WCG celebrates “Good” rating in Ofsted report

A leading Midlands college group has been praised for its work with employers, understanding of skills needs and productive learning environments in its latest Ofsted report.

WCG (Warwickshire College Group) has maintained its “Good” overall rating following an inspection from the education watchdog at its colleges in Warwickshire and Worcestershire in May.

The four-day inspection was carried out across the college group’s six colleges, including Royal Leamington Spa College, Warwick Trident College, Moreton Morrell College, Rugby College, Pershore College and Evesham New College.

Ofsted rated the overall effectiveness of all areas of assessment as “Good” at the college, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and education programmes for young people.

Adult learning programmes, apprenticeships and provision for learners with high needs were also recognised as “Good”.

The report sees WCG retain the same rating it received at its previous inspection in March 2018.

Inspectors gave praise for how leaders and managers “engage effectively with many employers and stakeholders” at strategic and curriculum levels.

Its active engagement as members of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and Herefordshire and Worcester Chamber of Commerce is also discussed, including contributions to the local skills improvement plan (LSIP) and resulting funding being secured.

WCG has 3,278 learners aged 16 to 18, 1,444 apprentices and 1,327 adult learners.

The report recognised that learners and apprentices learn in productive environments, respond well to high behavioural expectations set by tutors and successfully develop their character and capabilities through enriching opportunities provided to develop skills at their college.

Students are described as feeling safe during their time at the college, they develop a knowledge to protect themselves and a supportive learning environment has been developed for adult-learners.

Learners with SEND are highlighted as being proud of their work and studies, while also being given a purposeful environment to learn, with a positive and inclusive culture.

Teachers are praised as experts in their field, using their industry knowledge to “successfully secure and deepen learning” and “bring learning to life effectively linking theory to practice.”

Mark Bonham, Assistant Principal and Ofsted Nominee at WCG, said that the latest Ofsted report is recognition of the quality of teaching, standard of work of students and the college’s efforts to lead the way on the skills agenda.

“This report is a credit to the hard work of all of our staff and students who deliver incredible work day in day out across the college group,” he said.

“Employer and stakeholder engagement is something we have worked very hard to develop over the last five years, so it is fantastic that among all the other praise, the inspectors have highlighted our efforts in this area.

“We are always seeking to improve and will seek to action the recommendations made by the inspectors to further enhance our delivery for learners across Warwickshire and Worcestershire.”