Bury St Edmunds’ Abbeygate Sixth Form College, part of Eastern Colleges Group, is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted after its first full inspection since opening
A sixth form college that opened less than four years ago has been awarded the top rating of ‘outstanding’ in every area following its first full Ofsted inspection.
Abbeygate Sixth Form College in Bury St Edmunds was inspected over May 16 to 18, with inspectors saying in the glowing report that ‘students enjoy the calm, respectful and productive learning environment’.
The purpose-built sixth form college, which is part of the Eastern Colleges Group (ECG) and Suffolk Academies Trust, opened in September 2019 following multi-million-pound investment.
Dr Nikos Savvas, the principal and CEO of ECG, was delighted with the news as he continues his mission of positively transforming education in the region.
He said: “The recent accomplishment of both Suffolk One Sixth Form College and Abbeygate Sixth Form College receiving the prestigious ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted as well as the extraordinary work that is happening at West Suffolk College at all levels, is a testament to the remarkable dedication and talent possessed by our exceptional team of educators and students.
“It is evident that we have cultivated an extraordinary community of colleges that are actively transforming the landscape of education throughout East Anglia.”
Abbeygate Sixth Form College, which supports around 900 students and offers 30 A-level programmes, was graded outstanding overall, as well as in the categories of quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and education programmes for young people.
Highlights from the Ofsted report include ‘leaders, managers and teachers have designed a highly ambitious ‘super curriculum’’, ‘students relish the opportunities available to them’ and ‘students appreciate the highly inclusive nature of the college’.
Elton D’Souza, chair of Governors for ECG, said: “I am delighted that Ofsted agreed with us that Abbeygate is an ‘outstanding’ college.
“Having been part of the team that built the business case, presented the case to the Department for Education, and secured £35 million of funding to build Abbeygate, it gives me immense pride to be part of the journey from concept to ‘outstanding’ college in four years.
“It has been a Herculean effort by our team, taking a global pandemic in its stride, to create from nothing this fantastic college for the community we serve.
“I expect Abbeygate, just like West Suffolk College and Suffolk One Sixth Form – and all the other colleges in our group - to continue going from strength to strength.”
A new provider visit by Ofsted in 2022 found it to have made significant progress, with no recommendations - the best possible outcome.
ECG also includes One Sixth Form in Ipswich, West Suffolk College, based in Bury St Edmunds, University Studies at West Suffolk College, also in Bury, and several outreach centres in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.
