From Recovery to Remarkable: Hull College’s Journey of Sustained Improvement

In 2023, Hull College turned a critical corner. After years of turbulence and underperformance, the institution had not only stabilized — it had transformed. A November 2023 Ofsted inspection confirmed a remarkable leap in quality, awarding a ​‘Good’ rating for overall effectiveness, and ​‘Outstanding’ in Adult Learning Programmes and Personal Development.

Fast forward to 2025, and the data speaks for itself. Achievement, retention, and attendance figures continue their upward trajectory, and enrollment has risen by over 50% since 2021. These improvements aren’t just statistical wins; they reflect a cultural and pedagogical overhaul underpinned by the HOW2 Platform and a relentless focus on developmental practice led by Ranjit Singh, Vice Principal of Quality and Learner Experience.

From day one, newly appointed Vice Principal Ranjit Singh made teaching and learning the top priority. Brought in as part of a wider leadership restructure to tackle longstanding underperformance, Singh was tasked with leading a rapid and far-reaching improvement in quality.

At the heart of his strategy was a complete overhaul of the college’s approach to quality assurance. When he joined in 2021, the situation was stark: no formal lesson observations had taken place in over a year, and there was no effective system to monitor or improve the quality of teaching.

To address this, Singh introduced a Deep Dive process — an integrated model for observation and development, with the HOW2 Platform embedded at every stage. This new approach enabled the college to establish a developmental system focused on professional growth. By linking each observation to evidence-informed techniques via HOW2, every step in the process — from planning to feedback — was grounded in practical, actionable support. Following each observation, teachers received a developmental action plan recommending two HOW2 techniques, carefully matched to areas for development and aligned with the college’s newly established learning criteria.

This multi-step process included:

• A pre-observation meeting with line managers, exploring Intent, Implementation, and Impact
  
  

• Learning walks and lesson observations using a new set of clear learning criteria
  
  

• Coaching conversations and staff voice feedback
  
  

• Follow-up meetings with action plans tailored to teacher needs

From the outset, the college linked its learning criteria with evidence-based techniques available on the HOW2 Platform. To support this, the Quality team used the platform’s HOW2 Sets feature — allowing them to create bespoke collections of teaching strategies mapped directly to areas identified for improvement. These Sets could then be assigned to individual teachers, teams, departments, or the whole organization, ensuring a consistent and targeted approach to pedagogical development across the college.

Teachers collaborated with coaches to plan and develop lessons, using the recommended HOW2 techniques as a clear focus for their development. They were then re-observed as part of the ongoing cycle of improvement. Following this, teachers updated their ​‘statuses’ using the HOW2 Platform’s Skills Exchange feature — tagging each technique as ​“considering it,” ​“working on it,” or ​“embedded it.” This visibility enabled managers to track development across teams and allowed staff to share practices and learn from one another across departments.

The new observation system also introduced a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) rating against six clear aspects of teaching and learning:

1. Planning for learning
   
   

2. Meeting the needs of all learners
   
   

3. Assessment of learning
   
   

4. Development of English and Maths
   
   

5. Personal development
   
   

6. Behaviour and attitudes
   
   

This created a transparent and data-rich view of teaching across the institution — providing leaders with both a macro and micro understanding of quality, while maintaining a coaching-first approach. The feedback loop was collaborative, not punitive. Feedback meetings shifted from being about accountability to being about pedagogy and improvement. As Singh summarised: ​“Thanks to HOW2, feedback meetings were spent discussing pedagogy — not grading.”

This developmental ethos quickly took root. Teachers reported increased satisfaction and confidence. Observations became learning opportunities rather than stress-inducing evaluations. Managers found the process less confrontational and more effective. And across the board, improvements were measurable, consistent, and lasting. Singh reflected: ​“At the start of our developmental journey, the HOW2 Platform proved more valuable than taking on extra staff.”

Since the introduction of Singh’s developmental model, centered on teaching and learning and underpinned by the HOW2 Platform, Hull College has achieved sustained, measurable improvements across all key performance indicators.

The 2022 data reflects the early impact of the Deep Dive observation process, the introduction of new learning criteria, and a whole-college shift toward developmental practice. From that point, outcomes have continued to climb at pace — signaling not just improvement, but embedded and accelerating success.

Achievement Rates – On Track for Outstanding

English and Maths Outcomes have risen steadily and impressively across all learner groups:

• Overall: 82% (2022) → 86% (2023) → 88% (2024)
  
  

• Adult learners: 87.5% → 91% → 93%
  
  

• Entry/Level 1: 84% → 92% → 93%
  
  

Vocational Outcomes have also shown consistent gains:

• Overall: 88% (2022) → 89% (2023) → 90% (2024)
  
  

• 16 – 18 cohort: 82% → 83% → 85%
  
  

• Adults: 90% → 92% → 93%
  
  

With 2025 predictions on course to exceed 90% across the board, the college is confidently targeting Outstanding — backed by evidence, not optimism.

The impact of the college’s developmental approach has extended beyond achievement rates, evident in a sharp rise in retention, attendance, and lesson quality.

By 2022, improvements brought about by the new observation process and strategic focus on teaching and learning were already taking hold. Since then, the college has continued to build on that momentum.

• Retention increased from 88% in 2022 to 94% in 2024, with projections set to reach 96% in 2025
  
  

• Attendance surged from 81% to 88%
  
  

• The proportion of ​“green-rated” (high-quality) lessons climbed from 47% to 75%, and is forecast to reach 85% in 2025
  
  

These improvements reflect not only better teaching but a stronger culture of consistency, engagement, and accountability across the organization.

Hull College’s enrollment has grown from 9,884 learners in 2021 to over 15,350 in 2024, with expectations to reach 17,000 by 2025 — demonstrating renewed trust and growing reputation across the community.

Hull College’s resurgence isn’t just a story of compliance and recovery — it’s a model for systemic cultural change.

Where once there was a college in crisis, now stands an award-winning institution, recognized nationally for quality improvement and teaching excellence. At every stage, HOW2 has functioned not just as a digital tool but as a catalyst for change — providing the framework, language, and confidence for teachers to grow.

“Teachers improved their practice throughout 2022 – 2023. There is careful thought and consideration put into improvement; quality managers use research-driven strategies to enhance both pedagogy and subject knowledge.”
 — Hull College Self-Assessment Report

With self-assessment forecasts pointing confidently to an Outstanding grade in 2025, Hull College is no longer just ​“on a journey” — it’s setting the pace.