City of Portsmouth College

Overview

City of Portsmouth College is judged as ‘Good’ overall, reflecting significant improvements since its previous inspection. The report highlights a ‘calm and welcoming environment’ where staff are ‘caring’ and responsive to learner needs. Leaders have established the college as a ‘trusted partner’ with local stakeholders, delivering relevant curricula that support diverse learners, including adults and those with high needs.

Strengths

• Students and apprentices benefit from ‘positive behaviours’ and feel ‘safe at college’, with staff responding positively to their needs.
• Teachers are ‘well qualified and skilled practitioners’ who share knowledge with ‘passion and enthusiasm’, helping learners acquire essential skills for their next steps.
• There is a ‘consistent and effective focus on careers information, advice and guidance’, ensuring learners are ‘well informed’ about progression options, including university and employment.
• Leaders work closely with employers and local organisations to develop curricula that meet ‘local skills needs’, such as the ‘Engage’ programme for vulnerable young people.
• Provision for learners with high needs is ‘Good’, with ‘individually tailored programmes’ that provide appropriate challenge and support for independence.

Areas to improve

• Accelerate improvements in apprenticeships so that more apprentices ‘achieve their qualifications on time’, addressing issues caused by staffing vacancies.
• Ensure students and apprentices have a ‘secure understanding of radicalisation and extremism’ as well as local risks, as the new tutorial framework has had an ‘inconsistent impact’.
• Support curriculum managers to implement quality improvement strategies in the ‘few weaker areas’ where feedback and targets are currently ‘imprecise’.

Safeguarding

The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.