OKEHAMPTON College has been hailed for the outstanding ?care, guidance and support? in provides for students. The college which educates 1,426 pupils has made ?marked progress? in the last six years and is a ?good college with several outstanding features?. That is the verdict from Ofsted, which carried out an inspection of the college in March, the first since it was classed as ?satisfactory? in a report of February 2000. Principal Daryll Chapman said: ?We were previously considered to be a ?satisfactory? college, we wanted to lose that tag. It was so important to me because I know this school is more than just satisfactory, it is a good school.? He said he was pleased the college now had a report it could point to which reflected how its reputation had been enhanced in the last six years. The report stresses the importance of the technology status the college gained three years ago: ?The college?s technology status has had a positive impact on improving students? information and communication technology skills.? The report also states: ?The care, guidance and support provided for students are of a very high standard and supported extremely well by links with external agencies. ?An excellent range of extra-curricular activities, including music, sports and outdoor pursuits, successfully enhances and extends students? learning. ?Leadership and management are good with many very good and distinctive features. The acting principal is very effectively continuing to move the college forward, building on the considerable progress of recent years.? The report identifies two areas where the school could improve. It says teachers could extend planning so all lessons include sufficient challenge for higher attaining students and the school could improve opportunities for students to discuss their ideas and develop their speaking skills. Mr Chapman said the school had already begun focussing on addressing these issues ? last year it had set its own target to look at the gender difference between girls? and boys? examination results. The Ofsted report also touched on this topic, pointing out: ?Girls perform better than average across the school. Boys? performance varies each year and is lower than average, although not significantly below the level achieved by boys nationally.? The report also says that students with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress, especially in managing their behaviour and developing their social skills. Mr Chapman said although the school placed great stock in its academic performance, having achieved a 13% increase in the overall examination pass rate since the last inspection, it was not an ?examinations factory? and he believed it was important to continue to look at all aspects of a youngster?s personal development, not just grades. He said it cost the college a lot of money to put on later buses for children taking part in after-school activities, but he considered this well spent because of the benefits young people got from such activities. Mr Chapman paid tribute to the shared work of the staff, parents and pupils to ensure the college had made good progress since its last inspection. ?When I first came down here in 2001, it would be fair to say the college did not enjoy the reputation it has now.? A mark of the college?s growing reputation was that each year it was taking in students from further afield, he said. He paid special tribute to former principal Chris Powell, who died suddenly last year, and said the improvements Chris had introduced had now been confirmed by the glowing report. Mr Chapman said his next major aim was to carry on the vision he and Chris had helped outline for the college, including to provide more vocational training. The three courses he would initially like to provide on site in a purpose built vocational centre were: hair and beauty, wet and dry construction and motor vehicles. ?Our own centre would enable younger students to enjoy ?taster? sessions so they are better informed when it comes to deciding what options they wish to take. It is a need our partners in the business community have recognised.? The principal, who was appointed last month, following several months as acting head, said the Ofsted inspectors? views were consistent with the school?s own self-evaluation, which now forms a key part of the Ofsted process. Mr Chapman said the positive Ofsted report was pleasing, but there was much work still to be done. Chairman of governors Ian Courtenay said: ?This is a real vindication of the huge amount of effort put in by everyone, obviously Chris Powell was a catalyst for a lot of it. ?I know it is a good school, I speak to governors from other schools about all sorts of issues that we don?t have, but it is nice to have that confirmed.? He added: ?This gives us a good benchmark but next time we want to be an excellent school.?
