Richard Huish College

Richard Huish College

Address: South Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3DZ Unique reference number (URN): 148791

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, learners are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect providers for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The provider has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The provider has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have developed very effective processes to identify and assess learners’ and apprentices’ needs at the start of their courses. They use this extensive information very well to understand learners’ and apprentices’ needs and provide learners and apprentices with a structured transition into college. This is particularly detailed and sensitive to the needs of learners who have experience of alternative education settings or have recently moved to the UK. Leaders provide an environment and experiences that help to reduce disadvantage and barriers to learning swiftly and enable learners and apprentices to thrive.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have highly effective processes for sharing information and maintaining clear oversight of the individual progress and wellbeing of their most vulnerable learners and apprentices, including those known to social care. Tutors review learners’ and apprentices’ progress throughout their studies to identify new or changing needs rapidly. They adjust support and intervene quickly to signpost learners or apprentices to appropriate services.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders provide teachers with high-quality training to support learners and apprentices with special educational needs and/or disabilities, such as autism. They share information with teachers about the personalised strategies that work well with individual learners and review these strategies frequently. This helps teachers to become increasingly confident in applying inclusive teaching strategies.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have well-established processes for analysing and reflecting on the quality of their provision. They focus intently on the outcomes for learners and apprentices and use data well to identify areas of underperformance. Leaders review most areas of learners’ and apprentices’ curriculums and experiences accurately. They consider carefully the quality of teaching and use staff training highly effectively to make targeted and sustained improvements, most notably in education programmes for young people. Leaders largely make timely interventions to drive improvements. However, although leaders have recently taken appropriate action, they did not intervene swiftly enough to prevent the decline in apprenticeship achievement. Governors provide appropriate levels of support and challenge to leaders. They support decision-making, allocate resources in the best interests of learners and meet their statutory

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

responsibilities. Governors maintain a persistent focus on decreasing barriers to learning, while recognising the increasing needs of learners and apprentices. Leaders have sustained improved outcomes for young learners, with most making high levels of progress from their starting points. Leaders ensure that learners with disadvantages and barriers to learning achieve at least as well as their peers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have developed a highly successful and embedded culture of professional learning involving all learner-facing staff. Staff engage highly positively in action research projects linked to priority areas for their departments. Leaders support staff meaningfully and give them the time that they need to use their professional curiosity. Staff conduct and publish research that supports continuous improvement in teaching practice.

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Achievement Strong standard

A very high proportion of learners achieve their qualifications. Learners make extensive progress from their starting points, often achieving grades higher than expected based on their previous qualifications. Learners who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve at least as well as their peers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners develop significant new knowledge and skills and demonstrate this well in their assessments. Learners consistently produce work to high standards. A high proportion of learners achieve distinction grades in vocational qualifications. In many A-level subjects, a very high proportion of learners achieve A* to B grades, with nearly three quarters of learners achieving these grades in mathematics, chemistry and economics.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners are very well prepared for their next steps. Tutors support learners very well to apply for university courses that match with their interests and aspirations, including competitive courses and universities. Around a quarter of learners take a gap year. However, around half of these do not hold university offers.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders closely monitor the quality of teaching in subjects and departments and use this information well to inform strategic whole-college areas for improvement. Leaders check that staff in curriculum areas develop and enhance curriculum content so that it is relevant and up to date and supports the wider development of learners’ knowledge and skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers are highly qualified and experienced subject experts. They use their knowledge of the subjects that they teach very well to enrich their lesson content and to prepare learners highly effectively for their assessments. Teachers plan and integrate recall of previous topics into their lessons skilfully. This helps learners to remember what they have learned and make stronger links to new knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers expertly question learners to check for misconceptions. They challenge learners to deepen and enhance their answers, using and building on previous knowledge. Teachers guide learners expertly to expand on written answers, modelling key aspects and directing learners to identify the next stages to build their ideas.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers provide clear explanations and explain difficult concepts very well. For example, they use practical demonstrations to model specific practical techniques and use step-by- step approaches to breaking down and solving complex problems.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers use high-quality resources and well-designed learning activities to help learners to practise their new knowledge and skills and become more confident and fluent. They use teaching practices that are inclusive, ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This includes providing learning materials in advance of lessons, adaptations to timetables, using digital technology and providing physical resources to meet individual needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders place a strong emphasis on independent learning skills. They ensure that teachers of all courses provide relevant and helpful independent learning tasks, such as prior reading, research and practice of examination-style questions. Teachers check and monitor learners’ engagement in these tasks and learning materials. They successfully encourage learners to take responsibility for their learning. This supports learners in their potential next steps to higher education.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have created a safe, respectful and welcoming college environment. Leaders and staff have high expectations of learners. Learners are highly motivated, work hard and develop impressive independent learning skills. Learners' attendance is high across all courses, and learners are punctual to lessons.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders prioritise learners’ wellbeing through a structured and engaging tutorial programme taught by specialist tutors. Learners participate in age-appropriate sessions about topics such as healthy relationships, online safety, road safety and drink-spiking awareness. This helps learners to know how to keep themselves and others safe.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide learners with well-structured careers advice and guidance through tutorial activities and planned events, such as university trips, higher education fairs and employer events. Learners with specific needs receive tailored advice from qualified careers staff.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Learners take part in a range of work-related activities, including volunteering, employer visits and work placements, to support them with preparation for their futures. However, some learners studying level 2 programmes do not have enough work-related opportunities to prepare them sufficiently for employment, including those who progress directly into work.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders provide learners with a wide range of exciting opportunities to gain confidence and wider experiences. These include learner-led clubs, societies and participation in national competitions.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most learners make appropriate progress and achieve their qualifications, although a minority take longer to complete than originally planned. Learners with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve marginally less well than their peers, but teachers support these learners well during their courses.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners develop a range of skills that help them in their roles as care workers. They develop a thorough understanding of safeguarding and legislation and how these topics apply to their work. They learn about the complex needs of residents and important information about a range of medicines. Learners improve the quality of their written work over time and produce work to the standards required for their qualifications.

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Achievement Expected standard

Learners build their confidence at work significantly. Many learners remain with their current employers on completion of their courses, and a few gain promotions into more senior positions, such as becoming deputy managers of care homes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an appropriate understanding of the quality of the training that they provide to adult learners. They train staff to develop their teaching skills, such as improving questioning techniques and supporting learners to become confident speakers during professional discussions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers plan and teach curriculum content in a logical order that builds and links new content to prior knowledge. Teachers personalise taught content sufficiently to further develop the knowledge and skills that learners need to work successfully in care settings. However, in a few cases, learners do not consistently deepen or build on their previous knowledge gained from employment in the sector.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers are appropriately qualified. They work with employers well to make sure that what they teach is tailored to the settings in which learners work. Teachers use their extensive knowledge of care settings to develop learners’ confidence in communicating effectively with residents in care homes and in understanding their needs.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers break down tasks appropriately and support learners to develop their use of key vocabulary and record clients' daily care notes clearly and concisely. Teachers provide appropriate resources for learners to conduct independent learning and provide direction to develop their research skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers take appropriate actions to support learners with barriers to their learning, such as suitable adaptations to assessment, additional one-to-one discussions and helpful digital tools.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders have recently taken appropriate action to improve learners’ access to curriculum content that supports their wider development needs. Teachers discuss relevant topics with learners during monthly review meetings and relate these to the subjects that learners are studying. Leaders provide learners with appropriate information about how to protect themselves from radical and extremist views at the start of their courses.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Teachers help learners to develop a clear understanding of British values and protected characteristics and how to apply this knowledge well to their work in the care sector. Leaders and teachers do not tolerate bullying or unlawful discrimination.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Teachers monitor learners' attendance closely and provide support if learners miss any lessons. Teachers are sensitive to learners’ personal and work commitments and are mindful of their wellbeing. Learners are well motivated and build their confidence in their leadership skills at work.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Teachers provide learners with suitable careers information, including further study and apprenticeship options. Teachers teach content that supports learners to take additional responsibilities at work, such as how to write risk assessments. Most learners feel well prepared for their next steps.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a largely accurate understanding of how to improve the quality of their apprenticeship provision. They rightly recognise the need to improve how they prepare their level 3 accountancy apprentices for the professional discussion element of their final assessment.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders design the curriculums carefully to provide apprentices with the knowledge they need to make valuable contributions to their workplaces early in their apprenticeship. For example, teaching assistant apprentices learn about child development to prepare them to work with a range of age groups and in different settings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders work with employers effectively to adapt the curriculums to meet the needs of individual apprentices. Teachers coordinate on- and off-the-job training with employers well. They make sure that apprentices have opportunities to put their new learning into practice in the workplace promptly. Employers of teaching assistant apprentices often provide high- quality additional training for apprentices through their professional development programmes. However, a few apprentices do not have meaningful additional opportunities beyond the content of their main qualifications.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use a variety of useful strategies to support apprentices with barriers to learning. These include extensions to deadlines, adaptations to feedback for learners with dyslexia and support for managing anxiety.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers are well qualified and have the relevant knowledge, skills and resources to teach apprentices well. They design useful activities to enable apprentices to practise their skills and relate these to their workplace activities. Teachers use questioning effectively to check and deepen apprentices’ knowledge. They develop apprentices’ use of specific terminology and explain new content in a way that builds on apprentices’ previous knowledge.

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Participation and development Expected standard

Leaders set high expectations for apprentices' attendance, professional behaviours and motivation for learning. Apprentices attend well and respond positively to helpful interventions when needed. Leaders work collaboratively with employers to maintain these high standards in workplaces. They do not tolerate bullying, discrimination or derogatory language.

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Needs attention

Teachers teach apprentices wider personal development topics meaningfully. Apprentices develop a deep understanding and respect for British values and cultural diversity. Teachers revisit topics linked to personal safety and age-appropriate healthy relationships. They facilitate useful discussions about current affairs. As a result, apprentices are confident in their knowledge of how to stay safe, including from the dangers of radicalisation and extremism.

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Needs attention

Leaders provide access to suitable wider opportunities for apprentices, such as volunteering and citizenship programmes, but apprentices generally do not participate. At times, employers provide apprentices with additional responsibilities at work that help develop their leadership skills.

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Needs attention

Apprentices receive appropriate careers advice and guidance and have access to qualified careers advisers. Teachers provide apprentices with additional information towards the end of their apprenticeship. Apprentices make informed decisions about their next steps.

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Achievement Needs attention

Apprentices do not achieve well enough, with fewer than half achieving their apprenticeship. Apprentices with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve less well than their peers. This low achievement rate is largely due to a very low pass rate for the level 3 accounting apprenticeship, where fewer than a quarter passed their apprenticeship. Leaders have rightly recognised the need to prepare apprentices better for their assessments, particularly their professional discussions.

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Achievement Needs attention

Achievement for apprentices studying the teaching assistant apprenticeship, which is a growing area of provision, is much higher, with around four fifths of apprentices successfully completing their apprenticeship.

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Achievement Needs attention

Apprentices gain new knowledge and skills that support them to become more valuable employees, including teamwork, communication and digital skills.

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Achievement Needs attention

Most apprentices continue in employment in their sectors after completing their apprenticeship, and a few progress to higher-level apprenticeships.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners with high needs make extensive progress from their starting points and achieve their qualifications well. In addition, they make significant progress towards achieving the outcomes in their education, health and care plans.

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Achievement Strong standard

Leaders implement personalised support strategies for learners with high needs to help them meet their full potential. Where learners begin to fall behind, staff provide timely interventions such as individual subject-specific support and guidance on time management and organisation skills, so that learners with high needs progress at least in line with their peers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners produce work of a consistently high standard. They apply their knowledge very well in different situations and achieve highly in examinations.

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Achievement Strong standard

Learners are prepared very well for their next steps. Those studying at level 2 usually progress to level 3 courses. Many learners studying at level 3 move on to universities away from home, having increased their confidence and independence during their time at college.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have implemented a whole-college approach to ensure that teaching and assessment strategies are accessible for all learners, including those with high needs. They train staff on broad categories of need, such as autism and mental health conditions, and supplement this with specific training on agreed strategies that support individuals very effectively. For example, teachers provide predictable lesson structures, advanced notice of changes, and alternative assessment and presentation formats to support learners with high needs to participate fully in their learning and make progress in line with their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders, teachers and learning support officers (LSOs) work collaboratively with learners to understand their needs and plan targeted support. Teachers and LSOs know their learners well and create welcoming, inclusive learning environments. They communicate very effectively with learners to understand and respond to their needs. They involve learners appropriately in decisions about the support they receive. These relationships support learners in building their confidence to participate fully in learning activities, such as taking part in class discussions, working effectively in groups and becoming more independent in organising their work.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers use a variety of teaching practices that are inclusive to maximise the participation of learners with high needs. For example, they send learners messages in advance to prepare them for lesson activities, organise group work with supportive peers and provide learners with whiteboards on which to write their answers to questions. Teachers provide learners with high-quality resources such as workbooks and accessible online materials to support them in organising their notes and assessments.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Leaders set high expectations for learners with high needs. They provide personalised support to help learners meet these expectations.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Learning support officers (LSOs) meet frequently with learners to discuss any concerns they have and explore any barriers to attendance. They involve parents and carers appropriately and put support plans in place when needed to improve attendance. Learners enjoy working alongside their peers and do not experience bullying, harassment or discrimination.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Learners participate in a range of high-quality learning experiences to complement their studies and prepare them well for their next steps. For example, they attend talks on supported internships and receive support to attend other work-related activities linked to their subjects. Leaders provide additional support to encourage learners' participation in residential trips and visits. Many learners participate in clubs and societies to develop confidence, resilience and independence.

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Participation and development Strong standard

Learners with high needs participate in the college's tutorial programme with their peers and, where necessary, receive additional one-to-one education from LSOs about topics personalised to them. For example, they learn about strategies to support their mental health, manage relationships and enhance their communication skills.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners on study programmes achieve their qualifications very well at all levels. They develop significant new knowledge and skills in each of their subjects and develop broader personal skills through the rich experiences available to them. They perform very well in their examinations, with many learners achieving A* to B grades in A levels and distinction grades in vocational qualifications.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners on study programmes enjoy their learning greatly. They are taught very well by enthusiastic and motivated teachers who are experts in the subjects that they teach. Learners develop impressive independent study skills. Teachers set learners meaningful directed study activities, and tutors teach learners study skills, such as time management and revision techniques, very well.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners on study programmes take part in a wide variety of enrichment activities that develop their wider interests and talents and contribute to increased confidence and resilience. These include a range of clubs and societies, many that are devised and led by learners, catering for the diverse interests, talents and aspirations of the learner community. Learners thrive in the friendly and welcoming college environment.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Learners on study programmes are taught many useful topics by tutors who understand the variety of challenges faced by young people. Learners gain the knowledge that they need to stay safe in their communities and contribute positively to society. Learners with high needs are taught alongside their peers, following the same programmes of study. They experience the same, consistently high-quality teaching, and receive additional targeted support to meet their individual needs. Learners with high needs receive well-coordinated support from teachers, tutors and learning support officers, who get to know them well. They make significant progress towards achieving the outcomes in their education, health and care plans and are prepared well for their next steps.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Adult learners mostly study qualifications that help them become more effective in their employment in the care sector. They are well motivated and gain a greater knowledge of legislation and apply this in their work. Learners increase their knowledge of clients’ medical needs and use this knowledge to adapt their communication skills effectively. They increase their confidence at work significantly.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Apprentices receive well-coordinated on-and-off-the-job training. This enables them to put new learning into practice in their workplaces. Apprentices are taught well by knowledgeable teachers. Employers provide apprentices with suitable experiences to develop their confidence in a wide range of relevant skills.

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What it's like to be a learner and/or an apprentice at this provider

Too many apprentices do not achieve their apprenticeship. Leaders have recently made improvements to how they support apprentices to prepare for their assessments.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure the actions that they have taken have a sustained impact on improving the quality of all apprenticeships and increasing the proportion of apprentices who stay and pass their apprenticeship. Leaders should provide learners on level 2 study programmes with experience of a wide range of work-related activities and workplace settings so that they develop relevant employability skills. Leaders should provide apprentices with high-quality careers education throughout their apprenticeships so apprentices develop detailed knowledge of all potential future pathways. Leaders should ensure that adult learners have opportunities to extend their vocational learning significantly from their starting points. Leaders should provide adult learners and apprentices with relevant wider personal development opportunities beyond the requirements of their qualifications.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with governors, leaders, managers, teachers, tutors, support staff,

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Team inspectors:

Matt Hann, His Majesty's Inspector Lowenna Bradley, His Majesty's Inspector Esther Williams, Ofsted Inspector Jojo Kingsbury-Elia, Ofsted Inspector Vicky Wood, Ofsted Inspector Holly Vaughan, Ofsted Inspector Cliff Shaw, His Majesty's Inspector Stuart Collett, His Majesty's Inspector Claudia Harrison, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

learners, apprentices and employers during the inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspection started on 12 May 2026. It was paused in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. Inspectors returned on 3 June 2026 to complete the inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the provider:

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Richard Huish College is a 16 to 19 academy and is part of the Richard Huish Trust. The college has one campus in Taunton. At the time of the inspection, 2,139 learners aged 16 to 18 years, 52 adult learners, 61 apprentices and 22 learners in receipt of high-needs funding were studying at the college.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Most learners on education programmes for young people study level 3 programmes. These include A levels, extended diplomas or a mixed programme of A levels and alternative academic qualifications. A small cohort study one T level, in education and early years. A small proportion of learners study level 2 programmes, including GCSE English and mathematics. Learners with high needs study the same range of programmes as their peers.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Adult learners study a range of courses related to health and care. These include a level 3 diploma in health and social care and several certificates, mainly at level 2.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Apprentices study apprenticeships at levels 2, 3 or 4. Apprenticeships include early years, teaching assistant and accountancy. Over a third of apprentices are aged 16 to 18.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Principal: Emma Fielding This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 12 May 2026

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other providers can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The provider reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The provider is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The provider needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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