Accrington and Rossendale College has been graded by Ofsted as outstanding once again, following its inspection in December 2024.

The grading of outstanding is the highest possible achievement and means Accrington and Rossendale College provides exceptional education which goes above and beyond.

The breakdown for overall effectiveness for Nelson and Colne College Group, of which Accrington and Rossendale College is a part, is:

  • The quality of education: Outstanding
  • Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
  • Personal development: Outstanding
  • Leadership and management: Outstanding
  • Education programmes for young people: Outstanding
  • Adult learning programmes: Outstanding
  • Apprenticeships: Good
  • Provision for learners with high needs: Outstanding
  • Overall effectiveness at previous inspection: Outstanding

Feedback from the report and during the inspection included that:

  • Students achieve extremely well and achieve highly aspirational destinations
  • Leaders provide an ambitious curriculum for adults, often for those who are furthest away from learning, and barriers to learning are removed
  • Teachers support learners very effectively and as a result this leads to rapid progress

Lisa O’Loughlin, Principal and CEO at Nelson and Colne College Group, said: “I am so proud of this achievement and that the inspectors witnessed what I see every day, that we are an amazing college group which is 100 per cent focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for our learners.

“For the inspection team to note how we are powered by English and Maths and that our learners achieve their goals and grades, while also feeling part of a big family which supports them, is testament to us being an outstanding organisation.

“It was an absolute privilege to be able to show the inspectors just how unique our college group is and how phenomenal staff and students are, and extend our time as the country’s highest performing further education college.”

Ofsted’s report included the following findings:

  • Learners are highly successful in achieving their individual goals and qualifications
  • Staff work closely to provide exceptional support
  • Leaders collaborate exceptionally well with a wide range of employers and stakeholders
  • Governance of the college is extremely effective
  • Learners feel the college is an environment where they can grow and prepare for their future careers

During feedback sessions with Ofsted inspectors, employers described:

  • “The College is the best in Lancashire for responding to our needs”
  • “Wrap around support is provided for every learner by all staff with constant reviews to identify successes and what may need tweaking”
  • “We love working with the College as they are really professional and always go the extra mile”

Lisa continued: “The report truly highlights how ambitious we are to ensure our learners can achieve their goals and how we push them, with love, to progress, all within our exceptionally positive culture.

“I am delighted with the recognition we’ve received for how we work alongside employers to tailor our curriculum so that our learners and apprentices gain they knowledge they need to find routes into their chosen, high-quality careers.

“As one teacher said during the inspection, we’re just an outstanding college doing outstanding things.”

The full Ofsted inspection report can be read online on their website.