York College

Overview

York College is a large further education provider rated as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories. The report highlights that learners benefit from ‘good teaching and support’ delivered by staff who are ‘experts in their professional and vocational areas’. While the college makes a ‘reasonable contribution to meeting skills needs’ and ensures learners feel safe, specific improvements are required in GCSE English provision, assessment feedback, and attendance rates.

Strengths

• Teachers are ‘well-qualified and vocationally experienced’, enabling learners to ‘make good progress in gaining and applying new knowledge and skills’.
• The curriculum is ‘informed well by the needs of employers and regional partners’, helping learners prepare for employment or higher education.
• Learners develop ‘positive attitudes and habits’, demonstrating ‘resilience when faced with setbacks’ and engaging well in enrichment activities.
• Effective tutorial and enrichment programmes help learners ‘develop their character and resilience’ and gain insights into being an ‘active citizen’.
• Governance is ‘effective’, with governors providing ‘good support and challenge to the senior leadership team’.

Areas to improve

• Improve the quality of education in GCSE English, where progress is ‘too dependent on which teacher they have’ and achievement rates are ‘too low’.
• Ensure assessment feedback is ‘specific and useful enough to help learners and apprentices know what they need to do to improve’.
• Continue to improve attendance, particularly on adult learning courses and GCSE English and mathematics, where it ‘remains too low’.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with leaders ensuring that ‘learners at risk receive appropriate and speedy support when required’.