Richard Huish College

Overview: Richard Huish College is an outstanding provider of education and skills, with a strong local reputation and a culture of respect and high aspirations. Learners develop an excellent attitude to their studies, and staff set high academic standards, leading to successful outcomes for learners.

Strengths:

• Learners develop an excellent attitude to their studies, demonstrated through their commitment to purposeful independent study.
• Staff set high academic standards, and teachers use evidence-based methodologies to teach learners the benefits of independent study.
• Teachers carefully construct curriculums in each subject and teach these extremely well, making the most of professional independence and diligently carrying out research that enriches the curriculum.
• The college has a highly effective method of monitoring and improving the quality of courses, with leaders swiftly identifying underperforming areas and dealing with weaknesses rapidly and comprehensively.

Areas to improve:

• On a small number of vocational courses, learners do not get good opportunities to gain an insight into working in their chosen field.
• Teachers do not teach learners enough to extend their knowledge of the care sector on adult learning programmes.
• A small number of learners on vocational courses are not taught to use their independent study time effectively.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with senior leaders, including governors, having effectively established a culture which emphasises learners' safety, and governors providing the support and challenge senior leaders need to keep learners' safety a priority for staff.