New College Swindon

New College Swindon New College Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 1AH

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report:

At the most recent full inspection, the following areas were identified as needing to improve:

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report:

 Increase the proportion of young learners who achieve their qualifications and the proportion who achieve their target grades.  Increase the proportion of young learners and learners with high needs who take part in high-quality work experience placements, so that those who plan to move into employment are suitably prepared.  Monitor the progress that young learners make closely and intervene swiftly where progress slows.  Provide useful and effective careers information advice and guidance for all learners and apprentices.  Provide useful, pertinent and accurate information to governors so that they can challenge and support senior leaders more effectively.

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report:

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following themes:

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report:

 What progress have leaders made to increase the proportion of young learners who achieve their qualifications and the proportion who achieve their target grades?  What progress have leaders made to increase the proportion of young learners and learners with high needs who take part in high-quality work experience placements, so that those who plan to move into employment are suitably prepared?  What progress have leaders made to monitor the progress that young learners make closely and intervene swiftly where progress slows?  What progress have leaders made to provide useful and effective careers information advice and guidance for all learners and apprentices?  What progress have leaders made to provide useful, pertinent and accurate information to governors so that they can challenge and support senior leaders more effectively?

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their target grades? (Achievement)

Monitoring inspection report: New College Swindon 25 and 26 March 2026

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Since the previous inspection, leaders’ actions have started to result in an increase in the proportion of young learners who achieve their qualification on most courses. An increasing proportion of learners have met or exceeded their target grades.

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Leaders have acted quickly to ensure that staff have access to accurate and current information about the progress that learners are making with their studies. Staff from service areas and curriculum collaborate well to use this information to make timely interventions to support those young learners who are most at risk of withdrawing from their course or who find aspects of their studies difficult.

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Leaders have responded to the significant increase in enrolments on lower-level courses by sensibly providing appropriate new curriculums for these learners. They have strengthened wellbeing and learning support services so that the needs of the most vulnerable learners and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met well.

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Leaders recognise that too many learners on specialist entry level courses for learners with high needs and SEND did not achieve their qualifications. Leaders have taken steps to ensure that learners on these courses now follow individualised programmes and are set appropriate personal targets so that they can build their skills and knowledge over time more effectively.

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are suitably prepared? (Participation and Development)

Since the previous inspection, leaders have increased the proportion of young learners and those with high needs who undertake high-quality work experience placements. At the time of the monitoring visit, around three quarters of learners with high needs and SEND and a high proportion of sixth-form students had completed work experience placements.

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are suitably prepared? (Participation and Development)

Leaders have fostered increased collaboration between the college’s business engagement and curriculum teams to provide engagement with employers that is well coordinated and of good quality. Leaders have introduced sustained and relevant work experience placements for those learners studying A levels and have increased the range of large employers who support learners with high needs and SEND to undertake meaningful internships. Leaders have introduced a new supported employment programme for those learners with SEND who do not have an education, health and care plan to ensure that these learners gain a positive experience the workplace.

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are suitably prepared? (Participation and Development)

Leaders ensure that employers are now actively engaged in preparing learners for their work placements. For example, employers advise learners on interview techniques and provide mock interviews for learners before they commence their placement. Monitoring inspection report: New College Swindon 25 and 26 March 2026

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(Curriculum, Teaching and Training)

Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken effective actions to monitor more closely the progress that young learners are making on their courses. They have introduced comprehensive systems which enable them to view learners’ current progress, attendance, punctuality, welfare and support needs effectively. Staff use this information well to assess how well learners are doing on their course so they can respond swiftly to support those learners who need to improve.

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(Curriculum, Teaching and Training)

Leaders monitor the progress that learners are making diligently through a well- planned sequence of meetings throughout the year. They use these meetings well to scrutinise learners’ performance rigorously and to formulate solutions to help those who are struggling with their studies to help them to succeed.

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(Curriculum, Teaching and Training)

Most learners know what grades they have achieved and how well they are doing with their studies. However, a minority of learners do not know what their target grades are. They are unfamiliar with their personal targets and do not know what they need to improve.

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(Curriculum, Teaching and Training)

Leaders recognise that they need to improve how they monitor the progress of learners with high needs and SEND who are studying specialist courses. Because of this, they are in the process of implementing new and more effective processes to record and review the progress that these learners are making.

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(Participation and Development)

Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken positive action to improve the quality of the careers advice and guidance that learners and apprentices receive. They have forged closer links with employers to strengthen the college’s skills advisory boards so that learners can gain helpful insights into industries and careers. Leaders have introduced a dedicated careers adviser for apprenticeship programmes so that apprentices receive information about how to progress with their employer and in their industry. A recently introduced programme of careers-related tutorials provides learners with information on topics such as networking skills and how to build a professional online digital profile.

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(Participation and Development)

Leaders have substantially increased the number of learners who enter skills competitions so they can practise and demonstrate skills and behaviours which meet professional industry standards and expectations. A recently commissioned initiative sets learners business challenges to develop skills such as collaboration and problem- solving. Monitoring inspection report: New College Swindon 25 and 26 March 2026

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Learners value the careers advice and guidance that they receive and how it helps them to prepare for their next steps, such as going to university or progressing to other education and training. They understand the steps they need to achieve their goals, such as, for example, the levels of fitness required to join the Armed Forces.

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senior leaders more effectively? (Leadership and Governance)

Since the previous inspection, leaders have improved the accuracy and timeliness of the information that governors receive so that governors are able to ascertain the effectiveness and impact of leaders’ improvement actions. Because of this, governors hold leaders to account well. Leaders have refreshed the programme of governors’ visits to curriculum and services areas so that governors can gain a deeper insight into the curriculum and learner experience.

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senior leaders more effectively? (Leadership and Governance)

Leaders have taken effective actions to improve the quality of reports that governors receive. They ensure that reports have clear intent and state explicitly what governors are expected to do with the information they receive. Leaders’ reports are succinct and are supported by reliable data and information. Governors monitor the actions that they assign to leaders well and ensure that they receive updates on progress.

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senior leaders more effectively? (Leadership and Governance)

Leaders ensure that governors have access to real-time summaries of the information that staff use to monitor learners’ attendance, retention and achievements. This single source of information is accessed digitally by governors outside of meetings and has given them assurance about leaders’ actions and learners’ progress. Governors value the candidness and transparency of the discussions that they now have with leaders and how this is supporting strategic decision-making and improvement planning.

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Additional next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should continue to work to tackle the areas identified as needing improvement in the full inspection report.

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About this inspection

This is the first monitoring inspection following publication of the inspection report on 15 May 2025 which found the provider to be requires improvement overall.

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About this inspection

The provider’s previous full inspection was carried out under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) at that time. The renewed EIF took effect from 10 November 2025. The areas for improvement identified at the provider’s full Monitoring inspection report: New College Swindon 25 and 26 March 2026

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inspection have been cross-referenced to relevant evaluation areas in the inspection toolkit for consideration on this monitoring inspection.

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The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the further education and skills inspection toolkit. The purpose was to identify and report on the provider's progress in addressing the areas identified as needing to improve since the provider's previous inspection.

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funding at time of inspection

Monitoring inspection report: New College Swindon 25 and 26 March 2026

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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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