RNN Group awarded ‘Good’ by Ofsted

RNN Group is delighted and proud to be able to share that we have received a ‘Good’ Overall Effectiveness rating by Ofsted across all eight key areas of the Group – which includes Rotherham College, Dearne Valley College and North Notts College – that were inspected by a large Ofsted Inspection team of thirteen in November 2022.

The eight areas include: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, education programmes for young people, adult learning programmes, apprenticeships and provision for learners with high needs.

Furthermore, our contribution to meeting skills needs was also inspected and came back as a very highly rated ‘Reasonable contribution’ with the report detailing that ‘Leaders and managers engage well with a wide range of employers and stakeholders’ and that ‘Leaders and managers have a sound understanding of the skills needs of the people and communities they work with.’

Over the four days of inspection, Ofsted Inspectors noted that ‘Learners work well together and demonstrate a high level of respect for each other and their teachers,’ and that ‘Learners and apprentices value their learning and can see how it is developing the skills and attributes they need to achieve their aspirations.’

In addition, they added, ‘Learners develop a range of personal skills that help them to build their confidence and resilience,’ and that ‘Leaders support staff well, who in turn support learners and apprentices by caring about their health and well-being.’

Our teaching, learning and assessment was rated highly with the report mentioning that, ‘Learners benefit from teachers and assessors who have good levels of vocational experience and expertise, with learners and apprentices taught relevant and up-to-date vocational content and practice.’

The report also comments that, ‘The curriculum is well considered and ambitious’, and that ‘Teachers design and sequence the curriculum so that learners acquire relevant new knowledge and skills from a solid foundation.’ The report refers to learners in Bricklaying where it declares that they ‘successfully gain fluency in their practical brickwork skills.’

Jason Austin, CEO and Principal of the RNN Group, said, “I am delighted and so proud that the RNN Group has achieved this ‘Good’ outcome from our recent Ofsted Inspection.

“Our staff have worked incredibly hard during the Inspection to showcase the amazing curriculum offering and provision we have across our colleges as well as over the last three years.

“I am particularly delighted that Ofsted noted that ‘Learners and apprentices have access to a wide range of support to enable them to pursue their learning successfully’.

“Furthermore, it is the first time we have been inspected on our contribution to meeting the skills provision and I am very happy that we have received a very highly rated ‘reasonable contribution’ with the report stating that ‘Leaders and managers engage well with a wide range of employers and stakeholders’.

“Finally, I want to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved in this: staff, learners, employers, partners, parents and carers, civic organisations, education, schools and local community groups; we could not have done this without you.”

To read the full report, visit this link: RNN Group Ofsted Report.