Setting

Mr S Grix Principal Mid-Kent College Maidstone Road Chatham ME5 9UQ

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – 14-19 reforms

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and students, during my visit on 11 and 12 November 2008 as part of our survey on 14-19 developments in the local area.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – 14-19 reforms

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions, but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – 14-19 reforms

Overall, the contribution the college is making towards the implementation of the Creative and Media Diploma and functional skills by the consortium is good. I outline the main findings as bullet points below.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – 14-19 reforms

 enthusiastic and committed students and staff  imaginative and exploratory approaches to work, opening ideas and possibilities across disciplines within the visual arts field  effective and realistic curriculum planning - specific to sites, local activity, staff expertise and interests  good early exposure of students to professional practitioners and environments to stimulate work  good emphasis on initial acquisition of technical and expressive skills to support students’ creative explorations.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – 14-19 reforms

 ensuring students at level 3 have a fuller knowledge of their entire course structure, including the additional and specialist learning and the personal, thinking and learning skills elements of the Diploma  improving the synthesis of the core vocational content of the Diploma at level 3 and the content and specific application of functional skills at level 2 Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 0207 421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk  increasing enrolment on the Diploma and broadening the range of arts disciplines available to students.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme – 14-19 reforms

If there are any points or aspects of the visit you wish to discuss, please get in touch. As we will be evaluating the survey, you may be contacted in the future to find out your views. I hope you will contribute to this evaluation. Thank you once again.

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