South Downs College
Encyclopedia
South Downs College is a further education college located in Waterlooville
, to the north of Portsmouth
, England.
The College occupies a single site, purpose-built campus on Portsdown Hill
, within the Borough of Havant
.
The majority of the College's students are drawn from Havant and Portsmouth, an area with a combined population of over 300,000.
It currently offers 45 A-Level subjects and 40 vocational subjects to full time students as well as over 600 courses for part time students.
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 and aims to expand its provision in local centres opening, in October 2000, the Leigh Park Learning Centre in the Greywell shopping precinct in Leigh Park
.
South Downs College is continually improving its facilities with twelve new building programmes in as many years. Major developments include: new teaching areas, theatre and allied performing arts provision; a large modern training salon in the Hair and Beauty Department; a Fitness Centre containing state of the art facilities and equipment, including a large area with both CV machines and free weights; a new purpose built music building, featuring recital room, practice rooms and a recording studio; a refurbished fully licensed restaurant; enhanced laboratories; media studio; networked information technology facilities and a new purpose built animal building for handling and care courses.
As a result the college has become increasingly popular and currently has around 5,000 full time students and 7,000 part time students.
The College's exam results are consistently above the national average. In 2009 students achieved a 99.6% A Level pass rate out of 1,698 entries, the highest in the College's history and improving on the 99.5% achieved in 2008.
Of the 44 subjects sat, 41 achieved a 100% pass rate and 81% of students achieved an A-C grade with 50% achieving an A or B grade. Art & Design, Critical Thinking and Latin all achieved 100% A-C profile.
In 2005 the South Downs College was judged to be an 'outstanding college' by Ofsted. In October 2007 Ofsted again judged the College as 'outstanding'.
In 2009 the College Restaurant and Café Bar was declared regional winner for the South for the third time in four years and overall UK winner of the College Restaurant of the Year competition.
Waterlooville
Waterlooville is a town in Hampshire, England approximately 8 miles north of Portsmouth.The town has a population itself of about 10,000 and is surrounded by Purbrook, Blendworth, Cowplain, Lovedean, Clanfield, Catherington, Crookhorn, Denmead, Hambledon, Horndean and Widley. It forms part of...
, to the north of Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England.
The College occupies a single site, purpose-built campus on Portsdown Hill
Portsdown Hill
Portsdown Hill is a long chalk hill in Hampshire, England, offering good views over Portsmouth, The Solent, Hayling Island and Gosport, with the Isle of Wight beyond. The hill is on the mainland, just to the north of Ports Creek, which separates the mainland from Portsea Island, on which lies the...
, within the Borough of Havant
Havant (borough)
Havant is a local government district and borough in Hampshire, England. Its council is based in Havant. Other places within the Borough include Bedhampton, Cowplain, Emsworth, Hayling Island, Purbrook, Waterlooville and Widley...
.
The majority of the College's students are drawn from Havant and Portsmouth, an area with a combined population of over 300,000.
It currently offers 45 A-Level subjects and 40 vocational subjects to full time students as well as over 600 courses for part time students.
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 and aims to expand its provision in local centres opening, in October 2000, the Leigh Park Learning Centre in the Greywell shopping precinct in Leigh Park
Leigh Park
Leigh Park is a large suburb of Havant, in Hampshire, England. It has four electoral wards: Battins, Bondfields, Barncroft and Warren Park ....
.
South Downs College is continually improving its facilities with twelve new building programmes in as many years. Major developments include: new teaching areas, theatre and allied performing arts provision; a large modern training salon in the Hair and Beauty Department; a Fitness Centre containing state of the art facilities and equipment, including a large area with both CV machines and free weights; a new purpose built music building, featuring recital room, practice rooms and a recording studio; a refurbished fully licensed restaurant; enhanced laboratories; media studio; networked information technology facilities and a new purpose built animal building for handling and care courses.
As a result the college has become increasingly popular and currently has around 5,000 full time students and 7,000 part time students.
The College's exam results are consistently above the national average. In 2009 students achieved a 99.6% A Level pass rate out of 1,698 entries, the highest in the College's history and improving on the 99.5% achieved in 2008.
Of the 44 subjects sat, 41 achieved a 100% pass rate and 81% of students achieved an A-C grade with 50% achieving an A or B grade. Art & Design, Critical Thinking and Latin all achieved 100% A-C profile.
In 2005 the South Downs College was judged to be an 'outstanding college' by Ofsted. In October 2007 Ofsted again judged the College as 'outstanding'.
In 2009 the College Restaurant and Café Bar was declared regional winner for the South for the third time in four years and overall UK winner of the College Restaurant of the Year competition.