SOUTH Cheshire College, in Crewe, is the first to achieve seven top grades in the second round of inspections by the Further Education Funding Council.
All 12 areas inspected by the council were judged as either outstanding or good, with seven top grades and five grade 2s. Eighty-three per cent of all lessons were outstanding or good, compared with the average for all colleges of 65 per cent. Only one lesson, out of 93 observed during a 55-day period, was less than satisfactory.
Principal Dr David Collins said: “We are absolutely delighted with the report, which clearly shows how successful the college is in meeting the needs of its local community. It is a tribute to the hard work over a number of years of both staff and students.”
The top grades were in leisure and tourism, child health and social care, English, support for students, general resources, quality assurance and management.
Inspectors said the college was particularly well managed. Students’ achievements were generally good, and some outstanding. In English, in the most successful lessons, teaching was “dynamic”. At A-level the pass rate in English literature was 98 per cent against the national average for FE colleges of 76 per cent. The pass rate for English language was 93 per cent compared with the national average of 87 per cent.
