College's joy at turnaround

3:39pm Wednesday 16th July 2008

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STAFF at Dudley College are breathing a huge sigh of relief after Ofsted inspectors rated them as being ‘good’ after its latest inspection.

The glowing Ofsted follows a damning report just 15 months ago when inspectors found the college to be “inadequate” - giving the lowest possible rating in four of the five areas relating to its day-to-day running.

The report, which slated the managers and leaders quickly led to the departure of former Principal Jeanne Harding.

However undeterred by the set-back and with a new and enthusiastic Head at the helm, Dudley College is once again steering in the right direction as inspectors award every previously inadequate category - business, administration and law, health, public services and care with a good. With now just Information Communication and Technology classed as satisfactory.

Inspectors who visited the college in May said in the report: “The college has made good progress since the last inspection. It has addressed all areas for improvement identified at the last inspection successfully.

“Since the previous inspection the college’s success rates have improved at a rate significantly better than similar colleges.

“Staff confidence in their ability to sustain improvements is high and the college has made consistent improvements to the quality of provision across the majority of its subject areas.”

New Principal Lowell Williams, who took over in March from South Leicestershire College, said everyone was delighted with the outcome.

He said: “Inspectors paid tribute to the tremendous turnaround the college has achieved in just 15 months. We were told no other college has made such an improvement in grades in such a short time.

“We did it by going back to basics - focusing on teaching and learning.

“Everyone worked together to put things right and there was a huge determination and dedication from every member of staff.“People were hurt by the last inspection - their motivation and moral was really low.

“The Dudley News front page hurt staff with the huge picture of an empty college and ‘inadequate’ as the headline - but it gave them the motivation to do better.

“It was true that the college was inadequate but it made everyone see they had the ability to be excellent.

“We have only just started though, there is no appeal to stop at good - we want to be an outstanding college.”

BIG IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE....

AS part of the college’s future plans, Mr Williams revealed proposals for a £100 million college campus in the town centre, which would replace the current outdated facilities.

Under multi-million pound plans, the current campuses - Broadway, Castle View, Mons Hill, Wolverhampton Street, Dudley Road the glass centre in Brierley Hill would be consolidated into two state-of-the-art campuses - one in Dudley and the other in Brierley Hill.

It is hoped the Dudley campus will be in a town centre location, with land already being sought, otherwise it is planned to expand the current main site on The Broadway.

A feasibility study is currently being put together which is expected to be submitted next year.

Working in conjunction with the Learning Skills Council, who are stumping up 60 per cent of the cash, college leaders are hoping the new build will provide 21st century facilities for the people of Dudley.

Lowell said: “We do have some nice facilities here at Broadway, but we have too many outdated facilities which will not be fit for the next 25 years and we want to bring the campuses together.”

With plans thought to be submitted next year, the college hope land can be acquired and planning permission granted with a view to it being started in 2010 for a 2012 opening.

The Principal added: “The people of Dudley deserve the best, but we need everyone living locally to work together and support us.

“If we dawdle on this all the funding will disappear so we have to steam ahead and work together on the new build.