City of Wolverhampton College

Overview

The report describes a college where learners and apprentices develop positive attitudes and thrive in "creative and inclusive learning environments." Leaders have designed a broad, ambitious curriculum that meets local economic needs, resulting in high qualification achievement rates for most study programmes. However, the quality of education for apprentices requires improvement, with inconsistencies in planning and support affecting their potential.

Strengths

• Learners benefit from "high expectations" and staff support, with nearly all A-level students progressing to their first-choice university.
• The curriculum is well-sequenced and aligned with industry trends, ensuring learners develop relevant skills and knowledge.
• Teachers are appropriately qualified and use effective strategies to engage learners, helping them "know and remember more over time."
• Learners with high needs generally make strong progress, with the majority moving into further training or desired destinations.
• The college makes a reasonable contribution to meeting local skills needs through proactive engagement with employers and stakeholders.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must improve the quality of education for apprentices, ensuring consistent planning and support to help them achieve their potential.
• Managers should increase attendance for learners studying English and mathematics alongside their main programmes.
• Leaders need to improve the tracking of skills for learners with high needs on employability courses and ensure all learners receive clear, developmental feedback.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with well-qualified leads, robust recruitment policies, and tutorial sessions that help learners understand safety issues such as consent and harmful sexual behaviours.