Highlights from the Reaseheath College Ofsted Inspection

Strong governance together with highly effective leadership and management puts learners at the centre of all considerations and makes our college successful.
A culture of fairness and good behaviour promoted at the college allows students to respect each other and staff.
The vast majority of our students thrive and develop as well-rounded individuals and are prepared well for their future careers and employment.
Our students overwhelmingly told the inspectors that they recognise the value they get from their experience at Reaseheath.
Our outstanding partnership work with employers continues to develop and strengthen with the local enterprise partnership (LEP) and with other local, regional and national partners.
Our students continue to succeed due to our maintained good quality education and training.
Our students benefit by learning from our highly competent and experienced industry specialists.
The very high number of our students who enter employment or higher education after their time at college is a strong testament to the quality and relevance of our courses.
Our study programmes provide students with good-quality external work-experience opportunities, with a rich mix of learning opportunities as well as clear focus and career direction.

Reaseheath continues to be committed to ensuring that the safety and welfare of learners is paramount and that they all stay safe.
Our staff demonstrate an excellent approach to ensuring that staff and students develop a proactive approach to a culture of safe working practices.
Our students are taught high standards of health and safety and also help students to develop an understanding of British values and the dangers of extremism.
Safeguarding cases are dealt with effectively and in a timely manner and our links with parents, the community, the police and local specialist partners, are very effective.
Reaseheath maintains good information and competence amongst staff to ensure students are protected.

Our governors and senior leaders provide clear direction and carry out highly effective strategic management; working extremely well with employers, local authorities, the LEP, industry partners and other key stakeholders locally, regionally, and nationally.
Our response to employers’ needs, facilities and state-of-the-art equipment all benefit our students as they prepare for and move into employment.
Our students benefit from excellent learning opportunities due to high levels of investment in facilities which are based on good strategic planning and sound financial management. A recent achievement of this is our work with the LEP to set up the new centre of excellence for agri-tech.
The importance of our students developing their English and mathematics skills is promoted effectively. Industry role models, acting as student mentors reinforce this message.

Our teaching, learning and assessments continue to be strong with an overwhelming majority of students experiencing good learning opportunities.
More of our students are making good progress as they are provided with good examples of challenging learning activities and effective teaching techniques to stimulate and probe their understanding of topics in classroom-based and practical lessons.
Our assessment of student’s work is good.
Our students benefit from clearer assessment criteria and more timely teacher feedback; consequently, a higher proportion achieve high grades.
Our apprentices benefit from improved progress reviews.

Outcomes of our students remain good and we have improved the number of high grades achieved by students; we have increased the number of students making good progress compared to their starting points; raised the success rates for apprentices and increased the number of students with learning disabilities and/or difficulties who achieve.
A large majority of our learners continue to have high levels of success with the vast majority of students achieving their main vocational qualification.

The number of our students who leave college to take up employment, an apprenticeship or move into further or higher education is very high and a major strength of the college.
Our students’ participation in high-quality, relevant, external work experience, work-related opportunities, enrichment activities and additional qualifications, relevant to their development of skills for future job prospects is excellent.

Our students benefit from the help and support industry mentors provide with up-to-date knowledge and insight into employability skills and employers’ requirements.
Our students benefit from skilful, supportive and highly individualised teaching.
Our students achieve good outcomes in terms of the skills they master, their good progress in college and the next steps they take when they leave.
Our students develop independence and confidence in their own abilities. They learn new skills through well-managed practical activities and highly effective teaching they develop good skills in, for example, verbal and written communication.