Improvements are being made at a college which helps young people with additional needs - although it still requires improvement.

Birtenshaw College was recently inspected by Ofsted, which graded it as  'requires improvement' - the same judgement at the last full inspection in 2022.

But standards are rising at the college on Crompton Way.

Both the personal development of students and their behaviour attitude were found to be good.

But the quality of education, leadership and management and provision for those with high needs were in need of improvement.

Lead inspector Alison Cameron Brandwood and Ofsted inspector Jane Young conducted the inspection.

The report stated: "Learners are polite and respectful towards each other, staff and visitors. They concentrate on the tasks they are working on because of small class sizes and high support ratios.

"Learners are happy at college. They find teachers and learning support assistants (LSAs) helpful and supportive.

"Learners learn in a calm environment in which they build confidence and develop social interactions with staff, fellow learners and visitors. Most learners make steady progress from their starting points.

"They improve their technical knowledge and vocabulary." 

It adds: "However, teachers and support staff do not use a broad enough range of activities to help pre-entry level learners, especially those with the most complex needs, develop their independence.

"They rely too heavily on verbal instruction and questioning. As a result, these learners make slow progress. 

"Learners benefit from high-quality information, advice and guidance before they start and during their programme. Leaders use the range of information they gather during learners’ transition into college, including their preferred next steps, to place learners on the correct pathway. 

"Leadership and management require improvement. Leaders rightly recognise that the progress they have made to improve the quality of education since the monitoring visit and previous inspection has not been quick enough.

"They have yet to implement an ambitious enough curriculum across all programmes, particularly the communication and choice pathway, so that all learners benefit from a high quality education." 

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The report adds: "Leaders have recently introduced changes to the senior leadership team at the college. Improvements are beginning to emerge since the appointment of new leaders and managers. 

"Leaders order the curriculum to build learners’ knowledge effectively over time in accredited subjects such as English and catering. 

"However, leaders have yet to ensure that teachers and support staff sequence and teach non-accredited curriculums so that learners develop their knowledge and skills incrementally." 

Assistant Chief Executive at the school, Andy Bishop, said: "We are disappointed with the overall rating but delighted that Ofsted judged both ‘behaviour and attitudes’ and ‘personal development’ as good.

"We acknowledge that we have some way to go. However we are really pleased that Ofsted Inspectors noted the improvements since the new leadership team has been in place but unfortunately there hasn’t yet been enough time to embed the progress since the last inspection.

"The Ofsted Inspectors said ‘leaders identify accurately what they do well and the areas they need to improve’.

"We know we have a number of very clear actions to take. However, inspectors noted that they are confident in the skill set of the leadership team and staff to move the college forwards.

"Therefore we are confident that we are moving the college in the right direction and that the next inspection will result in a rating of good."