A COLLEGE is facing closure after it was branded inadequate by Ofsted.

Dv8 Sussex in Queen Square, Brighton, was given the lowest possible grade by inspectors in November.

College boss Dan Wallman said the report “triggered a process” whereby it has been immediately suspended from taking any more students.

He is now appealing for exstudents to come forward in support of the college to save it from collapse.

Mr Wallman said: “We have a long track record of supporting some of the city’s most vulnerable young people to engage and achieve through creative education.

“If Dv8 were not to deliver in Sussex next year, there would be around 200 students having to find an alternative college in September to meet their needs.

“We do not feel that there is any like-for-like provision locally that offers something similar.”

The November report rated the college as inadequate in three of its five criteria.

It said that tutors did not have high enough expectations for their learners and too few students achieved high grades in GCSE English and maths. However, it said college staff “focused relentlessly on eliminating barriers to participation” for students who had not previously succeeded in school.

Dv8 appealed against the Ofsted report and said 2017/18 year was its “best ever year of results”.

Despite this, the Government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) placed an immediate ban on student recruitment.

Next year’s recruitment has been put on hold, pending review.

Mr Wallman said: “We want to hear your stories so we can provide this evidence to the ESFA to help them make the right decision to enable Dv8 to bounce back from this most challenging period and become the good or outstanding provider we have always strived to become.

“If you are a parent of a young person who has succeeded at Dv8, if you studied with us and went on to a successful career or just if we made a positive impact on your life, please get in touch and leave your story.

“We have started a petition to send off to the Funding Agency to help support our case as niche provision, to be protected as unique and vital to the local community.

“So far we have had over 1,600 responses in 48 hours and hundreds of messages of support”

Dv8 Sussex provides free training in music, fashion, digital media, event management and games development.

It also offers paid internship programmes for young people aged 16 to 18 across Sussex.

To sign the petition, head to dv8sussex.com/save-dv8-sussex-from-possible-closure-sign-our-petition.