Ofsted/ALI Reports

Newham College of Further Education has become one of only a small number of general further education colleges nationally that has been judged as consistently good over the last ten years. The result also rates the College as one of best general FE colleges in London.

Ofsted's Feb 2005 report said "The College makes a significant contribution to local regeneration. The Centre for Innovation and Partnerships is successful and very active. Work to support local businesses is outstanding. For example, capacity building small and micro businesses and meeting skills shortages in the construction and engineering industries. The College has been awarded CoVE status in three areas. These are: a joint award with another local college (Tower Hamlets College) for training local small businesses; railway engineering; and in textiles and fashion for its work with the Asian community. They are already having impact. For example, the very successful 'Asian Dream' exhibitions and catwalk shows give local fashion and jewellery businesses the chance to promote themselves to a wide audience. Local employers speak highly of the college's services. Franchise provision is well managed. It provides a good range of work-based learning, literacy, numeracy and ESOL courses."

The Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI) inspected the college over a two-week period in November 2005. Highlights from the report include (Check as these were from 04):

Leadership and Management are good
Education and social inclusion is outstanding
Success rates are at or above the national average
A majority of the learning areas are good, and all are at least satisfactory
Good student support systems
Innovative development of a credit framework curriculum (NewCAD) based on unit accreditation
Good accommodation and learning resources
Outstanding range of effective partnerships & collaborative working

Ofsted and ALI judged the College's response to educational and social inclusion as outstanding with courses offered in a wide variety of College, community and business venues. It was also noted that we are very effective in removing barriers to learning and meeting the needs of individual students.

The Ofsted inspectors also praised our highly effective strategic partnerships with Newham local council, business links, the chamber of commerce, schools and the Prince's Trust with many leading to the development of new provision. The work to support local businesses is described as outstanding with the College providing good value for money.

Principal, Denise Brown-Sackey, said:

"This is a fantastic result for the College, its staff and students. We are one of the country's largest and most ambitious colleges dealing with the widest diversity of needs in the country as a whole. Intensive inspection over a two-week period has judged that we are achieving our goals and objectives, and that the quality of education and training is good overall. The report also points to many examples of excellence and outstanding performance. We are very proud of this result and of our continuous track record of providing high standards of education and training for local people".

More information can be found on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk