Building college told to improve on study programmes by Ofsted
OFSTED HAS ordered bosses at a college that trains the next generation of construction workers in West Yorkshire to make a raft of improvements.
Leeds College of Building, which has more than 3,600 students, was rated as “Requires Improvement” overall by inspectors, who have criticised its study programmes and the “employability skills” with which the college is equipping young people.
It comes just months after work started on a £13m scheme, funded by a grant from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership Growth Deal, to build a new site in the city’s emerging South Bank area.
The four-storey building, including classrooms and workshops, will sit alongside its existing premises in Cudbear Street.
Ofsted’s report, focusing on study programmes and development of maths and English skills, said college leaders had not created a culture of “high enough ambition” for students.
The report said: “Leaders and governors have articulated well their long-term vision for the college to be inclusive and meet local needs by providing education and training in construction and the built environment. However, leaders have not created a culture of high enough ambition for students.”
Inspectors said managers have not ensured that 16-to-19 study programmes adequately meet the needs of students.
But inspectors praised governors for being “very committed to the success of the college”.
Ian Billyard, principal, said the college had a “significant number” of courses that fall outside of Ofsted’s inspection scope.
He said: “Although the overall Ofsted judgment is very disappointing the report does highlight many areas of good practice; particularly around our apprenticeship delivery and the courses we deliver to adults, which are graded good, and constitute over two thirds of the work inspected.”
Mr Billyard said the college has developed an action plan to address the areas identified.