Blackpool & The Fylde College rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

Blackpool and The Fylde College is celebrating after being rated ‘Good’ following its latest Ofsted inspection with four areas of work highlighted as ‘Outstanding’.

Inspectors gave the college a glowing report with the behaviour of students and apprentices described as “exemplary”.

The report, published on March 18, adds: “Tutors encourage them to emulate high, professional standards. Students in hospitality, uniformed public services and maritime wear their uniforms with dignity and pride.”

An inspection team visited all areas of the college, whose main campus is on Ashfield Road in Bispham, to examine teaching, learning and the student experience over four days in February.

Ofsted’s overall ‘Good’ rating includes four ‘Outstanding’ sub-judgements for behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and adult learning programmes.

It comes as work is due to begin this year to build the £65m Multiversity campus in the town centre, a council-led development set to open in 2027 and which will be run by Blackpool and The Fylde College.

Alun Francis, chief Executive officer at the college said: “This report is a tremendous recognition of the hard work and commitment by our staff, governors, students and their parents – and they should all feel very proud.

“Ofsted confirms that significant progress is being made across all aspects of our provision and we’re delighted to have upgraded our ratings in five of the eight areas assessed.

“This is an important milestone in our continuous improvement, but we are already well advanced with ambitious plans for our next steps.

“It is particularly pleasing that our adult learning programmes are rated outstanding because it confirms the strong foundation for future success with our landmark Multiversity project, which will offer exciting new and flexible pathways to higher education and employment when it opens in 2027.”

The report highlights the dedication of staff in supporting students and apprentices who “thoroughly enjoy their education and training” with high-quality teaching that equips them with valuable skills for their futures.

This inspection included a first-ever assessment of the college’s contribution to meeting skills needs. Through close partnerships with employers like the NHS and BAE Systems, it has designed a curriculum that directly responds to workforce demands and achieves the highest-possible rating of ‘Strong’.

Also recognised is work to ensure good attendance, gain workplace skills and develop skills for active participation in public life.

Simon Hughes, B&FC principal, said: “We set very ambitious standards on the quality that learners, apprentices and employers should expect of us and this shows we are delivering them through a supportive and empowering culture for everyone.

“It was inspiring to see the inspectors’ comments about our personal development, leadership and management. To have independent confirmation that we are developing learners and equipping them to be adaptable and well-rounded citizens is a tremendous endorsement of what we see happening every day across our sites.”