Two years after moving to its new 40-acre campus, Ofsted inspectors said the college does not provide good value for money, and said achievement was "unsatisfactory" in three out of 11 areas.

Governors have rallied behind prinicipal Anne Murdoch, who will stay on to oversee crucial reforms introduced last year.

The report says: "Governors and senior managers set a clear strategic direction and they are energetically working to develop a better management system across the college.

"Many developments are still at an early stage of implementation, although strategies to improve attendance are clearly working.

"Although most teaching is satisfactory or better, the profile of good or better teaching is below the national average for general further education colleges. The effectiveness of curriculum management varies and is inadequate in too many areas."

The report praised the college's strong governance, a sound financial footing, and community initiatives, but the pressure is on to improve dropout and pass rates, and introduce better time-tabling and lesson planning.

The college has around 700 full time students, largely sixth formers, and 20,000 part-time students, and more than half of these pay their own course fees, or are sponsored by their workplace.

The quality of provision is unsatisfactory in hospitality, sports, leisure and travel, health, social care and public services, and visual and performing arts. The provision of work-based learning in engineering and business administration, and management and professional studies is also unsatisfactory.