Croydon College

Overview

Croydon College has improved significantly since its previous inspection, with leaders taking effective actions to raise the quality of education, behaviour, and attendance. The report describes a provider where learners feel safe and supported, benefiting from a "mostly challenging and ambitious curriculum" and high achievement rates in many subjects.

Strengths

• Learners report feeling safe, describing the college as a "safe haven" with staff helping them develop resilience against local risks.
• Teaching quality has improved notably in areas such as A levels, GCSE mathematics, and health and social care, leading to increased qualification achievements.
• Apprentices develop practical skills quickly and confidently, with a high proportion passing final assessments on the first attempt.
• Adult ESOL learners study in "inclusive and supportive environments" that help them gain confidence and prepare for UK citizenship.
• Leaders use high needs funding effectively, coordinating specialist therapeutic staff to support learners with complex needs towards independence.

Areas to improve

• Increase qualification achievement rates in subjects where teaching is not consistently good, specifically sports, engineering, and hair and beauty.
• Ensure all teachers thoroughly check learners’ understanding before moving on to more complex content, particularly in vocational level 1, adult ESOL, and access courses.
• Increase the proportion of learners, including those with high needs, who attend external work experience opportunities.
• Involve more employers in the design of the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."