A COLLEGE has been told it requires improvement following a visit by Ofsted inspectors.

Colchester Institute, which has campuses in Sheepen Road in the town as well as in Church Lane, Braintree and Church Road, Clacton, was rated as requiring improvement overall after it was given the rating in six out of eight areas.

The last inspection in 2016 rated the college, which has nearly 8,000 students, was good.

Criticisms were made of the effectiveness of leadership and management and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

Inspectors said learners’s progress was being hampered by a lack of improvement in teaching and assessment and expectations of students was too low.

Students were also not being given enough feedback.

The report added: “Learners’ attendance at English and mathematics lessons remains poor. It was low at the time of inspection, with only half the learners in attendance at many lessons observed.”

Inspectors said the majority of learners and apprentices who study English and maths resit qualifications make less than expected progress.

In addition, Ofsted said too few adult learners and learners who have high needs achieve their qualifications.

The two areas in which the college was rated good were personal development, behaviour and welfare and for its apprenticeships.

It was praised for how students benefit from its work-related learning and enrichment activities.

As a result, they were said to be well prepared for employment.

The report said: “Leaders and managers work productively with a host of employers, the local enterprise partnership, local authorities, and Essex Employment and Skills Board to ensure the range and content of provision meet skills gaps and priorities.

“They continue to set their curriculum to meet current regional employment demands effectively, such as in housing, engineering and manufacturing.”

Inspectors reported on the rapid progress that apprentices make in producing work of a good, commercial standard and the way in which apprentices relate vocational theory to practice.

Inspectors were highly impressed by student conduct both in the classroom and around the college.

Colchester Institute provides a range of vocational courses for young adults aged 16 , apprenticeships and adult learning programmes.

The college also has a small provision for learners with high needs.

Colchester Institute recruits most of its learners with GCSE attainment well below the national rate.

  • THE college’s principal and chief executive Alison Andreas said she was “very disappointed” by the report.

She added: “We must accept the judgements made and we will work to address these swiftly. "We remain very proud of Colchester Institute, its courses, its staff and its students. This is a college where great things happen, every day, and where, each year thousands of students leave us, inspired and prepared for successful future careers.”
Mrs Andreas said it was essential the college addressed inspectors’ concerns over low pass rates on maths and English resit programmes.  
It has been told place to focus more on students’ progress and will be working hard to introduce new processes.
Mrs Andreas said she was concerned about comments over  feedback students receive. 
“I would stress that we will placing a renewed focus on teaching and learning which pushes every student to achieve of their best. I fully expect that this will be rewarded with strong results at the end of the year, and an outcome which more accurately reflects the good college that we know we are, when the inspection team return in the next 18 to 24 months.”