) was given the lowest possible grade for apprenticeships in a report published last June, but has never been removed from the register – even though […]

Ofsted revisits grade three college amid signs of falling standards

A huge college rocked by a string of senior leadership departures that’s currently rated ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted has been revisited amid portents that standards could be slipping further. Sheffield College lost its chief executive in November and its governing body chair in January, after both resigned with immediate effect. Its latest accounts, dated December […]

What does Ofsted consider a good college curriculum?

Amanda Spielman cited Harlow College as having particularly good curriculum design at the AoC conference in the autumn – but what has it done that so impressed Ofsted? Its principal Karen Spencer explains During 2017, Harlow College took part in an Ofsted survey visit, looking at the design of level two study programmes. The visit […]

Ofsted can’t keep up with the growth in apprentices, MPs hear

Fears that Ofsted can’t keep up with the UK’s massive apprenticeships expansion have been raised before MPs, a day after the chief inspector spoke about her struggles to secure more funding. The House of Commons education select committee held an oral evidence session this morning, part of its inquiry into the quality and monitoring of […]

Ofsted warned before annual report of worsening employer provider performance

Ofsted has been warned before the launch of its annual report that it will need to “work hard” to drive up standards among employer-providers, whose overall performance has got even worse. There were 20 employer-providers inspected by Ofsted in 2016/17, and a disappointing 55 per cent received a grade three or four, below the level […]

Exclusive: College complains to Ofsted over rating of 14 to 16 provision

A college has complained to Ofsted about a grade three verdict on its 14-to-16 provision, which it claims failed to recognise the special challenges involved with teaching at this age. South Devon College was rated ‘requires improvement’ for this headline field in a report published last week, in which its overall grade dropped from ‘outstanding’ […]

How Ofsted are changing their approach to ‘requires improvement’ providers

While around 80 per cent of further education and skills providers are good or outstanding, the number requiring improvement has increased over time. For these providers, inspectors conduct ‘support and challenge’ visits to help them improve. We want to do all we can to be a force for improvement through intelligent, responsible and focused inspection […]