In March 2020 Dv8 Sussex received their latest full Ofsted inspection, in which a ‘Good’ grade was awarded for their High Needs provision and ‘Requires Improvement’ for 16-18 Study Programme provision. There were many positives seen by the inspection team, with the final report commenting that:

“Students appreciate and benefit from the inclusive environment at DV8. They like the small class sizes, the caring attitudes of tutors and support staff, and the welcoming behaviour of fellow students”.

“Leaders and managers at DV8 have a clear strategic intent for the curriculum. They use creative subjects to engage hard-to-reach young people in learning that aims to develop their wider social, personal and employability skills……the great majority of students, many of whom come from challenging backgrounds, complete their studies… Students who attend regularly develop self-confidence and personal resilience.”

Dv8’s provision for learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN) gained particular praise, with the report grading this areas as Good and stating that “Students with high needs do better than their peers. A higher proportion attend classes regularly and achieve their qualifications. Many move on to higher-level qualifications and employment.”

Areas to improve upon included:

  • Improving attendance and punctuality
  • Ensuring all learners gained timely careers advice
  • Continuing to improve higher grades achievement in GCSE Maths and English.

Following Dv8’s recent merger with London Learning Consortium, Dv8’s founder, Dan Wallman, stated that “whilst there are areas to improve further, we are proud of the many positives in the report and would like to thank all of the teams who have worked so hard within our provision since our last inspection. We continue to provide a unique and essential service for young people who often have not achieved in mainstream education, and who feel safe, valued and achieve at Dv8. Our new partnership with LLC will help Dv8 go from strength to strength and support our aim to become an ‘Outstanding’ provider for young people in the South East”.

Paul Mitchell the chair of the Dv8 Advisory Board commented: ‘The Dv8 Advisory Board is delighted that Dv8 has improved its OFSTED grade to ‘Requires Improvement’. This represents good progress but with distance still to travel to the aspiration of a ‘Good’ grade in the near future. The board wishes to acknowledge the hard work of all Dv8 staff and the contribution of key individuals and partner organisations who have supported Dv8 on its recent journey’.

To see the final report please download here

For more information on LLC please see https://www.londonlc.org.uk/

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