Carmel College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings

This is an outstanding provider The Catholic mission of the college, to promote excellence, opportunity, challenge and support for all students in a caring environment, infuses the organisation. The behaviour and actions of governors, staff and students reflect this mission daily.

Governance, leadership and management are outstanding. Governors and leaders are relentless in their pursuit of excellence. Leaders and managers foster a culture across the college that is compassionate and accepting of difference and one in which students express their own ideas and flourish as individuals.

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. As a result, most students make rapid and sust...ained progress. Teachers inspire and challenge students so that they are inquisitive and eager to learn.

They use highly effective and skilful questioning routinely which extends learning, probes deeper understanding and builds students' confidence and resilience. Leaders' and managers' swift actions to improve the proportion of students who leave the college early have been very effective. The proportion of students who remain on their courses has improved significantly and is now high.

Students are proud to study at the college. They value and respond positively to the very high expectations and aspirations teachers have of them. They take great pride in their work, which is of an exceptional standard.

Students on level 3 vocational courses, the art foundation programme, GCSE English and mathematics, and the vast majority of A-level courses make exceptional progress. Students benefit from an extensive range of additional activities that build their self-confidence and self-awareness exceptionally well. Students benefit significantly from valuable careers advice and guidance that help them make aspirational and sound decisions about their future.

Students' progression into university, further education, employment and apprenticeships is excellent. Students with high needs on courses at level 1 or below do not always make the progress expected of them because their teachers do not set specific enough targets or record them well enough.

Information about the provider

Carmel College is a Catholic sixth-form college located in St Helens, Merseyside.

The college provides 16 to 19 study programmes, mainly through A-level programmes, with a small amount of vocational provision. Currently, 1,761 students are enrolled at the college. The vast majority of students are on programmes at level 3, with a few studying an art foundation course at level 4.

A small number of students with high needs are enrolled on foundation courses at entry level and level 1. Around one third of the working-age population in St Helens have qualifications at level 4 or above, which is lower than regional and national averages. Levels of unemployment in the local authority are similar to those regionally and nationally.