More than 20 colleges have not had a full Ofsted inspection in over 10 years, exclusive Tes analysis shows.
Examination of Ofsted’s most recent inspection data reveals that 22 colleges had not received a full inspection in the past decade - with seven not having had any visit at all in more than 10 years.
The other 15 either had a curriculum and development visit or a monitoring visit from the inspectorate.
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Historically, providers rated as “outstanding” were exempt from inspections for 10 years, but in 2020 the Department for Education backed an Ofsted proposal to lift that exemption. In the handbook for further education providers, Ofsted says it aims to inspect all “outstanding” providers by 2026.
In its most recent annual report, for 2019-20, the inspectorate says: “Schools and [further education and skills (FES)] providers that are judged ‘outstanding’ have been exempt from regular inspections under law since 2012. We have only been able to inspect the highest-risk 10 per cent of ‘outstanding’ providers each academic year. As a result, children can go through an entire phase of education without an inspector seeing their school or college, and parents often do not have up-to-date information when deciding where to send their children. It also limits the extent to which inspectors see and can report on ‘outstanding’ practice from which others can learn.”
Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in the UK, Ofsted formally suspended all regular inspections of all provider types on 17 March 2020 and these are yet to restart fully. Last month, Ofsted’s deputy director for FE and skills, Paul Joyce, told Tes that his inspectors would aim to carry out at least some full graded inspections later in the summer term,
In addition, Ofsted’s FE arm has faced increasing pressures on its resources in recent years, with apprenticeships system reform adding hundreds of new providers to the inspectorate’s list of providers due to be inspected. The most recent accounts for the inspectorate show that 748 inspections of FE providers were carried out in 2019-20 - significantly more than the 553 in 2018-19.
Tes analysis this week shows that one college, Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge, rated “outstanding”, has gone without a full inspection for 15 years, since 2006. Three others, Richard Huish College in Taunton, the Sixth Form College Farnborough and Greenhead College in Huddersfield, also all rated “outstanding”, have not received a full inspection since 2007.
Tes analysis found that 10 other colleges had also not received a full inspection in the past decade, but had received short inspections in the meantime.
Mr Joyce said the inspectorate recognised that a number of “outstanding” colleges had not received a full inspection for a very long time, “but the lifting of the exemption means we can once again carry out routine inspections of ‘outstanding’ providers”.
“This will ensure that the ‘outstanding’ grade is based on up-to-date information, and that the judgement itself remains a true beacon of excellence,” he said.
‘Broad support’ for Ofsted inspection of ‘outstanding’ colleges
College leaders told Tes they welcomed the change in legislation, and looked forward to welcoming Ofsted for a full inspection.
Jill Gray, principal of Blackpool Sixth Form College, last inspected in 2009, said the college welcomed the opportunity to share the “extremely rigorous processes for maintaining excellent standards of teaching and learning, leadership and support for students” with Ofsted.
She added: “Blackpool Sixth welcomes the change in the legislation, which will facilitate the inspection by Ofsted of colleges and other providers who were graded as ‘outstanding’ when previously inspected. We work closely with other ‘outstanding’ colleges and other organisations, including Ofsted, to ensure that we are providing the very highest standards of education for our students.”
Virginia Barrett, principal and chief executive of Farnborough College of Technology, which had its last full inspection a decade ago, said a curriculum review in 2017 found that the college “maintained outstanding standards due to its excellent wrap-around care and sound teaching in all areas”.
Nick Burnham, principal of Cardinal Newman College in Preston, said the college had “maintained its outstanding provision, with our performance across the board remaining excellent” and therefore, according to Ofsted guidelines, it was not necessary for the watchdog to return.
A spokesperson from Greenhead College said: “Ofsted undertakes an annual desk-based risk assessment of providers who are rated ‘outstanding’ to ensure that their outcomes for students have remained consistently high.
“In the time since our last inspection, we have continued to perform at an extremely high level and have refined our self-assessment and quality assurance processes to meet the current Education Inspection Framework.
“We are aware of recent changes to legislation which will require providers who have not been inspected for some years to be reinspected in the near future.”
James Kewin, deputy chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said: “Today’s findings support the reintroduction of routine inspections for ‘outstanding’ colleges. These institutions welcome the opportunity to demonstrate to students, parents and the wider community that they are still ‘outstanding’, particularly as there have been so many changes to inspection policy and practice over the past decade.
“In reality, this is likely to take some time, given how many colleges will be due a visit when inspections recommence in September, but there is broad support in the sector for ‘outstanding’ colleges to be inspected on a routine basis”.
Colleges that haven’t been inspected in over a decade
- Hills Road Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2006
Rating: “outstanding”
Monitoring visit: 2020
Curriculum and development visit: 2007, 2008, 2011
- Richard Huish College
Last full inspection: 2007
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2008
- The Sixth Form College Farnborough
Last full inspection: 2007
Rating: “outstanding”
- Greenhead College
Last full inspection: 2007
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2011, 2012
- Xaverian College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2009, 2012
- Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
- The College of Richard Collyer
Full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
- St Dominic’s Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2009
- Hereford Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2011
- Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2009
- Esher Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
- Runshaw College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
Monitoring visit: October 2020
Curriculum and development visit: 2009, 2011
- Reigate College
Last full inspection: 2008
Rating: “outstanding”
Monitoring visit: 2017
- Burnley College
Last full inspection: 2009
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2009, 2011
- The Blackpool Sixth Form College
Last full inspection: 2009
Rating: “outstanding”
- Cardinal Newman College
Last full inspection: 2009
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2011
- The Northern School of Art
Last full inspection: 2009
Rating: “outstanding”
- New College Durham
Last full inspection: 2009
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2010
- Loreto College
Last full inspection: 2009
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2010, 2012
Monitoring visit: 2020
- Queen Mary’s College
Last full inspection: 2010
Rating: “good”
Monitoring visit: 2020
- Hadlow College
Last full inspection: 2010
Rating: “outstanding”
Curriculum and development visit: 2010, 2012
Monitoring visit: 2019
- Farnborough College of Technology
Last full inspection: 2011
Rating: “outstanding”
All colleges have been contacted for comment.
