NEWS ARCHIVE
College Chosen to set Example to Others
Cornwall College is being held up by education regulator Ofsted as an example of good practice.
The college was chosen by Ofsted to appear on its Good Practice website (www.goodpractice.ofsted.gov.uk) for its ‘strategic and practical support for local communities’ following its ‘outstanding’ rating in the area after its inspection last year.
The recently published case study praises the College’s determination to keep seven campuses running across the county to respond to local needs. It highlights the establishment of local college councils on each of the sites as a key element of its success, ‘providing a voice that helps to shape local provision and make it accountable to the community’. Each council reports directly to the Corporation Board ensuring that the needs of each local community is addressed and met.
In the report, former Managing Director of Cornwall Farmers Ltd and Vice-Chair of the Duchy College Stoke Climsland council Peter Hardaker, says: “Cornwall is a very contained economy. Most people who live in Cornwall also work in Cornwall. The danger is that it becomes too introspective and doesn’t encourage new ideas and ways of thinking. Working with our partners in the region, nationally and in Europe, the college has helped Cornish rural communities to develop ambition and drive, and central to this has been partnership working and the way the college councils have challenged and supported the college.”
Various projects are noted as good examples of the College’s work in the community including a learning programme designed specifically for fire-fighters in the region and the WILD Young Parents project enabling young parents to continue their education.
Philip Rees, Chair of the Cornwall College Corporation Board, is noted in the report as identifying a strong and clear strategic leadership as a reason for success, seeing the college as encouraging an entrepreneurial approach from staff which helps it to grow.
Dave Linnell, Principal of Cornwall College, said: “After such an excellent Ofsted report last year we were very proud to hear that details of the College’s work with local communities were to be published as a good practice example. Putting the learner first is one of our central values and this means that we continually strive to provide courses according to requirements across the county.”
