reCAPTCHA demo: Simple page

Macclesfield College

2017 Full Inspection Report
What does the provider need to do to improve further?
  • Improve further the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. To do this:
    • take swift action to improve the attendance of learners on 16 to 19 study programmes and adult learning programmes who do not attend their lessons regularly
    • improve staff development for teachers, particularly those on adult learning programmes and those identified as underperforming. Offer high-quality training and enable teachers to share good practice across all areas of the college, so that they improve their teaching skills and provide consistently good teaching and learning
    • make good use of the information on individual learners’ starting points and progress to plan lessons and activities that constantly challenge learners, particularly the most able, and which enable them to achieve or exceed their targets.
  • Improve the effectiveness of self-assessment processes and quality improvement planning to ensure that leaders, managers and governors have an accurate view of the college’s strengths and weaknesses. Ensure that managers challenge their teams to analyse weaknesses accurately and regularly, and identify specific actions for improvement, rather than merely complying with procedures.

2016 Full Inspection Report
What does the provider need to do to improve further?
  • Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment on 16 to 19 study programmes and the adult learning programme, by:
    • identifying accurately the aspects of their performance that teachers need to improve and providing high-quality training and development to improve their practice
    • ensuring that teachers use activities that consistently challenge their learners to achieve or exceed their targets
    • monitoring closely the progress of each learner and recording progress accurately
    • providing feedback to learners about the quality of their work that helps them to understand what they need to do to improve.
  • Ensure that all learners and apprentices make good progress in developing their English and mathematics skills, by:
    • improving the skills of all teachers and trainers in developing the English and mathematics skills of their learners and apprentices
    • improving the quality of provision on English and mathematics courses so that a much higher proportion of learners achieve their qualifications and target grades
    • increasing significantly the attendance level on English and mathematics courses.
  • Evaluate accurately the impact of actions taken to improve the quality of provision and the progress that learners make towards achieving their qualifications and targets so that:
    • leaders and managers have a more accurate picture of the impact of the actions that they take to improve outcomes for learners
    • further actions to improve outcomes can be identified and implemented quickly.
  • Provide opportunities for all learners on vocational study programmes to carry out work experience placements so they can gain experience of the world of work and practise their work-related skills.
  • Improve the level of attendance on 16 to 19 study programmes and adult learning programmes, by:
    • using data that is collected on learners’ attendance to identify courses where absences are too high, and taking action quickly to improve attendance on these courses
    • ensuring that all learners understand fully that repeated absence from lessons is not acceptable
    • providing effective support and challenge to learners who are persistently absent to improve their attendance and ensure that they do not fall behind with their work.

2013 Full Inspection Report
What does the provider need to do to improve further?
  • Accelerate the sharing of best practice in teaching, learning and assessment ensuring that teachers make more consistently effective use of the outcomes of initial assessment to assist them in planning to meet the needs of all students.
  • Make sure that all teachers know and understand how to prepare for, and teach, functional skills in English and mathematics so that:
    • students are consistently motivated and interested and can apply their knowledge and practise the techniques in the context of their vocational learning
    • students achieve well and improve their capabilities for gaining employment or progression.
  • Apply best practices in setting precise targets for students, so that they all benefit and make good and better progress.
  • Increase the capacity of all curriculum managers to challenge weak performance. Provide further training to staff to ensure that all judgements in self-assessment reports are sharply focused, self-critical, and lead to effective actions.
  • Evaluate the impact of actions to rectify underperformance in the remaining subjects, ensuring that students’ views are incorporated into this. Use this evaluation and the college’s rigorous performance management system to effect more rapid and sustained improvements in these areas.

2012 Full Inspection Report
What does Macclesfield College need to do to improve further?
  • Improve success rates for learners aged 16 to 18 by developing and implementing a retention improvement strategy that builds upon the effective practice on provision for adults. At the same time, take action to maintain high pass rates.
  • Improve teaching and learning by supporting teachers in developing clear aims and objectives for their lessons. Ensure that these are used to plan appropriate learning activities and assessment methods. Improve teachers’ use of questioning techniques to challenge learners of all abilities and to monitor their progress.
  • Take action to ensure that arrangements for safeguarding are implemented robustly. Provide governors with the information they need to monitor the implementation of safeguarding policies. Take action to ensure that bullying and harassment are not tolerated.
  • Improve arrangements for quality assurance and self-assessment through the robust analysis and evaluation of accurate management information and other sources of evidence. Ensure that the validation and moderation of the outcomes from all stages of self-assessment is rigorous.
  • Improve the arrangements for performance management so that staff at all levels in the college, are held to account for their performance. Ensure that all members of staff have a clear and accurate understanding of what they need to do to improve the experience for learners.

2006 Full Inspection Report
Areas for improvement

The college should address:

  • the consistency of success rates and their improvement
  • the achievement of key skills.

2002 Full Inspection Report
What should be improved
  • retention rates in some areas
  • use of information learning technology (ILT) in teaching
  • recruitment in some areas
  • work-based assessment on National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) programmes
  • some accommodation.

Report Recommendations