Fareham College is a further education college situated on a 22-acre (89,000Â m2) campus on the western side of the town of Fareham in Hampshire, England. Directly opposite the college is St Judes Primary School.
Admissions
Fareham College is situated within ten minutes walk west of the local railway station and a five-minute drive from the local bus station on the A27. The spacious Bishopsfield Road campus is less than five miles from the M27. It is next to St Jude's catholic junior school.
Students who require financial help with their transport costs to College can apply for assistance - which, for those cases approved, represents a firm commitment of support, unlike other Colleges that might offer free transport, but whose small print might indicate that assistance will not be given for every term of study in the year. The college's intake mainly comes from the boroughs of Fareham and Gosport, and the surrounding areas of south-east Hampshire.
Although other Fareham young people study A-levels outside of the town at neighbouring sixth form colleges such as St Vincent, Itchen, Havant or South Downs College, recent data now reveals that student numbers at Fareham College have risen by over 60% over the last five years, reaching an impressive 1,700 16- to 18-year-old Full Time students, with 60% coming from Fareham and surrounding areas and 40% coming from Gosport, to study vocational and traditional academic courses. There are also over 1,300 students aged over 19 at Fareham College who study a mix of classroom and 'work based learning' in very up-to-date facilities on the Bishopsfield Road campus.
History
Fareham College was formed in 1984 as a merger between an earlier technical college (Fareham Technical College) on the same site and the sixth-form college at the historic Price's School, a boys' grammar school on Park Lane, (before the latter's site was sold to developers) in 1984, and became the sole state provider of tertiary education in Fareham. Price's School became a sixth form college in 1976. Fareham Grammar School for Girls was on Birdwood Grove, and became Cams Hill School.
Principals
- Peter Watkins, Principal from 1980-4 of Price’s Sixth Form College (Head from 1974-9 of Chichester High School For Boys and from 1969-74 of King Edward VI Five Ways)
- Carl Groves (2002-2011), Carl had to step down as principal due to ill health.
- Nigel Duncan (2012-present)
Academic performance
Fareham College achieved a Grade 2 - Good in an Ofsted report 2013 highlighting the excellent vocational and academic opportunities for students. The college performed significantly well in 2012-13 and the grade reflected the college's changing status progressing under a new Ofsted common inspection framework, from a previous Grade 3 - Satisfactory in 2010 and previous Grade 2 (Dec08) and the Grade 3 - Satisfactory that was reported in 2005. In 2013, the college took the decision not to run an A-level programme, honoring existing A2 provision and shifting the focus to vocational courses.
Courses
The college offers a wide variety of courses including:
- Vocational Courses â€" at various levels from Entry Level to Level 3 National Diplomas.
- Occupational Courses â€" developing specialist trade skills in a variety of industries, from Entry Level to NVQ Level 3.
- Advanced General Certificates â€" AS/A Levels in the most popular subjects.
- Vocational Course - BTEC First Diploma (1 year) and National Diploma in Music (2 years) in a fully equipped area including recording studio, practice rooms, and recently refurbished Gaming & Computing suites.
Facilities
The purpose-built campus has updated its hairdressing and beauty therapy salons (open to the public for treatments), training kitchens and restaurant ("Chequers") which is open to the public for lunch and evening meals on set days of the week. Other facilities include laboratories, an air cabin crew training plane, a theatre, art and drama studios, music and media suites, an aerospace engineering training helicopter and several motor vehicle workshops.
In September 2014 the College opened a Centre for Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training (CEMAST). This was the first major development of the newly designated Solent Enterprise Zone at the former HMS Daedalus site in Lee-on-the-Solent. Following this project, funding is being sought for a redevelopment of the Bishopsfield campus which would see new facilities being built along the northern part of the site, with a new performance space, gaming and computing centre, recording studio, salons and student facilities.
There is a 'Train to Gain' work-based provision, with many local and well-known employers involved. The College recently opened a new Construction Centre at the Fareham Reach Business Park on the A32 in Gosport, in response to demand for its brickwork and other trades courses. The College is also planning a new capital build programme which will not only add to its facilities, but also provide extensive resources and a venue for the communities of Fareham and Gosport. The Hair and Beauty educational provision was graded as 'Grade 1 - Outstanding' in the Ofsted December 08 report, with the facilities noted also as 'Outstanding' and on a far larger scale than one traditionally finds in a further education college. Student tutorial and on site pastoral support is very strong and was similarly praised in the December Ofsted report.
Alumni
Price's School
- Neil Astley, who founded Bloodaxe Books
- Rear-Adm Roger Dimmock CB, commanded HMS Hermes from 1982-3, and RNAS Culdrose from 1980-2
- Robert Goddard (novelist)
- Peter Long, Chief Executive since 2007 of TUI Travel, and former Chief Executive of First Choice from 1999-2007, its predecessor
- Prof Marcus Miller, Professor of Economics since 1974 at the University of Warwick
- Oliver Neville, Principal from 1984-93 of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
References
External links
- College website
- Former Price's School
- EduBase