HIGH teaching standards have seen Eastleigh College break into the top ten per cent of further education institutions in the country after receiving a glowing report from government inspectors.

Ofsted rated Eastleigh College's key strengths as its pass rates, teaching and learning, governance, leadership and management and opportunities for work experience.

The report has been welcomed by the college's new chief executive, Tony Lau-Walker.

He said: "This represents an exceptional performance for a college with such a complex and wide-ranging provision. It means that students and their parents and employers can be confident that they will receive an excellent programme of study at this college."

Eastleigh College offers more than 1,800 vocational, technical, professional and leisure courses to approximately 1,000 full-time students, aged 14 to 18, and more than 12,000 part-time adult students. Ofsted noted that Eastleigh College serves its community well and particularly acknowledged the recently refurbished learning resource centre as being a pleasant and comfortable area for studying.

Mr Lau-Walker said: "I am highly satisfied with the recognition of the good work done in this college by staff and students that this inspection has given us. It is particularly gratifying to see such a high level of achievement across the whole curriculum. Our outreach work has been highlighted for praise as well as our work with school leavers and with employers."

Eastleigh College students' views were part of the Ofsted inspection.

A summary of what students like about their college included a friendly atmosphere, supportive staff, a good teaching and learning and resource centre and IT facilities.