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Ofsted

Students looking at a calculator.

Good in all areas

In September 2019, The Bedford College Group was inspected by Ofsted. The highlights are listed below and the full report is also available to download.

  • The Bedford College Group has been graded as Good across all areas inspected and for Overall effectiveness.
  • The inspection carried out on 23-26 September 2019 is one of the first FE colleges to be inspected under Ofsted’s new framework launched this year.
  • Students at the Group develop the skills and knowledge required by employers.
  • Students feel safe at one of the Group’s campuses.
  • Students benefit from regular contact with employers and understand fully the industries in which they intend to work. They are prepared well for their next steps.
  • Detailed research from leaders in the Group ensures a broad curriculum choice is available across college sites.
  • The subjects and levels offered match the needs of the local and regional priorities.
  • Most apprentices increase their confidence at work.
  • Teachers plan programmes to develop the skills that students need….[they] use information about the skills students have, very effectively.
  • Students are clear about how to get from where they are to their intended future employment.
Download the full report

Outstanding

In 2018, our residential provision at Shuttleworth College was graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. The highlights are listed below.

  • All of the staff have the highest expectations of students. There is a college-wide collective approach to supporting the students. As a result, attending residence leads to sustained improvement in the lives of the residential students.
  • Students feel safe. Parents say that their children are safe. A variety of mechanisms are available to students to raise concerns or receive support.
  • Students provide exceptional feedback about their experiences. They make social, emotional and academic progress as a result of attending the college.
  • Transitions into the service are extremely well managed.
  • The students consistently behave well. They say that bullying is not an issue for them or anyone that they know at the college.
  • An especially strong culture of research thrives at the college. The staff are able to cite relevant research findings and show how they translate these into practice. Senior managers enable a culture of embracing research as a means to improve the quality of the service.
  • There is highly effective use of monitoring and improvement.
  • There is a wide range of opportunities for students to contribute to and influence life at the college.
  • The staff are highly student-focused. The staff know the students extremely well and provide sensitive and individualised support.
  • There is a strong focus on equality and diversity.