College told to improve or risk losing funding
GoogleA college has been told it needs to improve or risk losing future funding after it was rated inadequate by Ofsted inspectors.
Furness College in Cumbria received the rating following an inspection last year and the Department for Education (DfE) has said the result has put the college's "longer-term stability" at risk.
In a letter, the DfE said the decision could make it harder for Furness College to apply for growth funding.
In a joint statement, principal Nicola Cove and board of governors chair Gary Lovatt said they were "disappointed" by the findings but were "committed to delivering all of these improvements".
Furness College was told it required improvement in seven of the nine areas graded by Ofsted.
However, inspectors found the college leadership and management was inadequate.
"Ofsted also deemed Governance as not effective, noting that Governors do not hold leaders well enough to account and are too reliant on what leaders tell them rather than scrutinising the information they have available to make the improvements that are needed," the DfE said.
'Improve quality'
The college must now comply with a number conditions, including implementing recommendations made by the DfE's Place Based Team and the Further Education Commissioner.
It is also required to review its leadership structure and "increase management capacity and capability to rapidly improve quality and teaching and learning."
Its progress will be reviewed on further Ofsted inspections.
Ms Cove and Mr Lovatt said the college has made progress in some of the areas since the Ofsted's inspection in October, such as the development of its leaders, managers and staff.
"We are focussed forward and want to give our ongoing reassurance to our students, parents, employers and stakeholders that everyone across college is committed to delivering all of these improvements," they said.