A mid-Essex further education college has scored highly in an education watchdog's report.

Braintree College, in Church Lane, Bocking, has been awarded an overall "good" rating following a five-day inspection by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) in January.

The inspectors looked at nine curriculum areas, and reported a good performance in seven and satisfactory performance in the other two.

College principal Martin Bates said the inspection placed Braintree College in the top ten per cent of further education colleges nationwide.

He said: "We're delighted with it, it's the third inspection we've had as a college and it maintains the high standard of previous inspections - it was good across the board.

"Two-thirds of colleges get at least one unsatisfactory grade, so the fact that we got none puts us in the top ten per cent.

"We're pleased with the consistency across the board because this is a comprehensive post-16 institution as opposed to a selective one."

Ofsted's good rating - one grade below its top "outstanding" one - was awarded to English language and communication, science and mathematics, health and social care, business and management, visual and performance arts, humanities, and sport leisure and tourism.

Business administration and basic skills were awarded "satisfactory" ratings.

Braintree College attracts about 1,200 full-time and 5,000 part-time students from across Braintree, Uttlesford and Chelmsford districts. It employs almost 300 teaching and support staff.

Published Tuesday, April 29, 2003

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