Ofsted salute Oldham Sixth Form College

Oldham Sixth Form College students celebrate their results this summer

The education watchdog Ofsted has praised Oldham Sixth Form College for “outstanding” leadership and the “positive, mature attitude to learning” of its students.

Ofsted inspectors visited the college last month and have just published their report.

They described the college, which has more than 2,360 students aged between 16 and 19, as a “calm, focused environment” in which students “feel comfortable and enjoy sharing their knowledge and working with their peers”. 

Inspectors gave the college an “outstanding” for its leadership and management, its students’ behaviour and attitudes and the personal development of students.

Inspectors commended staff at the college, which is part of the Pinnacle Learning Trust, for their commitment to a “high quality education” and gave an overall rating of “good”.

Oldham Sixth Form College students achieve in the top 15% nationally for A Levels and in the top 30% nationally for vocational qualifications.

This is despite the government naming Oldham as one of its “priority education investment areas”.

Ofsted praised vocational programmes, which are offered in response to Oldham and the wider community’s need for skilled workers, as well as the “highly effective careers advice” and extra opportunities students are given outside of lessons. 

The college is the first sixth form college nationally to be awarded Research School status and is also recognised as a Science Learning Partnership Hub. 

While students on the college’s Health and Social Care course achieve results that place them in the top 10% nationally for their course, the college has identified improvements to this subject, which are already underway. Inspectors reiterated these areas of improvement.

Jayne Clarke, Executive Principal of Oldham Sixth Form College, said: “As a college, we take great pride in all aspects of the education we provide, from our broad and inclusive curriculum to the support and extra opportunities we give all our students.

"We’re delighted to have our work recognised with so many ‘outstanding’ judgements by Ofsted.”

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