The Oldham College

The Oldham College Report following a monitoring visit to a ‘requires improvement’ provider

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Name of lead inspector: Zoe Ibbotson, His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2025

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Address:

Rochdale Road Oldham Lancashire OL9 6AA Monitoring visit: The Oldham College, 22 and 23 October 2025

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Context and focus of visit

The Oldham College was inspected in January 2025. At that time, inspectors judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to require improvement.

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Context and focus of visit

The focus of this monitoring visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders and managers have made in resolving the main areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

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Context and focus of visit

Oldham College is a general further education college based in Oldham. The college provides a wide range of vocational and technical courses for students aged 16 and over. Students study a range of courses in most subject areas. These include business, health and social care, construction, hair and beauty, hospitality, English as a second language (ESOL), travel and tourism, sport, and public services, digital, English and mathematics.

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Context and focus of visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, there were 3,135 students on education programmes for young people. Most students study courses at levels 2 and 3. There were 2,464 adult students studying courses from pre-entry to level 4. Most adult students study courses in ESOL, English or mathematics. There were 624 apprentices studying apprenticeships from levels 2 to 4, of whom 198 were aged 16 to 18. Most apprentices study at levels 2 and 3. The college receives high needs funding for 442 students. Three quarters of students with high needs study vocational subjects. Leaders work with one subcontractor that provides facilities and coaching for sports students.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have undertaken a forensic review of the curriculums that they offer. They have taken the strategic decision to move the management of level 1 vocational, English and mathematics courses from a central department to curriculum faculties. Curriculum managers and tutors have carefully redesigned courses so that the content is more ambitious and extends beyond the qualification. Students studying level 1 digital now acquire higher-level skills. They apply advanced formulas and conditional formatting to manipulate cell values when using spreadsheets. This better prepares them for progression on to the level 2 digital course. Monitoring visit: The Oldham College, 22 and 23 October 2025 Leaders have introduced a new process to recognise where students achieve beyond the qualification. Students studying ungraded courses can attain ‘pass plus’ and ‘pass plus plus’ scores. Students studying ESOL are keen to improve their work to achieve

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Significant progress

Leaders ensure that information about students’ intended career goals is used diligently to inform personalised study plans. At the time of the visit, a few students had transferred to higher-level courses to better prepare them for their intended professions. Students studying level 1 science, who aspire to have careers in nursing, now complete a GCSE resit programme that includes GCSE science. This ensures that they can achieve the qualifications that they need to pursue their future vocations.

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Significant progress

Curriculum managers work closely with employers to ensure that students build the knowledge and skills needed to be work ready. Students studying construction complete a retrofit course as part of their curriculum. This prepares them with the expertise that they need to meet a local skills shortage.

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Significant progress

Leaders carefully plan the work-related activity that students complete. At the time of the visit, just over half of students were paired with an employer or had commenced work-related practice. Students appreciate how their industry-specific activity helps them to confirm their future career plans.

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Reasonable progress

Curriculum staff liaise with employers to identify the essential attributes that students need to be employment ready. They use this information to design vocational initial assessments (VIAs). Tutors who teach level 3 graphic design use VIAs to assess students’ creativity and familiarity with specific software. They adapt activities early in the course so that students practise these industry-specific knowledge and skills. Tutors use VIAs in performing arts to identify where students need to strengthen their rehearsal skills. Tutors use ‘freestyle Fridays’ to provide additional rehearsal practise. However, in a few instances, tutors’ assessment of students’ subject-specific English and mathematical knowledge and skills is inaccurate. In these instances, tutors do not ensure that students are prepared well to apply English and/or mathematics in their work.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have introduced changes to the assessment of students who are resitting GCSE English and/or mathematics. They have refined assessments so that there is a greater focus on students’ skills development. Students studying GCSE English now complete skills-based assessments to assess their use of inference or creative Monitoring visit: The Oldham College, 22 and 23 October 2025 writing. They repeat similar exercises so that tutors identify progress or areas for improvement in a timelier manner.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders ensure that staff are trained in the use of effective assessment and feedback strategies. Tutors mostly use assessment strategies well. Tutors who teach early years education use open and directed questions adeptly.

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Reasonable progress

Students mostly receive constructive feedback that identifies what they have done well and what they need to do to improve further. Students mostly act on the feedback that they receive.

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Reasonable progress

Leaders have established periods throughout the year to monitor the progress that students make against their target grades. They have improved the number of students who achieve the highest grades to around a quarter.

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Significant progress

Staff receive training in supporting students with autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. They use techniques and tools skilfully to support students and to ensure that lessons are inclusive. Staff ensure that students with ADHD use ‘time outs’ in music lessons astutely to manage their behaviour.

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Significant progress

Leaders have increased the number of support staff in the college, many of whom bring specialist and industry expertise. They allocate support staff wisely to make best use of their knowledge and skills. Communication support workers (CSWs) with experience in ballet and fine art support students in performing and visual arts. Additional learning support officers in graphic design bring substantial industry experience to the role.

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Significant progress

Leaders have introduced newly formatted, succinct student support plans. Tutors value the information that they receive about their students. They appreciate how support plans enable them to implement support strategies and make adaptations to their teaching to benefit students.

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Significant progress

CSWs have an accurate understanding of students’ education, health, and care plans. They work very closely with tutors to effectively implement the support that students need. CSWs use a range of strategies skilfully in lessons to help keep students on task. They reduce support over time as students grow in confidence and independence.

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Significant progress

Since the previous inspection, leaders have introduced demonstration sessions in lessons to showcase assistive technologies. These include noise cancelling headphones, voice to text software, radio aids, pen scanners, and portable vision devices. Students welcome these demonstration sessions. A significantly higher number of students now use assistive technology. They value how the use of Monitoring visit: The Oldham College, 22 and 23 October 2025 assistive technology impacts positively on their learning.

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Significant progress

Students speak highly of the support that they receive. They appreciate how this enables them to make sustained progress in their learning and move to higher levels of study. Monitoring visit: The Oldham College, 22 and 23 October 2025 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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Significant progress

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