The Good Times
BE PART OF SOMETHING GOOD! BE PART OF SOMETHING GOOD! BE PART OF SOMETHING GOOD!
Coventry College is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted
“Our Good rating is just the beginning. We’re making good times even better!”
Coventry College is proud to announce that it has earned a ‘Good’ rating in its latest Ofsted inspection, marking an important milestone on its journey of continued improvement.
Following a previous ‘Requires Improvement’ grading by the schools’ watchdog in 2023, the college implemented a focused strategy, centred on maintaining strong finances
to invest in an inclusive and responsive curriculum, as well as fostering a culture that delivers excellence.
Ofsted’s latest report highlights significant progress, commending the college’s commitment to high-quality education, student well-being and a positive learning environment.
“We’ve worked hard, and Ofsted has noticed! Our Good rating is a recognition of dedication, hard work and commitment. Let’s keep up the great work!”
A Message from the Principal
COVENTRY COLLEGE’S PRINCIPAL AND CEO, CAROL THOMAS, EXPRESSES HER DELIGHT AT THE OUTCOME:
Coventry College has been on a journey of transformation for the last four years and following an impressive financial turnaround, the final piece of the jigsaw is now in place. I am delighted to be able to share with you all the fabulous outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection, which confirms that Coventry College provides a good standard of education across all of its provision for young people, adults and learners with high needs. Using Ofsted’s words, Coventry College “enhances the life chances and career opportunities of Coventry residents”, something we are incredibly proud of.
Transformation of this scale is only possible if everyone involved is working together as one team with learners at the heart of the decision making. I would like to thank all of the staff here at Coventry College for their determination and resilience, and for adapting to the many changes that have taken place. Change is always difficult, but staff have proved that with clarity of vision, purpose, clear structures and support then anything is possible.
Our learners have also experienced challenging times post pandemic, with knowledge gaps and periods of isolation, but, working together, we have improved attendance, levels of engagement, aspiration, employability and learner progression. We are extremely proud of their continuing success.
I would also like to thank our key stakeholders and employers who have demonstrated incredible support for everything we have tried to achieve. This has enabled us to transform our curriculum, extend work experience placements for learners and ensure that we are in a position to provide the right training and skill development to ensure a workforce for the future.
Report Highlights
HERE ARE SOME OF THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OFSTED REPORT:
Quality of education
OFSTED INSPECTORS TOOK A ROUNDED VIEW OF THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT WE DELIVER TO OUR LEARNERS. THEY FOUND THAT:
u Teachers work closely with stakeholders to update their professional knowledge and skills.
u Managers and teachers logically sequence their curriculums to support learners to continually develop their knowledge and skills throughout their studies.
u We have significantly invested in the development of teachers’ skills which has improved the quality of teaching.
u Teachers provide learners with up-to-date and accurate information, advice and guidance to help learners achieve their career aspirations.
u Teachers individualise courses for learners with high needs to develop their independence.
u Coaches work with curriculum teams and individual teachers to improve their teaching and deepen their understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies.
u Teachers provide learners with feedback on their work which is supportive and helps them work on areas they need to improve.
Coventry College staff win at the Architecture into Education Awards
Staff from the college’s Interior and Architecture Design programme were awarded the Sixth Form and FE Prize at the inaugural Architecture Into Education Awards. The awards aim to recognise, promote, and encourage schooled learning programmes exploring architecture and the built environment.
ESOL Team awarded Volunteering Team of the Year
Staff from the college’s English for Speakers of Other Languages programmes were awarded the Highly Commended accolade in the Volunteering Team of the Year category at the Good for ME, Good for FE Awards – a national campaign that sees colleges across the country unite to encourage staff and students to volunteer and fundraise in the communities.
Skills Needs
THIS AREA LOOKED AT HOW, AS A COLLEGE, WE SHOULD BE CONTRIBUTING EFFECTIVELY TO MEETING THE SKILLS NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS AND THE LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMY THROUGH THE RANGE OF PROGRAMMES THAT WE TEACH. THE INSPECTORS FOUND THAT:
u Leaders and managers work effectively with stakeholders and employers to ensure their curriculum offer meets skills priorities.
u Leaders have designed Skills Bootcamps with employers to enable those who wish to, to gain employment.
u Stakeholders are actively involved in designing the content of courses to reflect the current needs of their industry.
u Employers work with teachers to set learners real-life project briefs to prepare them for working in industry.
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL! LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL! LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!
“We are incredibly proud of this Ofsted report and are delighted it recognises the dedication of our staff who, together with our students, work tirelessly to ensure that Coventry College is a fantastic place to learn.”
Patrick Geary Vice Principal, Curriculum Innovation, Quality and Performance
u Leaders and managers have developed courses that help adults to move on into work. This helps them develop the confidence to apply for new jobs and gain promotions in their current workplace.
Go green training and employment scheme makes big impact
A training and employment scheme designed to help the West Midlands go green has made a positive impact in the region.
