Campus Life at Plumpton College

Each of our dedicated departments boasts superb facilities that you’ll get to enjoy throughout your time at Plumpton. You’ll get to make the most of your residential time at Plumpton too with our excellent accommodation and shop. 

Keep Fit With Our Sports Facilities

We’ve got so many different sports for you to enjoy here at Plumpton. You can choose to take part in sports that you already enjoy. Or why not challenge yourself and try something new. We’ve got brilliant indoor and outdoor facilities where you’ll be able to try badminton, hockey, netball, rugby, tennis and many others. Come and discover our indoor climbing wall, sports field, two outdoor courts and on-site gym. There are lots of teams for you to join and play competitively.

If watersports is your chosen area, you’ve got lots of activities to enjoy too. Come and visit our specialist sailing academy at Newhaven, the perfect location for canoeing, kayaking, windsailing and lots of other watersports.

Make Good Use Of Our Excellent Library

We have excellent library facilities at Plumpton for you to discover. Our spacious, fully accessible, air-conditioned library is at the heart of the College. With lots of space for quiet study and plugs at every desk, you’ll find it’s a great place to work. We have extensive computer facilities to support your research and easy access to printers.

There are over 10,000 books on land-based subjects, plus a range of magazines and journals, and electronic resources that may be accessed from college or home. Our specialist stock and resources, from Adventure Education to Wine, enhance the diverse range of courses on offer at Plumpton College.

In order to support students at all levels, we run drop-in sessions to help you with study and research skills.  Our friendly library staff are always on hand to help you with any questions you may have. 

Superb Fishery Amenities

Our dedicated fishery facilities are excellent here at Plumpton. We’ve got two stock ponds for a new recirculating farm which is currently being redeveloped. During your time at Plumpton, you’ll also have access to our superb quality chalk streams that home a range of invertebrates such as caddis flies and mayflies plus our spawning trout.

We’ve also got great relationships with local fish farmers and fisheries so you’ll be able to gain experience in electrofishing, habitat management and seine netting amongst other angling topics.

Discover The Plumpton Estate

There’s so much for you to discover here at our main Plumpton estate. With over 800 hectares of land in the backdrop of the beautiful South Downs, you’ll get to experience some of the leading College facilities in the UK. We’ve got a wealth of practical and demonstration areas; perfect for every aspect of your land-based studies.

From our main College farm through to our machinery workshops and horticultural unit, you’ll be able to use the latest state of the art equipment; developing skills that will make you more employable. We’ve also got an excellent purpose-built wine centre with extensive facilities. You’ll certainly find our estate to hard to beat.

Work With Our Research Department

We’ve got great links with the University of Brighton, local and regional industry, plus land-based businesses, which puts us in an excellent position to develop our well-respected research department. In fact, we’ve consistently produced many high quality projects in collaboration with, and for, a number of different institutions.

Research is also highly encouraged within Plumpton. If you’re a degree student, you’ll take on research projects throughout your course. Equally if you’re studying for a College-funded Master’s or Doctorate Degree, you’ll help to further your career and stay at the forefront of quality teaching. As a College, we carry out research through a variety of different channels: 

  • Funded Research Projects
  • South Downs National Park Research Hub - A collaborative research centre with the South Downs National Park Authority and the University of Brighton
  • Wine Research  - The only wine research centre in the UK
  • Individual Staff Research Interests

Do get in touch with us via email if you have any questions regarding our research.