Craven College

Craven College is a large general further education college with multiple campuses, an aviation academy, and a dedicated centre for learners with high needs. Inspectors found it performing well overall, with safeguarding standards met and an open, inclusive culture where learners and apprentices feel safe and valued. Since the previous inspection, leaders have made rapid progress, resetting the college's vision and improving consistency across sites. Inclusion, apprenticeships, and provision for learners with high needs are particular strengths, with highly tailored support, strong employer links, and effective teaching from industry experts. Most other areas are at the expected standard. Education programmes for young people and adult learning programmes are expected standard overall, with good progress and achievement in many areas but some inconsistencies. Apprenticeships are strong overall, though achievement and participation and development are expected standard. Leadership and governance and contribution to meeting skills needs are expected standard, with effective governance and a responsive curriculum linked to regional skills priorities. Key concerns are set out in the next steps. Leaders should ensure consistently high-quality teaching and assessment across all courses, improve attendance for young learners, set more ambitious personal targets for adult learners, raise achievement rates for all learners and apprentices, strengthen careers guidance for adult learners and apprentices, and broaden apprentices' wider opportunities. Specific issues include uneven digital skills development at level 1, construction attendance and work experience, inconsistent use of initial assessment in functional skills, and insufficiently planned careers advice on Skills Bootcamps.

Strengths

• Inclusive culture that puts learners' and apprentices' needs first
• Highly individualised support for learners with SEND and barriers to learning
• Strong apprenticeship curriculum tailored to job roles and employer needs
• High-quality provision for learners with high needs, including tailored pathways and work experience
• Rapid improvement in leadership, vision and consistency across campuses
• Effective governance with experienced governors providing support and challenge
• Responsive curriculum linked to local and regional skills priorities
• Skilled teachers who use vocational and industry experience well
• Learners and apprentices feel safe, respected and valued
• High overall attendance for apprentices and most learners
• Strong careers guidance for most learners and apprentices
• Extensive enrichment, work-related learning and community opportunities
• Improved English and mathematics achievement, including GCSE resits
• Safeguarding standards met with an open and positive culture

Areas for Improvement

• Not all young and adult learners receive consistently high-quality teaching and assessment
• Young learners' attendance is not consistently high
• Adult learners' personal targets are not consistently ambitious
• Achievement rates need to improve for all learners and apprentices
• Careers information, advice and guidance for adult learners and apprentices is not consistently high-quality
• Apprentices' wider development opportunities beyond the main curriculum need broadening
• Level 1 learners do not develop digital skills as effectively as others
• Construction provision needs improved attendance and a wider range of work experience placements
• Functional skills tutors do not consistently use initial assessment to plan personalised learning
• Careers advice on Skills Bootcamps is not sufficiently planned
• Learners with high needs have historically had inconsistent mathematics achievement, with impact of recent changes not yet seen
• In a very few practical sessions, teachers do not reinforce industry pace and expectations

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Craven College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Craven College is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Craven College last inspected by Ofsted?

Craven College was last inspected in June 2026.

What age range does Craven College cover?

Craven College for pupils aged 16 to 99.

Where is Craven College?

Craven College is at Gargrave Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1US.