Canterbury College, Kent


Canterbury College is a part of the EKC Group of colleges and provides Further and Higher Education in South East England. It was established in 1947.
The college has about 3800 students and 500 staff and predominantly provides Further Education courses to students 16 upwards, plus provision in Access to Higher Education, Higher Education as well as part-time courses and short courses for adult learners and flexible studying.
The College is situated near the centre of Canterbury.

Further Education

Canterbury College’s provision ranges from vocational courses to Degrees for school-leavers and adults through to day-release courses and in-house training and assessment for companies.
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, 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 which is 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 then 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 has a range of vocational courses including: Hairdressing and Beauty Salons offering treatments to students, staff and the general public and a fine dining restaurant - 'The Beretun'. The Technology and Motor Vehicle centres provide students with modern, custom-built workshops, laboratories and lecture rooms.
Active Links 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 for Retail status, a government backed scheme, providing training for the retail sector, suited to individual and employer needs.

Extra-Curricular and Students' Union

The Students' Union also organises many trips and activities to local and national events.

Redevelopment

Canterbury College completed Phase 1 and 2 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 facilities for students in 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.
The new sports, business and arts block were completed in 2016.