Canterbury College, Kent

Canterbury College was established in 1947 and has grown to be one of the largest Further and Higher Education Colleges in the South East, with campuses in Canterbury and Swale.

Their mission statement is “to be the best at teaching & learning” and they have about 10,000 students and 800 staff. The college predominantly provides Further Education courses to students 16 and up, with a growing provision in Higher Education courses as well as part-time courses for adult learners and flexible studying.

The College is situated near the centre of Canterbury, a city with a large student population.

Further Education

Canterbury College’s provision ranges from A Level, Degrees and vocational courses for school-leavers and adults through to day-release courses and in-house training and assessment for companies.

AS/A Levels Canterbury College has a large AS/A Level department, offering students courses in languages, humanities and sciences. A Levels are Level 3 courses and can be achieved in two parts (AS & A2).

Certificates and Diplomas The college offers a number of vocational certificate and diploma qualifications for students to study across a range of disciplines, from Art to Travel. These courses are designed to provide students with practical skills in their chosen field.

Level 2 qualifications are the same level as GCSEs (grades A*-C), with the highest Level 2 BTEC Diploma equivalent to 4 GCSEs. Level 3 qualifications are the same level as A Levels, with the highest Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma equivalent to 3 A Levels.

Higher Education The Higher Education courses offered at Canterbury College can be studied on a full or part-time basis, combining part-time study with a job.

Apprenticeships The college offers over 30 apprenticeships. As employees, Apprentices earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills. The employer pays the employee's wages and gives on-the-job training which allows them to achieve vocational qualifications. Students also spend time at College, gaining Functional Skills which will be useful in the job market: working effectively as part of a team, communicating clearly and using new technology.

Facilities

The College is resourced with real working environments for a range of vocational courses including: Hairdressing and Beauty Salons offering treatments to students, staff and the general public; a Florists shop with private and corporate clients; a fine dining restaurant - The Beretun. The Technology and Motor Vehicle centres provide students with modern, custom-built workshops, laboratories and lecture rooms.

• Commercial Hair & Beauty Salons
• Gas & Plumbing Centre
• Learning Resources Centre
• Construction, Motor Vehicle and Engineering Workshops
• Performing Arts Theatre and Dance Studios
• Radio & TV Studios
• Science Labs
• Sports Hall
• Stationery Shop
• Animal Care Centre
• Art & Design Studios
• Children’s Centre
• Food Hall and Coffee Shops
• Floristry Shop
• Fine Dining Restaurant

CTR - Canterbury Training and Recruitment CTR is a business within the college, offering students a free recruitment service and companies a link to employing students through and after their courses at the college. They also offer training for local businesses, such as the NHS.

Canterbury College recently announced it had been awarded National Skills Academy (NSA) for Retail status, a government backed scheme, providing training for the retail sector, suited to individual and employer needs.

Extra-Curricular and Students' Union

Students’ Union, is the best FE Students' Union in the country (NUS Awards 2012), is dedicated to its members and to improving the student experience inside and outside of the classroom. The Students' Union has been in the Top three at the NUS Awards for FE Students' Union since 2009. The Students' Union also organises many trips and activities to local and national events. The current president of the Student Union is Ben Gardiner. The Vice-President (FE) is Danielle Daws, Vice-President (HE) Esther Mace, Welfare Officer is Charlotte Butler, Event's Officer is Naomi Pettman, Public Relations Officer is Hannah Brown, Liberations Officer is Ruth Davis and the Finance Officer is Connor Glithero

Canterbury College offers its students a range of trips and activities as part of their courses to enhance their learning experience.

Many business organisations are linked to the college departments, building many valuable business skills and connections.

Many departments support and raise monies for local and national charities, such as: Pilgrims Hospice and Comic Relief.

On the 11/12/2013 Canterbury College Students' Union and Canterbury College signed the Time to Change pledge.

Redevelopment

Canterbury College completed Phase 1 and 2 (£50 million) of their campus redevelopment programme in 2008. April 2006 saw the completion of Phase 1, which included the new Children’s Centre, Technology Centre, Land Based Centre, Motor Vehicle Centre and the Post-16 Centre.

Canterbury College's £19m A Block building includes state of the art facilities for students in the following areas: Hair and Beauty, Sports Therapy, Veterinary Nursing, Public Services, Health and Social Care, Early Years, Supported Learning and Technology.

The £50 Million redevelopment project at Canterbury College won the LABC South East Building Excellence Awards event held in Brighton in June 2009.

The new A Block was opened in January 2012, having started with the demolition of the two teaching blocks - Becket/Cramner, which were built in the 1960s. The demolition started in March 2010 with building work commencing shortly after.

With the demolition of the sports hall beginning January 2014, the smoking area which had been a common sight on the adjacent major road was relocated to the back of the college.

References

External links

• www.canterburycollege.ac.uk Official website

Coordinates: 51°16′32″N 1°5′23″E / 51.27556°N 1.08972°E