Bexhill College mixed report

Ofsted has awarded the college mid-range Grade 3 in all nine inspection categories.

It says there is room for improvement in the quality of teaching and learning.

The inspection team acknowledges the college's examination pass rates but says it observed fewer good or better lessons than at its previous visit.

Inspection covered:

*Effectiveness of provision

*Capacity to improve

*Achievements and standards

*Quality of provision

*Leadership and management

*Health, public services and care

*Science and mathematics

*Arts, media and publishing

*Languages, literature and culture

In her overall judgement, leader inspector Janet Mercer says: "The college provides satisfactory education and care. Students' achievements are satisfactory.

"Pass rates are high on many courses, but low retention rates in many areas mean that overall success rates are below average for sixth form colleges.

"Students produce good quality work. Most make the progress expected of them but there is significant variation between subjects.

"Success rates on work-based learning programmes have been well below average for the past three years.

"Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The proportion of good or better lessons observed was lower than at the time of the last inspection.

"Teachers are knowledgeable about their subjects, but in too many lessons students are not actively engaged and remain passive recipients of information.

"The college has invested in information and learning technology, but it is not always used effectively to enhance learning.

"The college provides a good, wide-ranging curriculum, and is responsive to local needs.

"Educational and social inclusion are good.

"Effective partnership working has widened participation and created good provision for students with learning difficulties and for students aged 14-16 attending the college.

"Good opportunities for curriculum enrichment enhance students' experiences.

"Strategic planning with partners for long-term curriculum development is underdeveloped.

"Support and guidance are satisfactory.....Whilst students are set minimum expected grades based on their previous examination results, these do not always help to raise expectations or standards."

The report says leadership and managment are satisfactory. But it adds: "The leadership of teaching and learning has not had sufficient impact on improving the quality of teaching across the college.

"The rigour of the college self-assessment report has improved and it accurately identifies strengths and areas for improvement, but too many curriculum reports fail to address key weaknesses.

"The college is aware of the need to improve the consistency and quality of middle management to raise standards further.

"Financial manangement is good and the new accommodation provides a good environment for learners.

"Capacity to improve is satisfactory. The college has been slow to identify the issues affecting low retention rates. While overall success rates have improved, there is still considerable variation in performance between subjects.

"The proportion of good or better teaching observed has declined since the last inspection."

The reports lists the college's strengths as:

*High pass rates on many courses

*High standards of learner work

*Good provision for students aged 14-16

*Good range of provision which is responsive to local needs

*Good curriculum enrichment which supports learning

*Good support for students

*Good financial management

*Good purpose-built accommodation

Areas for improvement are listed as:

Low retention rates on many courses

*Low success rates on work-based learning programmes

*The quality of teaching and learning

*The underdeveloped strategic planning of the curriculum

*The ineffectivenes of self-assessment to secure improvements

*The undeveloped analysis and use of data by staff at all levels to drive improvements

*The consistency of quality of provision and middle management.

College principal Karen Hucker said: "We are pleased with the outcome of the inspection which identified many key strengths including high pass rates and strong support for students.

"The college has been through a tremendous period of change in recent years including an Area Review and relocation and we are pleased that during this period, success rates have continued to improve.

"Inspections are useful for providing ideas on improvements. A number of areas the college needs to focus on to improve even further were highlighted and we will be working on those in the coming months."