Oldham Sixth Form College

Overview

Oldham Sixth Form College is a 16 to 19 academy where students “thoroughly enjoy their time” and demonstrate “positive and mature attitudes to learning.” The inspection found that leaders provide a high-quality education with an inclusive culture, resulting in strong student engagement and successful progression to higher education.

Strengths

• Students exhibit “Outstanding” behaviour and attitudes, consistently demonstrating values of being “responsible, respectful and ready to learn.”
• The college fosters an inclusive environment where “diversity is celebrated,” supported by active participation in community activities and charity fundraising.
• Teachers use effective strategies, such as “recall and retrieval” techniques and constructive feedback, to help students gain confidence and deepen their understanding.
• Leaders provide “high-quality support” for students with high needs, including specialist equipment and mentors, ensuring they achieve academic outcomes in line with peers.
• Students receive “highly effective careers advice,” with most successfully securing their chosen university places.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must raise expectations so all students gain the “detailed knowledge they require for their next steps,” particularly in health and social care where expectations are currently too low.
• Teachers should ensure students have “sufficient knowledge in advance of assessments” to reduce failure rates on first attempts.
• Staff need to monitor progress towards wider education and healthcare plan outcomes for students with high needs to better equip them for independence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders dealing with referrals swiftly and staff receiving appropriate training on risks such as radicalisation and domestic violence.