Staff and students at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS) are celebrating today after formally receiving an overall 'Good' status from their recent Ofsted inspection.

The College, one of the newest in the country, was formed by the dissolution of Filton and Stroud Colleges and the incorporation of SGS College in February 2012. SGS currently has five main campuses across Gloucestershire, Bristol and South Gloucestershire and has over 4000 full-time 16-18 year old learners, 2000 apprentices and 5000 adult students.

The College continues to grow in learner numbers annually whilst also making sustained improvements in the quality of provision and Ofsted have confirmed that managers 'have maintained the relentless drive for quality improvement reported at the previous inspection. This drive is leading to increasingly good learning experiences for students and apprentices'.

At the College's first ever Ofsted inspection since merger in 2014, Ofsted praised the College for its highly effective strategic vision and direction, which concluded SGS as being, 'placed at the heart of its local communities, to serve the best interests of learners'.

Building on from this position, it is especially pleasing that the recent 2017 Ofsted inspection confirms that 'the College continues to be an integral part of the local community and a key player in the economic development of the region.

Managers have continued to develop excellent and close relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including the local authority, two local enterprise partnerships, employers, schools, and community organisations.

This work enables college staff to develop a curriculum that is highly responsive to both existing and expected local and regional needs. Students benefit from these links through very good work experience opportunities and a highly relevant curriculum that places a strong emphasis on employment'.

College Principal Sara-Jane Watkins, comments: 'SGS was established to provide a wider range of vocational and academic courses in our local communities, providing students with more choice, greater opportunities and a greater range of facilities from a larger, more efficient college.

To improve our performance at a time of significant growth doesn't happen without a fantastic team effort by all staff at the College and it is a testament to their hard work and dedication that we have come so far is such a short period of time and I would like to publically thank them.'

Sara-Jane further comments: 'During the last year, the College has opened a new campus at Berkeley Green, Gloucestershire, especially to react to the needs of engineering employers across the region and has also sponsored two new schools which have opened this academic year to respond to both local authority and regional employer demands.

I am thrilled that Ofsted recognise how we are responsive to the needs of the communities we serve and this is what drives us forward as an organisation combined with ensuring learners at the College get the best possible learning experience and opportunities'.

Picture caption: SGS students; SGS College Principal Sara-Jane Watkins (below right)