A BRADFORD-based college has been heavily criticised by inspectors, who say the number of people who leave with qualifications has “declined significantly.”

Bowling College, based at the Centre for Enterprise on Manningham Lane, was visited by Ofsted inspectors shortly before Christmas.

Their report into the independent learning provider has just been published, describing it as “inadequate” and criticising leadership, quality of teaching, outcomes for students and apprenticeships.

The not for profit college offers full and part time courses to adults, with many of its students on distance learning courses. Last year 659 students had studied with the college.

Many of the courses offered were free, with funding coming from the Skills Funding Agency.

Students at the college study courses including health care, childcare, maths and English.

Bowling College was judged “good” when last inspected in 2013, but the most recent report said teaching standards had “collapsed” since then, and that many staff had left in the past year due to low morale.

The inspection report says: “Directors and managers have overseen a persistent decline in the proportion of learners who achieve their qualifications. “The majority of learners do not acquire the skills and knowledge to enable them to progress further into education and employment, or to advance their careers.”

“The majority of current learners have reached the planned end of their programme without achieving their qualifications.

“Very few apprentices achieve their qualifications.”

The directors who run the college area also criticised, with the report saying: “Directors are responsible for a significant deterioration in the quality of provision since the last inspection.

“The chief executive officer has not provided effective oversight or support to his staff, many of whom have left due to poor morale. This has compounded the problems brought about by falling achievement rates for learners and a collapse in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.”

Performance management is described as “non-existent” and inspectors found that a fifth of students were absent from classes in 2015/16.

But the college was praised for “reaching out effectively to recruit learners from minority ethnic communities.”

The Telegraph & Argus tried to contact Bowling College to discuss the report, but the phone number listed for it was not working, nor was its email address. There was also no reply when the T&A called at the building for a comment.

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