The South Downs College occupies a single site campus with purpose-built accommodation
and lies within the Borough of Havant just beyond the northern boundary of the city
of Portsmouth. The majority of the College's students are drawn from Havant and
Portsmouth and, together, the area has a population of over 300,000.
The mission of the College articulates a set of values shared by all staff and governors.
Widening participation, a commitment to quality lifelong learning and opportunities
for all are not slavishly recited aspirations but rather are core beliefs that underpin
the culture of the College.
‘The South Downs College is committed to increasing participation in, and broadening
access to, lifelong education for the benefit of individual students and the community.
The pursuit of excellence and parity of esteem between all types of provision are
fundamental values. The College will provide a high-quality service that aims to
fulfil the personal aspirations of all its learners.’
- contributing to the achievement of the national targets by increasing participation
and raising standards and attainment levels, including entry to higher education
- increasing student retention and achievement by providing advice, guidance, support
and an inclusive curriculum that is student-centred in its content, design and delivery
- continuing to improve the quality of the students' learning experience by enhancing
the importance of good and effective teaching and learning
- developing a high quality curriculum for all 14-19 and adult full-time students
that offers choice and diversity within a learner-centred College community
- ensuring quality assurance underpins all provision, regardless of a student's mode
of attendance or location, including part-time, flexible and on-line learning
- working collaboratively with the Learning and Skills Council, the inspectorates,
other agencies, authorities and organisations ensuring the College contributes to
the economic growth of the region and its environment
- developing a culture of rigorous self-assessment across the College based on the
continuous quality improvement of all its functions
- maintaining a flexible, adaptable and qualified workforce and being a good employer
by valuing, motivating and developing all staff as an 'Investor in People'
- planning accurately, meeting targets and remaining robustly solvent
- providing an attractive, safe and supportive learning, social and recreational environment
and well-resourced curriculum, for both students and staff
- encouraging the aspirations of students thus enabling them to lead more fulfilling
and prosperous lives - achieving their personal, educational and employment aims
as active and responsible citizens
- promoting social inclusion by encouraging the expansion of lifelong learning within
the community from basic skills to foundation degree, especially for people without
previous experience of post-16 educational opportunities
- providing a focus of educational opportunities for the encouragement and development
of areas of social deprivation and those people disadvantaged and excluded by other
circumstances
- ensuring adults have a wide provision of enjoyable learning opportunities within
the community facilitating access, success and progression
- providing the relevant skills for employment, opportunities for adult training,
enhancing qualifications, economic regeneration, workforce development and prosperity
within a knowledge-driven economy.
The culture of the College is centred on the concept of continuous qualitative improvement
across all functions of the organisation. The College aims to affect no less than
a significant change in culture and attitudes towards learning. There is a clarity
and coherence of purpose in the institution, the aim of which is to provide an education
of distinction to all learners, regardless of innate intellectual ability, background,
age or gender. It is a fundamental tenet that all students are valued equally. Every
learner is encouraged to fulfil individual aspirations and such encouragement exists
within a civilised and respectful community where the needs of learners are placed
first. The ethos of South Downs is that of a comprehensive community college which
espouses social and educational inclusivity. The College provides a service that
is student-centred in its context, design and delivery and encourages continuous
improvement, excellence, enterprise and innovation.
The College has exceeded its enrolment target each year since Incorporation. In
2005-6, there are some 4,700 full-time students, following a wide variety of general
and work-related further and higher education courses. There are currently some
9,000 part-time enrolments on courses ranging from basic skills to professional
qualifications at NVQ level 4 or equivalent. Some of the College’s part-time provision
is based off-campus mostly within schools and community centres to meet more localised
needs. The College actively supports lifelong learning within the community. The
College provides a range of services to promote professional development and training
for local business and industry. It has links with very large numbers of small as
well as large companies throughout the area and works in close collaboration with
the Learning & Skills Council for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and employer groups.
There is a genuine desire to widen participation in further education and in support
of this the Leigh Park Learning Centre in the Greywell shopping precinct in Leigh
Park was opened in October 2000.
The College commitment to quality and excellence is its consistently expressed goal.
There is an annual cycle of quality assurance in which all aspects of the College’s
work are subject to rigorous evaluation. Challenging performance targets are set
each year and progress in achieving them is systematically monitored. The College
believes totally in the concept of continuous improvement and there is a vigorously
critical approach to self-assessment across the institution.
Examination results are above the national average with over 600 students progressing
to higher education last year.