College receives Outstanding results in Ofsted inspection

Plumpton College is thrilled to announce its exceptional performance in the recent OFSTED inspection, achieving outstanding grades in multiple key areas.  

The college is the leading provider for land and environment training and education for the South East, with over 19 specialist subjects including agriculture, animal and veterinary sciences, horticulture, and viticulture.

Highlights of the OFSTED report include:  

The Learning Culture
Inspectors noted the students flourish in a positive and inclusive culture at the college and celebrate one another’s differences and enjoy learning in a diverse environment. Inspectors also found that students value the purposeful and professional working environment at the college, which replicates the industries they wish to progress into. All students therefore have very positive attitudes to learning, they enjoy their studies and are motivated to be successful. The majority of students progress to positive destinations. 

Adult Education Provision: Achieved an “Outstanding” grade highlighting;
Leaders and managers have developed a highly relevant range of adult education programmes with the aim of teaching people, who are out of work or retraining, the skills they need for employment. For example, students swiftly learn the required skills in forestry and arboriculture to gain the licences to practise in the industry. The Royal Horticulture Society adult provision prepares students well for entry into employment, addressing skills gaps within the horticulture sector. Adult students progress exceptionally well on to higher level qualifications, employment or self-employment in their chosen sector.   

Apprenticeship Provision: Achieved an “Outstanding” grade highlighting;
Employers value the extensive knowledge and expert skills that apprentices learn while at college. As a result, apprentices make excellent progress, are highly motivated and the majority achieve their apprenticeship, many with high grades. They become more confident and make a very positive contribution to their workplaces. 

Personal Development: Achieved an “Outstanding” grade highlighting;
Students benefit from an outstanding personal development curriculum. Leaders and staff provide students with a wide range of activities and opportunities that develop their interests and talents. Students benefit from enrichment activities and additional qualifications that are of exceptional quality. 

Provision for Learners with High Needs: Achieved an “Outstanding” grade highlighting;
Managers and teachers implement highly effective teaching strategies and tailored support to make sure students reach their full potential. Students with high needs make excellent progress towards their planned outcomes. 

Furthermore, the report highlighted the colleges contribution to meeting skills needs as strong, commending the college on its partnership approach to working with land-based businesses on a local, regional, and national level to develop a curriculum and workforce that is fit for purpose for the future of the industries we serve.  

The college, which also boasts on-campus accommodation for up to 200 of its 4000 students, was inspected last May under the social care common inspection framework and was graded Outstanding in all areas for its residential provision.  

Principal Jeremy Kerswell shares:  

“I am incredibly proud of our college community; staff, students, parents and employers and I’m delighted that their hard work and dedication to education has been recognised by the inspection team. 

These results demonstrate our unwavering commitment to students graduating Plumpton College career ready, with more than just a qualification. Our teachers are dual professionals, with exceptional sector knowledge and skills, and honed pedagogical skills which means our students gain so much more insight into the industry they are joining, leaning on the experience of our curriculum teams.  

Last year alone, 95% of our students when leaving college entered Higher education or a place of work. We continue to attract more students than ever before to land and environment education which offers excellent career prospects and progression. We remain focused on providing the highest quality of education enabling students to reach their full potential.” 

The college continues to invest in leading resources for its students offering real-world environments to train in. The college has just begun its investment into a new Veterinary and Animal Science Institute of Technology due to open early 2025 following investments made over the last 5 years into a new Centre of Excellence for Horticulture, One Garden Brighton and new the Agri-Food facilities in the heart of its campus.  

Read the full report