, Welcome to the OPA Website
The College has grown a lot over recent years but like many businesses you have to keep growing to keep in business.
OPAs who return to visit the College, especially if they were here several years ago, will find many new developments but will also find some areas of the College that haven't changed at all . Although we have added on to the main College buildings much of the original building is still as it when it was built !
Numbers have increased considerably over the years and last year we had about 850 full-time Further Education students and around 400 Higher Education students with several thousand part-time students. About 200 students are residential on site . Students travel daily from much of Sussex and some students from London on a daily basis .
Although the total number of students is a lot more than 20-30 years ago people still comment on the family atmosphere within the College and we are still small compared to many.
I mentioned last year that we were in the process of rebuilding some of the dairy areas of the farm over a period of time and this project continues. Following on from new cubicle sheds and silage pits we completed our new parlour in the summer and currently we are focusing on buildings for cattle housing, livestock teaching areas and classrooms and a milk processing facility. Looking back through the College archives of photographs - of which we have many - it is about the fourth time since the 1930s that this area has been redeveloped.
We have also built offices and a new classroom at the equine unit to enable staff to be together on one site.
We have been very fortunate to obtain funding to assist us with much of our building developments over recent years but I think the next few years are going to be a lot tighter and there will be a lot less money around, but at least we have benefited whilst we could.
As in previous years we have held two very successful Old Plumptonians reunions and several Old Plumptonians have visited either on Open Day or individually. You are always welcome back, it's great to see those who were students and show them around. If anyone wishes to organise a reunion then do e-mail either Dan on myself and we will help facilitate it. It is easy to do!
One of the many highlights of the year was the visit to the College from the Duchess of Cornwall in her role as the Patron of the College’s Charitable Foundation. She had an extensive tour of the College meeting a wide range of students. To some extent it was a bit of a homecoming for her because, as many of you may know, she spent her early years living in Plumpton near the College. The College's Charitable Foundation is continuing to grow slowly and its main role is to help fund and support students in financial hardship - in which an increasing number find themselves currently.
Best wishes to all Old Plumptonians for 2012. I hope the year brings you success and as I said above do keep in touch. E-mail Dan information so that we can put it on the news page.
Finally a big thanks to Dan who keeps the Association going and maintains the website. I know that he would welcome any help if anyone feels they have got the time to help.
Des Lambert.
Principal.
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