FAILINGS at a crisis-hit Hampshire college have been highlighted in its final Ofsted inspection before merging with a crime reduction charity.

Totton College, which has faced financial problems and last week announced it will join up with Nacro, has been heavily criticised for weaknesses in learning, teaching, and assessment.

The report says: "Leaders and managers over a significant period of time have failed to secure improvement in the quality of provision and remove the significant weaknesses in teaching, learning and assessment.

"Students' achievement rates declined in 2013/14 and are very low. the progress that A and AS level students make in relation to their prior attainment has declined and is very poor.

"In most lessons, teachers do not challenge students to achieve to their full potential and teachers do not focus sufficiently on assessing the progress that students make.

"The targets that teachers set for students are not sufficiently challenging or detailed to help students to improve."

Despite the damning report, which deemed the college inadequate in all areas, there was praise for the inclusive and welcoming atmosphere created by teachers, and it was noted that the school was a "safe environment" for young people.

Earlier this year the college announced it was axing A-level courses after cash problems but a planned merger with Eastleigh College fell through.

An inspection carried out between April 28 and May 1 this year listed a catalogue of problems in a number of areas.

Inspectors were greeted by angry students and campaigners waving placards and banners protesting about the scrapping of A-level courses.

College bosses have been quick to clarify that despite the amalgamation with crime charity Nacro the college will not be educating criminals.

A Totton College spokeswoman told the Daily Echo that when the merger is complete the college will be dissolved as a legal entity and the Ofsted report will become "obsolete".

The spokeswoman said: "Totton College is working closely with Nacro to make sure we provide high quality education and training opportunities to all students attending Totton College.

"Totton College will remain an education provider serving the local community as it currently does. It will not be a college for offenders or ex-offenders.

"Nacro and Totton College are fully committed to ensuring that Totton College can become a centre of excellence for local vocational education."