Aquinas College

Overview

Aquinas College is a Catholic sixth-form college where students generally enjoy a "friendly culture" and "excellent" behaviour. The report highlights that young people receive a high-quality education with effective teaching and strong personal development, though provision for adult learners requires improvement.

Strengths

• Students benefit from "highly effective curriculums" that are "sequenced logically" to build upon earlier learning.
• Teachers provide "constructive and highly effective feedback," helping students understand how to improve their work.
• The college offers "effective, high-quality careers advice," ensuring all young people have a personal career plan.
• Leaders support staff well-being, ensuring teachers have dedicated time for training and access to mental health resources.
• Students develop "strong moral values" through participation in charity work and extra-curricular activities.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure adult learners receive "effective feedback on their written work" to prepare adequately for assessments.
• All students need an improved understanding of protected characteristics, particularly regarding respect for LGBTQ+ students outside the classroom.
• Governors require "high-quality, detailed information" on in-year performance to effectively challenge leaders and ensure educational quality.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff appropriately trained and concerns dealt with "swiftly and effectively."