BOSSES at a Sussex college told by OFSTED it must improve after a disappointing report have pledged to give students 'gold standard' education and training.

Sussex Downs College - which has around 8,000 students at sites in Newhaven, Lewes and Eastbourne - received the disappointing verdict from inspectors last December.

Four key areas were identified as needing to improve: effectiveness of leadership and management; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; outcomes for learners; and the 16-19 study programmes.

Now Mike Hopkins, Principal and Chief Executive, and Henry Ball, Chair of Governors, have both spoken out in favour of new government proposals in its Post-16 Skills Plan.

Building on recommendations made by Lord Sainsbury in his independent review of Post-16 education, the Skills Plan recommends that students should have a clear choice between excellent academic routes and excellent vocational routes to help them plan their future careers.

Mr Ball said that the college has been thinking hard about future priorities and believes they are in line with the new government plans.

He said: "In everything we do, whether it’s A-Level or professional and technical education, we are determined to give students, employers and the wider communities of East Sussex a gold standard education and training.

"We want to expand choice for individuals and contribute to the sustainable growth of the wider economy across all our college campuses."

Mr Hopkins said the proposals are ' a significant step forward.'

He said: "They are a great opportunity to ensure Gold Standard opportunities for all young people in education and training.

"If we get this right, our future generations will be highly skilled, whatever route to adult and working life they take. The government is on the right track.

"For too long vocational, professional and technical education has been seen as the option for people who can’t manage an academic option.

"This attitude has damaged the opportunities of individuals as well as the productive capacity of UK PLC. We have an opportunity here to end decades of waste."

Mr Hopkins, who joined the college in September, said at the time of the OFSTED report he fully accepted the findings.

He said: "All of the areas they identified feature prominently in our own self-assessment report. "

He said that he was brought in to make changes, with new appointments on the Executive Team to support the ambition for improvements before the follow-up inspection expected within the next 18 months.