Hadlow College is a further and higher education college in Hadlow, Kent, England, with a satellite site in Greenwich. The curriculum primarily covers land-based subjects including Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Wildlife Management, Animal Management, Fisheries Management, Equine Studies and Floristry. Additionally, intermediate and advanced apprenticeships are offered in Golf Greenkeeping, Sports Turf, Agriculture, Horticulture and Land-based Engineering.
Origins and history
In 1919, a scheme of Agricultural Education for the County, which included the provision of a Farm Institute, was approved at a meeting of the Kent Education Committee. Borden Grammar School at Sittingbourne agreed to sell their property to the Kent Education Committee as soon as a new grammar school was built, but it was not until 1929 that Borden Grammar School was occupied and its building adapted for Kent Farm Institute purposes. Grove End Farm, Tunstall, Kent was purchased in July 1919 to be run as the Institute's farm.
After the Second World War, the Kent Education Committee bought the remaining buildings of the former Swanley Horticultural College in Hextable, Swanley, together with of land to form the basis of the Kent Horticultural Institute. Until 1949, this Institute was used as a training centre in horticulture for ex-service personnel under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. In September 1949, the Education Committee took possession and the Kent Horticulture Institute was developed and run in parallel with the Kent Farm Institute.
In 1958, the two institutes were merged to form the Kent Farm and Horticulture Institute. Although the two departments were apart, this was the first step in bringing the two together. In the spring of 1960, of land was purchased from Bourne Grange Estate, Hadlow, for the establishment of a combined Institute. The Agricultural Department moved from Sittingbourne to the new site at Hadlow in the summer of 1966, and the Horticultural Department in the summer of 1967. The Institute was then renamed Hadlow College of Agriculture and Horticulture. On 22 March 1968, His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the college.
In June 2010, the college was graded "outstanding" by Ofsted. It also received an "outstanding" grade for its residential care provision at its most recent Ofsted social care inspection.
Hadlow College
In 2009, Hadlow College was approached by Dover District Council and Kent County Council to develop the site of the former Betteshanger Colliery. The resultant scheme – Betteshanger Park – was the outcome of four years of partnership working. The scheme was launched on 6 November 2013 at the House of Commons with work commencing on site in 2014.
On 1 August 2014, Hadlow College formally acquired the Tonbridge and Ashford campuses of K College, re-establishing them as Ashford College and West Kent College (2014).
On 17 May 2019, Hadlow College become the first in the country to go into educational administration. That same year, following a review by the Further Education Commissioner, it was recommended that the Hadlow College Group be split up and taken on by three colleges: North Kent College, East Kent Colleges Group and Capel Manor College.
On 2 December 2019, Quinn Estates purchased the 299-acre Betteshanger Park from Hadlow College. On 1 January 2020, the education-related facilities of Hadlow College’s Mottingham campus transferred to Capel Manor College. On 1 April 2020, the education-related facilities of Hadlow College’s Canterbury site, as well as Ashford College, transferred to East Kent College Group. On 15 August 2020, the education-related facilities of Hadlow College, including Princess Christian’s Farm and the equestrian centre in Greenwich, and West Kent College (2014) transferred to North Kent College. Currently Hadlow College is run by North Kent College who have campuses in Dartford, Gravesend and Tonbridge as well
Facilities
Set on a 100ha estate, Hadlow College enjoys many facilities. Its equine centre is listed within the London 2012 Training Guide and its animal management building, which opened in spring 2009, is amongst the best in the country.
Additional facilities on the estate include a fully functioning farm with a beef herd, breeding sheep, animal management unit, variety of habitats for woodland and countryside management, stock ponds, hatchery, cross country equine courses together with international size arenas, glasshouse complex and a landscape training centre.