The scheme works to reskill local people and employs them to work on one of the city’s largest social housing improvement projects.
Thanks to funding secured by Coventry City Council and Citizen, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) project will help over 2,000 of the city’s most vulnerable and low-income families reduce their energy bills.
Coventry College is working with Dyson Energy Services to deliver a series of Green Skills Insulation Bootcamps that train local people in a range of retrofit insulation skills to support the SHDF project.
Our Learners
THE INSPECTORS USED ALL THEIR EVIDENCE TO EVALUATE WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE A LEARNER AT COVENTRY COLLEGE AND CONSIDER HOW LEADERS AND STAFF CREATE A SAFE, DISCIPLINED AND POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT. THEY FOUND THAT:
u Learners find the college a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment where they receive high levels of support.
u Learners of all ages and abilities work together effectively and foster a strong sense of community.
u Learners understand how to positively contribute to society.
u Learners enjoy their studies and learn new skills and knowledge in up-to-date, well-equipped facilities.
u Learners have positive attitudes and professional behaviours. They are highly motivated to complete their studies.
u Learners of all ages and abilities receive specialised support.
u The college equips learners with a diverse range of skills and knowledge, helping them transition to positive destinations and acquire the skills necessary to live and work in the UK.
“Being at Coventry College gave me the confidence and encouragement to become an independent person. The staff are inspirational, and the facilities are fantastic. Thank you for all the opportunities Coventry College. You were the kickstart of my career!”
Sarah Palmer – former Art and Graphic Design learner at the college, now working as a Graphic Designer and Digital Marketer
u The proportion of learners who achieve and move on to positive next steps has improved markedly over the past two years.
u The proportion of adult learners, who gain employment as a result of their studies has steadily increased over the past two years.
“Reflecting on my two years at Coventry College, I can confidently say that it was an enriching experience that has prepared me well for the challenges ahead. The knowledge and skills I gained will be invaluable as I continue my journey to becoming a qualified nurse. I am excited about the future and applying the lessons I’ve learned to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Thomas Ementon – former Health and Social Care learner at the college, now working towards an Adult Nursing Degree at University
Leadership and Management
FINALLY, INSPECTORS LOOKED AT THE WORK OF OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND HOW THEY ENSURE THAT THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING WE DELIVER HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON ALL LEARNERS. THEY FOUND THAT:
u Leaders’ ambition is to enhance the life chances and career opportunities of Coventry residents.
u Leaders have set ambitious targets for staff in curriculum areas to work with relevant stakeholders to develop courses.
u Governors use their skills to shape the college’s strategy and hold senior leaders accountable for the quality of education.
u Governors take part in quality assurance activities, including meeting with learners and participating in learning walks.
Coventry College receives funding to train local people in green
skills and technologies
The college has received millions of pounds of funding from the Local Skills Improvement Fund to train residents of Coventry and its surrounding areas in green skills and technologies.
Part of Skills West Midlands and Warwickshire, the funding will be used to improve facilities and train hundreds of learners in areas such as retrofit, electric vehicles, virtual reality and sustainability via Skills Bootcamps and full and part-time programmes.
YOUR SUCCESS IS OUR AMBITION
Looking Forward
OUR ‘GOOD’ RATING IS A RECOGNITION OF DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT FROM ALL OUR STAFF, LEARNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY. BUT ‘GOOD’ IS JUST THE BEGINNING – WE’RE SO EXCITED FOR WHAT’S NEXT!
We are aspirational in our approach and want to ensure the very best opportunities for our learners, employers and the communities in which they live and work.
Read our Strategic Plan here
“Moving forward, we look to build on our success, by continuing to develop and foster our fantastic relationships with employers to ensure that we meet their needs and the needs of the city, whilst also supporting local residents into training pathways and work. We also want to continue to provide our current and future learners, many of whom are from areas of high deprivation and/or experiencing personal challenges, with the best possible learning experience whatever their chosen career pathway.”
Carol Thomas Principal and CEO
“We have accelerated our partnership work with employers to meet their skills needs and are delivering innovative regional and national projects using our industry standard facilities. The ‘Good’ will enable us to unlock further exciting opportunities with employers on an even bigger scale and we will be working at pace to scale up how we can further meet regional and national skills. We want to position ourselves as the West Midlands hub for connecting employers with the solutions they need to develop their workforce and support with their talent management strategies. Our amazing Ofsted outcomes validate our ability to achieve this.”
Gemma Knott Vice Principal, Business Growth, Engagement and Partnerships
WE’RE PROUD OF OUR GOOD RATING AND EXCITED FOR WHAT’S NEXT!
HOROSCOPE
FUTURE PREDICTIONS FOR COVENTRY COLLEGE
The stars have aligned, and you are basking in the glow of a well-deserved recognition. But this is just the beginning –your cosmic journey towards excellence is filled with ambition, opportunity, and
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