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
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.’
Corporate Objectives
- contributing to the achievement of the national targets by increasing participation
and raising standards and attainment levels, including entry into 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 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 Skills Funding Agency, 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 supporting 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, education 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
- developing models of collaboration across the 14-19 age range with a variety of
local partners
- 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 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 the learner 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.
In 2010-11, there were some 5,700 full-time students, following a wide variety of
general and work-related further and higher education courses. There are currently
some 5,500 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 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 and 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 732 students progressing
to higher education last year.
The College was inspected by Ofsted in October 2007 and the following grades were
awarded:
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Effectiveness of provision
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Outstanding:
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Grade 1
|
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Capacity to improve
|
Outstanding:
|
Grade 1
|
|
Achievement and standards
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Outstanding:
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Grade 1
|
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Quality of provision
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Outstanding:
|
Grade 1
|
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Leadership and management
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Outstanding:
|
Grade 1
|
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Equality of opportunity
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Outstanding: contributory
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Grade 1
|
South Downs College was awarded Beacon Status in 2007. The College was also re-accredited
for the Matrix Information, Advice and Guidance Standard in 2007 and 2010 and also
as an ‘Investor in People’ in February 2008.
College Facilities
The College accommodation is of the highest standard with nineteen new building
programmes in as many years. The College has, over recent years, without any financial
borrowing, significantly developed and enhanced the campus. The reception, with
customer and student support services, remains a physical manifestation of the College’s
commitment to promoting a quality service to all students. Other major developments
include: teaching areas, theatre and allied performing arts provision, electronic
music studios, enhanced laboratory, media studio and networked information technology
facilities, a classroom building comprising twenty teaching spaces in a building
designed also to give easier access to extended car parking on land which the College
bought for this purpose. Throughout, careful consideration has been given to make
access easier for people with disabilities. The College has completed an art studio
and courtyard café built to very high specifications. There is a nursery providing
childcare facilities for use by students and staff. There is an excellent College
Learning Resources Centre and this offers facilities for individual study and research,
together with access to self-supported study areas. Thirteen teaching rooms were
added in August 1998 and a further six teaching rooms and hairdressing salons opened
in September 1999. Three further rooms were added for September 2000, and a Music
Building was completed in September 2001. The Fitness Centre was completed in December
2002, and the South East Building incorporating a cafeteria, 27 classrooms, staff
workrooms and examination space was completed between April 2003 and March 2004.
The North East Building containing 10 classrooms was completed in September 2004,
and the North West Building 1 completed in June 2007 provides specialist animal
management facilities, a sports science laboratory, 11 classrooms and a staff workroom.
In November 2007 South Downs College took delivery of a section of a Boeing 747
fuselage to provide a realistic working environment for Air Cabin Crew students.
The North West Building 2 completed in September 2009 contains twelve teaching spaces
including ten specialist Art and Design rooms and a staff workroom.
The College maintains a large computer network with some 1500 stations for students
and 550 stations for staff, including a station on every desk in teaching staff
workrooms. Increasingly rooms are equipped with stations and either an interactive
whiteboard or a projector.