Birmingham College Celebrates ‘Most Improved’ Accolade

South and City College Birmingham (SCCB) has been revealed as the most improved FE college in the UK following publication of the latest National Achievement Rates Tables (NARTs). The figures specifically refer to full-time education and training provision at 16-18, and SCCB secured an improvement rate of 13.3%.

The announcement is particularly significant as it demonstrates a dramatic turnaround following last year’s Ofsted inspection that saw the college downgraded to ‘requires improvement’.

Principal and Chief Executive, Mike Hopkins MBE said:

“This turnaround in 16-18 achievement rates is a testament to the relentless hard work of our staff and students, and a focussing of leadership. A year ago, we made it our mission to not just improve, but to become the best college in the country.

“This achievement proves what is possible with the right focus, investment, and commitment. Our adult provision and apprenticeships were rate ‘Good’ in the inspection but they have also improved further.”

The college’s success and rate of improvement over the past two years has been achieved through several key drivers. A strategic refocusing to ensure every department aligns with the overarching goal of re-creating a high-performance culture has been complemented by significant investment in staff development, the implementation of a robust quality assurance programme to better support teaching and learning, and a steadfast focus on the learning experience in the classroom.

Alongside this, the college has seen key staff engage with over 25 colleges nationwide to witness and bring back strategies for best practice and innovation.

Kam Nandra, Vice Principal for Curriculum and Quality at South and City College Birmingham, explains:

“This turnaround has not happened by chance – and it’s certainly about more than simply data and statistics. It’s about the journey our whole college community has been on, and the invaluable lessons we’ve all learned along the way. Lessons, we believe stand as an example to other colleges who find themselves in a similar situation.

“It has been the result of deliberate and targeted improvements in every area of our college. Our collaboration with 25 colleges across the country, which was supported by the AoC, has proven invaluable in driving the improvements that we’ve secured as each shared their unique experiences from which we gained valuable insights.

“There is undoubtedly an air of optimism and a sense of renewal throughout South and City College at the moment, and we are capitalising on this momentum to continue driving forward with our improvement.”