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What makes us Good with Outstanding features?
Good teaching and learning, high-quality care, guidance and support and a safe, friendly atmosphere on the campus all helped the college make the grade. We also received special praise for our outstanding partnership work and contribution to the local community. The Ofsted inspection report looked into key areas of college life, which included the overall effectiveness of provision, capacity to improve, outcomes for learners, quality of provision, leadership and management, safeguarding, and equality and diversity. It also looked at the specific subject areas of Science and Mathematics, Arts, Media and Publishing, Languages, Literature and Culture and Business, Administration and Law.
Some of the key findings highlighted in the report are: • Prior Pursglove is a GOOD college with a GOOD capacity to improve even further. • Students’ results are GOOD. Success rates on A level courses are consistently high, as are success rates for adult learning. • Partnership work is OUTSTANDING. The college has effectively broadened its range of provision, which meets needs and interests well. • The college offers a broad range of programmes. Full-time students benefit from a GOOD programme of enrichment activities.
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• Students make an OUTSTANDING contribution to the local community, working very well with a wide range of groups and organisations. • The promotion of equality and diversity is GOOD. • Care, guidance and support are GOOD. • Financial management and control is OUTSTANDING.
“I am so delighted that the many achievements of our students and staff have been recognised and praised by the Ofsted inspectors in this way. “We are proud of our supportive and caring ethos, of the high quality of our provision and of the many outstanding successes of our students, both young people and adults." Judy Burton, Principal
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What Ofsted say about our students
“Students say that the college is a welcoming and safe place to study and has a strong ethos of mutual respect.” We pride ourselves on being a college where the individual matters, and our students are the most important thing to us. • Students enjoy their studies and attendance rates are high. • Students make good improvements in their economic well-being through involvement in a wide range of enterprise activities including work experience and successful involvement in competitions.
• The college is a safe and welcoming place for students and it is proud of its inclusive admissions policy. • Programmes are carefully planned to ensure that students progress smoothly from school to college. • More students are now going on to higher education; many are from families who have not previously progressed in this way. • An effective community outreach programme provides opportunities for adult learners to improve their skills.
“All of the students are thrilled that the college has been recognised as being good – we all think that it is!" Victoria Henderson, Student Union President and Student Governor
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What Ofsted say about our courses
In glowing terms, the report defines the college as “a successful agent for transforming lives and meeting community needs.” We also offer a wide range of courses for adults and the success of this provision was highlighted in the report. The college is seen as “the leading local contributor to the development of adult education.” • Teaching and learning are good. The majority of lessons provide a stimulating learning environment and have a good range of well-paced activities to meet the varied needs of students.
• Students’ understanding is frequently checked, with good use of challenging and targeted questioning. • Lessons have a productive and motivating atmosphere. Students are thoroughly engaged in their studies and confident asking questions and seeking support. • The college meets the needs and interests of students well, offering a broad choice of qualifications and levels that is regularly reviewed. • The college has been broadening its provision, particularly focusing on attracting people back into learning. On the LearnDirect programme, success rates are strong in the Skills for Life area. • Outcomes are good for learners who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) and Train to Gain programme success rates are very high.
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What Osted found our students like
• The supportive staff • The welcoming and friendly atmosphere • How much they learn and the progress they make in their studies and careers • The good teaching they receive • The wide choice of courses • The extra support they receive in the workshops • The help they get in applying to higher education • The information and learning technology in the college • How their courses help to increase their confidence.
“I am proud to be a student at Prior Pursglove College, even more so now that it’s official we are as good as we say we are." Andrew Anderson, Student Union Vice-President and Student Governor
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What next?
We are proud of our achievements over recent years and we will strive to continue improving all aspects of Prior Pursglove College.
The student voice is important to us. We value the views of our students and offer regular opportunities for them to raise issues about concerns and improvements through staff/student forums and suggestion boxes.
The report states that “The new leadership team has a zeal for improvement and has put a number of strategies in place, which are already having positive effects. The key aims now are to ensure that initiatives are fully embedded in all areas and brought together to achieve maximum effect, and that existing good practice is shared and effectively utilised.�
The key areas for improvement suggested recently by our students are the amount of social space available within the college, accommodation at some outreach sites and transport to and from the college. With a new Principal leading the way, our vision for the future is clear and we are confident that our next Ofsted result will be outstanding.
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• We offer the LARGEST RANGE OF A LEVELS in the Tees Valley area. • We are the only college in the area to offer the INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE • We are the only college in the area to offer a BUSINESS CAREERS ACADEMY • We are the only college in the area to offer the opportunity to study BTEC ANIMAL MANAGEMENT alongside A levels. • We also have an excellent choice of part time COURSES FOR ADULTS. Contact us for more details.
Promoting excellence in education
Church Walk, Guisborough TS14 6BU T: 01287 280800 W: www.pursglove.ac.uk E: ppc.enquiries@prior.pursglove.ac.uk