Ofsted

Good in all areas

In March 2019, The Bedford College Group was inspected by Ofsted. The highlights are listed below and the full report is also available to download.

• The Bedford College Group has been graded as Good across all areas inspected and for Overall effectiveness
• The inspection carried out on 23-26 September 2019 is one of the first FE colleges to be inspected under Ofsted’s new framework launched this year.
• Students at the Group develop the skills and knowledge required by employers
• Students feel safe at one of the Group’s campuses.
• Students benefit from regular contact with employers and understand fully the industries in which they intend to work. They are prepared well for their next steps
• Detailed research from leaders in the Group ensures a broad curriculum choice is available across college sites
• The subjects and levels offered match the needs of the local and regional priorities.
• Most apprentices increase their confidence at work.
• Teachers plan programmes to develop the skills that students need….[they] use information about the skills students have, very effectively.
• Students are clear about how to get from where they are to their intended future employment

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Outstanding

In 2018, our residential provision at Shuttleworth College was graded 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. The highlights are listed below and the full report is also available to download.

• All of the staff have the highest expectations of students. There is a college-wide collective approach to supporting the students. As a result, attending residence leads to sustained improvement in the lives of the residential students.
• Students feel safe. Parents say that their children are safe. A variety of mechanisms are available to students to raise concerns or receive support.
• Students provide exceptional feedback about their experiences. They make social, emotional and academic progress as a result of attending the college.
• Transitions into the service are extremely well managed.
• The students consistently behave well. They say that bullying is not an issue for them or anyone that they know at the college.
• An especially strong culture of research thrives at the college. The staff are able to cite relevant research findings and show how they translate these into practice. Senior managers enable a culture of embracing research as a means to improve the quality of the service.
• There is highly effective use of monitoring and improvement.
• There is a wide range of opportunities for students to contribute to and influence life at the college.
• The staff are highly student-focused. The staff know the students extremely well and provide sensitive and individualised support.
• There is a strong focus on equality and diversity.

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