Agriculture to stay at college roots
Agriculture remains fundamental to the future of Easton College, the principal, David Lawrence, has insisted.
"I get asked the question a lot but we have not deserted our land-base roots," he said, when presenting his annual review.
"We have diversified but without that we could not have paid for the agricultural courses. There is more land-based work than ever but it has gone down as a proportion because of the growth of the college," he told visitors to the official opening of the Jubilee Building extension.
"We are the last college in East Anglia to have all the major elements of agriculture available. It is a big chunk of what we do and much bigger than any of our compatriots. Agriculture is fundamental to what we do."
Other thriving courses at the college include sport and leisure and public services.
The past year had seen a substantial increase in the number of 16-18 year old students attending the college and a significant increase in success rates.
He was pleased that an Ofsted inspection at the end of last year had found the college to be "good" in every aspect of its work – and with the capacity to improve further.
"Now we want to go from good to outstanding," he added.
One particular delight for him was the high level of 14-16 year schools pupils coming to the college for a day a week for vocational qualifications.
There were currently 330 of them, from 36 schools, and there was an 84pc success rate.
"Significantly, 75pc of them carried on to further education when, without this opportunity, the chances are they would not have carried on," said Mr Lawrence.
He was heartened by the new relationship with the UEA. In the past all their higher education courses had been franchised from Anglia Ruskin University.
"Now they are UEA programmes and as part of the transfer work they were converted into foundation degree programmes."
He was also delighted with the Jubilee Building phase two and they were already looking at a final phase to complete the complex of teaching buildings with a featured courtyard in the centre.
