Ashton Sixth Form College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 January 2025

Students', including those with high needs, and adult learners' behaviour is exemplary. Attendance at classes is high. Students and adult learners enjoy coming to college, where they appreciate the helpful and supportive teachers who, they say, give them the guidance they need to develop the knowledge and skills to move on to their next steps. Most students, including those with high needs, and adult learners go on to university, apprenticeships or employment. Students and adult learners are committed to their courses and are motivated to achieve. They enjoy participating in demanding and challenging tasks that develop their skills in readiness for higher education. Students and adult learners produce high-quality work in which they take pride. They use resources such as the web- based virtual learning environment and phone apps skilfully to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Students and adult learners appreciate the diverse and inclusive culture of the college. They feel able to express themselves in a rich and diverse community. They enjoy learning more about the cultures, beliefs and backgrounds of others. Staff are very attentive to the varying needs of their adult learners. Tutors create welcoming and inclusive environments where learners feel valued. They benefit from a designated building and an adult services team where they can seek help for matters related to their health, well-being and finance. Tutors understand learners' personal circumstances and the demands they face balancing work and study. Learners appreciate the adjustments teachers make to ensure their safety and well- being when travelling to college for evening classes. Tutors make sure that the tutorial curriculum is highly contextualised to the communities where students and adult learners live. Carefully selected local experts give students accurate insights into life in the local area. For example, magistrates share the typical harms that young people may encounter on a night out in Tameside and discuss the implications that these harms may have on a young person's future. Local agencies talk to students and learners about trends in the community, such as the Tameside sexual health team, which discusses the importance of chlamydia testing. Students and adult learners feel safe. They report that teachers listen to their concerns and that they trust in their teachers' ability to support them or direct them to the help they need. They appreciate the presence of security staff, particularly when arriving and leaving the college in darkness in the winter months.

What the school should improve

• Increase the proportion of students and adult learners who remain on their courses and achieve their qualifications, particularly at the highest grades.
• Improve the quality of education in the few areas that are underperforming.
• Improve the monitoring of students' and adult learners' progress and achievement, taking swift action to prevent underperformance.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)