A Darlington college facing staff redundancies and cuts in courses was praise in a report by Government inspectors published today.

Teachers, managers and governors at Darlington College of Technology have been congratulated for providing thousands of students with a safe, supportive and well-equipped place to learn.

The report comes only weeks after the Learning and Skills Council announced budget cuts, which will force the college to cut up to 40 jobs.

The Ofsted inspectors said the "effective financial management by the college made it good value for money".

A team of inspectors scrutinised every aspect of college life during April, observing 185 tutorials and talking to tutors, non-teaching staff and students at the Darlington and Catterick sites.

The report described some aspects of the college as outstanding, praised the standards of teaching and highlighted the strong and effective leadership and governance.

The report states: "The quality of teaching and learning has improved considerably since the last inspection and is now significantly above the average for general further education colleges."

Pass rates have also risen over the past four years and were now around or above the national average.

Inspectors also picked up on students' views of the college and said students said they found the staff helpful, supportive and knowledgeable; the atmosphere to be friendly and welcoming and they felt safe and able to develop skills and confidence while networking and meeting friends.

Students also said there was flexible provision for adult learners with children and a variety of activities to enjoy and a good restaurant.

Some problems were highlighted with ageing facilities at the Cleveland Avenue site, but these were likely to be overcome when the college moved to its new £34.7m campus in Haughton Road.

Darlington College principal and chief executive, Sarah Farley, said: "I am delighted that the inspectors have praised the outstanding skills and talents of students who are achieving the highest grades nationally.

"This is an excellent report for the college."