Why Choose Varndean?
Varndean College is a popular choice with students and parents. Recent research amongst prospective students highlighted their desire to have a wide variety of subjects to choose from and to be in a college with a high level of academic achievement. Equally important in helping students decide on Varndean was the feeling that the teaching staff were really enthusiastic about their subjects and there was a great relationship between staff and students which would help students maximise their potential.
This positive view of the College was supported by Ofsted inspectors who visited the College in November 2007. The qualities of the College that impressed the inspectors were:
- Good teaching and learning - students make good progress and enjoy their lessons
- Particularly high standards of students’ work
- Strong focus on achievement
- Very good value-added at A level – the measure that shows by how much a student has progressed since GCSE
- Good guidance and support for students which prepares them well for progression beyond College and includes good target setting to help students improve throughout their courses
- Particularly good additional support
- Extensive range of enrichment activities in sport, drama, music, societies, trips and visits
- Outstanding educational and social inclusion through the range of courses to engage students’ interests, including part-time courses in outreach centres for adults
- Good leadership and management throughout the College with a clear and shared sense of direction and focus by staff and governors
- Very effective partnership arrangements with schools, colleges and other agencies
A summary of the report is available here and on the Ofsted website – www.ofsted.gov.uk – and is available in hard copy for the College.