INSPECTORS have judged an East Lancashire college to be making progress after being told it must improve.

As part of their monitoring visit to Blackburn College, Ofsted inspectors evaluated the progress that leaders and managers have made in addressing the main areas of improvement identified during a previous inspection.

That was in response to an Ofsted rating that the the college, which has over 4,500 students, required improvement.

Last year, inspectors said the college was not performing well enough in six out of eight areas, including for effectiveness of its leadership and management, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and the outcomes for students. However it was rated ‘good’ for its apprenticeships and for the personal development, behaviour and welfare of its students.

The college in Feilden Street is among the first in the country to be visited under Ofsted’s new stringent and rigorous Education Inspection Framework. A full inspection will take place at a later date.

Principal and chief executive Dr Fazal Dad said: “I’m delighted that Ofsted have been able to see that improvements have been made since the last inspection visit to Blackburn College and that inspectors have endorsed the approach that has been taken to improve the quality of education.

“Pleasingly, inspectors have been able to recognise that areas of strength identified at Blackburn College in their previous full inspection visit continue to exist.

“Inspectors recognised that Blackburn College’s curriculum continues to consider the needs of employers and skills gaps identified locally.

“We recognise we still have work to do, and I am confident that we will continue to progress over the months ahead.”

Inspectors found college leaders and managers ‘have a good understanding of the strengths and the weaknesses at the college and have put in place successful actions to improve the quality of education that learners receive’. Ofsted recognised that ‘the governing body has been reviewed and strengthened by appointing two new governors who have a relevant education background’ and that an ethos of continues improvement, with a strong focus on providing an ambitious curriculum now pervades the college.