Kendal College has been given the thumbs up from the educational inspectors of Ofsted, writes education reporter Jennie Dennett.

Following a five-day assessment in February, the Ofsted team concluded in its report released this week that provision in four subject areas was good and satisfactory in the remaining three.

The inspectors praised the college's high pass rates on many courses as well as most of its facilities particularly in hospitality and catering and hair and beauty.

Of the teaching inspected in 101 lessons, 66 per cent was judged good or better, 30 per cent was deemed satisfactory and four per cent was criticised as less than satisfactory. Teaching of key skills was also considered to be among the college's key strengths.

Support for students was "good", "systematic and well managed", the report stated, while students told inspectors that tutors were "friendly, helpful and knowledgeable" and there was a good mix of theory and practical work.

The college was also considered to be "responsive to its local community" as a result of flexible courses, its community learning bus which delivers IT and basic skills in villages and its community outreach centre in Kendal.

The partnership between 20 tourism businesses which are supporting the college's hospitality and catering department attracted further favourable comment as did links with local schools.

"I'm thrilled to bits with the report," said college principal Graham Wilkinson. "Those key strengths are really strengths. To say there is much good teaching is great and the key skills for example that's a huge problem for colleges and we're right up there with that."

However, the inspectors also noted plenty of room for improvement.

While leadership and management were judged to be satisfactory with strong support from governors, financial management was criticised as being "ineffective".

The report stated that governors had been slow to address a sizeable budget deficit now around £316,000 - and an initial recovery plan to put the finances on a firmer footing had not been successful.

Mr Wilkinson said the deficit was simply a result of being a small college where income was limited because of smaller student numbers and costs high because it ran courses with small classes. He added that a recovery plan was under way and, with some added government funding, the college expected to break even next year.

Inspectors also said not enough was being done to address high levels of staff sickness and turnover, adding that the ratio of support staff to teaching staff was overly high.

Some problems were also noted in individual subject areas. Most seriously management of IT courses was considered unsatisfactory and there was "poor assessment practice" on IT diploma courses. However, Mr Wilkinson said this issue had been sorted through the appointment of a new manager who had "hit the ground running".

Demands from the Ofsted team for more social and recreational areas for students to supplement the "inadequate refectory" were in hand, said Mr Wilkninson.

Since the inspection the refectory has been upgraded and embryonic plans are afoot to raise £2.5 million for new building at the Milnthorpe Road site for workshops which would also include a new common room.

May 29, 2003 17:00