Waltham Forest College ESOL Department Rated Outstanding by Ofsted

Waltham Forest College(@WFCTweets) has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted following its most recent inspection and has distinguished itself as the only GFE (General Further Education College) in London, and one of only 15 GFE Colleges across the country to achieve the prestigious ‘Outstanding’ rating.

The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) department at Waltham Forest College, is thrilled to announce its significant contribution to the College’s Outstanding Ofsted grade earlier this year. Every year, around 200 young people and over 1,000 adults enrol in ESOL courses at Waltham Forest College. The department has been successfully delivering Ascentis ESOL Skills for Life qualifications for several years, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to educational excellence.

Leaders and managers within the ESOL Department work closely with external partners to provide a flexible, well-sequenced curriculum. This approach meets the needs of a diverse and growing learner base, including refugees and asylum seekers from the local community. Utilising a range of effective teaching strategies, learners develop essential language skills for daily life, further study, and future employment. Additionally, they have opportunities to explore personal interests and social interactions, enriching their overall educational experience.

The recent Ofsted report praised the ESOL Department’s impactful work, including the following commendations:

• Meeting Community Needs: “Leaders are highly effective at making sure that the courses they offer meet the needs of the growing number of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in their local borough. For example, leaders offer courses that are suitable for refugees and asylum seekers. They have redesigned the employability and ESOL programmes to ensure learners develop the English skills and professional behaviours they need to work in high-demand sectors such as childcare.”
• Preparation for Next Steps: “Adult learners are prepared exceptionally well for their next steps. Leaders provide a wide range of highly beneficial additional qualifications to teach learners new knowledge, skills and behaviours to help with their day-to-day lives. For example, learners studying English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) complete a short course to develop their understanding of citizenship and employability.”
• Impressive Tutorial Curriculum: “Leaders and managers have designed a very impressive tutorial curriculum for learners and apprentices, which is taught extremely well by tutors. This provides learners and apprentices with an experience at the College which extends considerably beyond the main subjects they study. For example, on ESOL courses, lecturers manage discussions with adult learners on different points of view regarding emotive topics such as immigration and conflict in war zones. Learners discuss with sensitivity and maturity values such as tolerance and respecting each other’s cultures.”

These accolades from Ofsted not only recognise the outstanding efforts of the ESOL Team, but also affirm Waltham Forest College’s commitment to providing inclusive, high-quality education that equips learners with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in their communities and beyond.