Suffolk Rural College is an English further education college in the village of Otley, Suffolk.
| Suffolk Rural College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Otley Ipswich , Suffolk , IP6 9EY England | |
| Coordinates | 52°08′28″N 1°12′47″E / 52.141°N 1.213°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Further education college |
| Local authority | Suffolk |
| Department for Education URN | 130821 Tables |
| Acting Principal | Alan Pease[1] |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 16+ |
| Website | www.suffolk.ac.uk |
The college was founded in 1970 as Otley College of Agriculture and Horticulture. It merged with Ipswich-based Suffolk New College in 2020, having previously been partnered with Easton College in Norfolk.[2]
The college
editThe college offers full-time courses and apprenticeships in the following curriculum areas:
- Agriculture
- Animal Management
- Arboriculture
- Construction
- Equine Studies
- Fisheries
- Floristry
- Foundation Learning
- Horticulture
Location
editThe campus is located in the heart of the countryside and benefits from a range of specialist vocational workshops and outdoor facilities, as well as general college buildings.[3]
The campus consists of:
- A working farm for Agriculture
- Equine facilities
- Floristry workshops
- Commercial Dog Grooming parlour
- Facilities for Arboriculture
- Horticulture greenhouses
- Land-Based Service Engineering workshop
- Construction workshops
- Engineering, Motor Vehicle and HGV workshops
- Foundation Learning areas
- Range of Sports facilities
The Farm
editSuffolk Rural prides itself on maintaining sustainability within their farming facilities, reusing and recycling as many products as possible within their facilities while also operating in the most environmentally friendly ways possible.[4]
On the farm the College have:
- Red-poll cattle.
- Sheep flock and seasonal lambs.
- Poultry and seasonal chicks.
- Goats.
- Horses and equine facilities (inside and outdoors).
- Pigs.
- Alpacas.
- Land-based engineering technology, including tractors.
- Arable crops.
- 95 acres of farmland; made up of grassland, mixed cropping, and environmental areas.
In June 2022, the College announced its desire to open a Farm Shop on campus when visited by MP Dan Poulter[5]
Notable alumni
edit- Michael Perry (Mr Plant Geek)[6]
References
edit- ^ "Governance and Leadership".
- ^ Sullivan O (2020) Otley merges with Suffolk New College as expansion plans continue, East Anglian Daily Times, 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
- ^ "Suffolk Rural".
- ^ "The Farm".
- ^ Chambers, S (2022). "County college to launch farm shop as student numbers soar".
- ^ "Gardening superstar from Suffolk returns to former college to inspire current students".