Calderdale College celebrates outstanding Ofsted results for apprentices

Calderdale College is the only Outstanding college apprenticeship provider in West Yorkshire

The Ofsted report, which gives the College an overall rating of Good, follows a successful inspection that took place in February 2018 where inspectors observed lessons, met with staff, employers and key stakeholders and interviewed students and apprentices.

Inspectors were impressed with the quality of teaching, highly inclusive learning and rise in achievement rates over the last three years. They also commented on the high-quality classrooms and other learning environments on the College campus, which will benefit from a new digital and creative centre ready for September 2018.

The report highlights that staff and tutors “are highly qualified and experienced, and use their skills well to motivate students and apprentices”, resulting in college learners making good progress in developing their vocational skills and gaining good levels of knowledge and understanding in practical subjects.

When assessing the College’s Outstanding apprenticeship provision, the inspectors noted the “substantial and sustained progress of apprentices”, particularly in developing work-related skills and attitudes, as well as engagement with employers to offer “excellent on the job training.”

John Rees, Principal and Chief Executive said: “I'm immensely proud of what we have achieved and lucky to work with such an inspiring team of students and staff.”

“This result demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring we meet the needs of students, employers and stakeholders in Calderdale and the West Yorkshire region.

When speaking about the outstanding result, Steve Parkin, Mechanical Contracts Director at A.F.Connell Ltd said: “We have worked with the College for over 10 years and successfully trained over 25 apprentices. We are delighted that the College has been rated as Outstanding for their apprenticeship provision. It’s testament to the ongoing support, high quality of training our apprentices receive and the hard work and dedication from the College staff.”

The College has recently expanded its apprenticeship offer to include new standards, which will cover a range of growing sectors including Digital and Creative, Business and Finance and the Health and Social Care sector.