Prior Pursglove College 'making good progress' since being rated as inadequate

A college deemed ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted 12 months ago is now making good progress.

So say the education watchdog's inspectors following a monitoring visit to Guisborough’s Prior Pursglove College.

The college was given a grade four “inadequate” rating in January 2014 - a decision largely based on disappointing AS-level results in 2013, which fell by 5% from the previous year.

The college fell from a “good” rating in its 2010 Ofsted report.

But after a November visit, a monitoring report has found that the college had made “significant improvement” in improving student attendance and punctuality.

“Compared with a similar period in 2013, students’ attendance has improved markedly and is high except for a few classes," it reads. "Students’ punctuality is very good.”

The report also noted that the college has made reasonable progress in improving the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in developing English and maths, and ensuring that self-assessment is rigorous.

Prior Pursglove, on Church Street, has about 500 students doing A-levels each year.

It also runs BTEC, apprenticeships and adult learning courses, with around 1,400 students on its books in total.

The original report said AS and A-level students “do not make the progress expected given their prior attainment at GCSE” while “not enough teaching is good or better.”

It also noted that leaders and managers “have not been successful in improving outcomes for learners” and that quality improvement strategies have been “ineffective.”

But the college’s principal and governors said they were concerned the Ofsted report ignored many achievements - and the fact that it had already made improvements since the AS-level exams in the summer of 2013.

The college said significant changes have now been made to its internal systems in a bid to improve AS-level results.

Principal Judy Burton said at time: “We’re surprised and disappointed by this because these findings don’t reflect the tremendous achievements of our students and staff.

“Our students are our number one priority at all times and providing them with an excellent standard of education that helps them get to university or secure a job is what motivates our teachers and staff.”

Two other monitoring visits made earlier this year by Ofsted inspectors have also highlighted improvements at the college.