The College
Grow 19 is based at the East Malling Community Centre, where we share a site with a day nursery, the Kent Family Hub, and a café. The centre also hosts a range of other community initiatives, including exercise classes, Citizens Advice signposting events, and even a community cinema.
In addition to our East Malling base, we have centres at the Maidstone Community Support Centre and Kent House in Ashford.
On the Grow 19 site, learners benefit from access to:
Training Garden
Construction and Horticulture learners have started working to develop a training garden on the site of four former community allotments. The site is home to a polytunnel, a fruit and veg patch to supply our catering team and the community café with fresh produce and a formal garden where learners can practice horticulture skills such as planting, pruning and weeding necessary for their work experience and accreditation. There is also a chance for learners to have a go at paving, to create pathways with loose and hard-surfaces and to construct patios and retaining walls.
Woodland
The site features a small woodland full of potential. Plans include developing an outdoor learning and sensory play area for local children. The restoration of this space gives our learners a chance to develop their construction and horticulture skills in different ways as well as an opportunity to do something positive for the local community. Learners have constructed a bird hide and installed bird feeders for visitors wanting to observe the local wildlife, a composting area, a marquee for undercover learning and restored benches and play equipment. Work is underway to build a pond and new pathways.
Workspace
Learners have worked with Skills for Employment to build a cabin as a designated area for construction. Learners completed everything from laying the groundworks to building the cabin, laying the flooring, constructing the workbenches and painting the outside area. The learners have been involved in the whole process giving ownership to an area that they are rightly proud of.
Teaching Space
Learners complete Employability and PSD workshops in the classroom as well as their Functional Skills work. The proximity of our learning space, close to other users of the community centre, helps us to develop good community links and engage with real world projects in the local area.
Kitchen
Much of the Catering and Hospitality learners’ practical work takes place in the community café, getting them used to working with the equipment typically found in a commercial setting. However, we also have access to a kitchenette which learners can use to make their own lunches and practice home cooking skills.
