STAFF and students at an agricultural college are celebrating a 'good' Ofsted report.

Kingston Maurward College near Dorchester was rated as ‘good’ by inspectors.

Deputy principal and Ofsted nominee, Tom Hallam, said: “We are delighted to announce that Kingston Maurward College has been graded ‘good’ by Ofsted once again.

"The inspectors were extremely positive and complimentary about the college, the teachers, and our learners. Kingston Maurward College is a very special and unique place to study and it’s great that Ofsted have recognised this.”

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The report stated that “Learners and apprentices demonstrate high levels of respect for their peers, teachers, and the work environment. They are smart and articulate and gain a sense of pride from being a learner or apprentice at the college.”

It also noted that “Teachers act as effective role models by demonstrating the professional standards that learners need for employment. As a result, learners quickly learn to behave in a way their industry expects. Teachers successfully develop their learners’ confidence by encouraging them to ask questions that deepen their understanding.”

The report also refers to the expertise of Kingston Maurward’s teachers, saying “Teachers are highly qualified industry experts... and as a result have highly current industry knowledge. They use this effectively to plan a challenging curriculum and to provide effective teaching. This includes carefully choosing activities that allow learners to repeat, practise and master the skills they have been taught”

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Tom Hallam, continued: “It’s clear that our learners love it here and this was also recognised during the inspection. The report mentions that ‘learners and apprentices at KMC are respectful, courteous and pleased to be studying and part of the college.

"They enjoy their time learning and developing skills. In no small part, this is because they have access to excellent industry standard resources.’ We have received record numbers of applications for learners wishing to study with us from September 2022; young people are recognising what a special place Kingston Maurward is to study, and this is clearly confirmed by the numbers of learners that are applying for our courses.”