Newham Sixth Form College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings

This is a good provider Since the previous inspection, a high and steadily increasing proportion of students achieve their qualifications, gain high grades on vocational courses and achieve a grade 4 or above in GCSE English. Teachers are enthusiastic, suitably qualified and apply their knowledge well to motivate students, most of whom have high aspirations and make good progress due to good teaching, learning and assessment.

The new principal has quickly established his vision for the college to be 'one college, one team', which enables managers and staff to have direct input into agreeing the new values and mission for the college. Students have excellent access to work experience and work...-related activities. Students receive very high-quality and thorough advice and guidance on career or university options.

On completion of their course, a high proportion of students progress to the next stage of their education or training. Students receive very thorough information about life in modern Britain, which teachers embed particularly well in tutorials and in their daily teaching. Staff establish a safe environment for students around the college, and implement highly effective strategies to inform students on how to stay safe from risks in the area, such as gang affiliation and knife crime.

Students benefit significantly from the extensive programme of sports and other enrichment activities at the college. Teachers do not consistently share information about students or use target-setting effectively to ensure that they all make rapid progress. This is particularly so for A-level students, a minority of whom achieve high grades.

The proportion of male students who achieve their qualifications is lower than that for female students.

Information about the provider

Newham Sixth Form College is one of the largest sixth-form colleges in London. It is situated on a single campus in Plaistow, in the London Borough of Newham.

The college offers a wide range of courses, from entry level through to level 3 vocational and academic programmes. Most of the approximately 2,500 students at the college are aged 16 to 19 and are on study programmes. The majority of students at the college study at level 3.

Of those students studying at level 3, around three quarters are on vocational programmes, and around a quarter on A levels. The small number of learners for whom the college receives high needs funding are mostly on study programmes. The large majority of students at the college are from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Both the student and staff body reflect the diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious demographic of the borough. Newham ranks as one of the more deprived boroughs in London. The proportion of students at the college from disadvantaged backgrounds and with low prior attainment is higher than for those at similar colleges in London.