Ruskin College

Overview

Ruskin College is judged as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, marking significant improvement from its previous ‘Inadequate’ rating. The report highlights a ‘wide and ambitious curriculum’ that effectively supports adult learners, including those in trade union studies and access to higher education. Leaders have created an ‘inclusive culture’ where staff are ‘highly qualified’ and passionate, fostering a supportive environment for personal and professional development.

Strengths

• Staff create an ‘inclusive culture’ that helps learners focus on studies and feel supported in their ‘personal circumstances’.
• Learners develop essential skills, such as digital literacy and confidence, which support their ‘well-being’ and provide a sense of purpose.
• Access to higher education learners gain the ‘technical and vocational knowledge’ needed to progress to university with high grades.
• Leaders work closely with stakeholders, including trade unions and community groups, to ensure the curriculum meets local skills needs.
• Safeguarding arrangements are ‘effective’, and learners feel safe and understand how to protect themselves from radicalisation.

Areas to improve

• Improve the consistency of assessment in community learning programmes to better recognise and record learners’ progress.
• Provide appropriate continuous professional development for teaching staff to enhance their pedagogical skills.
• Improve leaders’ and trustees’ knowledge of the progress and achievements of learners on community learning programmes.

Safeguarding

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