What does NKC Hadlow College's facilities include?
Our fully functioning commercial farm is home to the lambing sheds and 66 hectares of rotational grazing. Students are involved with lambing, shearing and care of the flock. Our 57-hectare farm is home to a herd of beef cattle, alongside land used for arable crops and forage production. This gives students practical, hands-on experience across a range of agricultural systems. We also work closely with local dairy farms, providing students with valuable exposure to both beef and dairy production and a well-rounded understanding of the industry. Our Equine Centre offers stabling for 64 horses along with two international size indoor arenas, outdoor arenas, paddocks and a cross-country course. NKC Hadlow College’s Animal Management Unit is one of the UK’s leading educational animal collections, housing more than 500 animals across over 125 species. Students gain hands-on experience caring for and working with a wide range of animals, developing the practical skills and expertise needed for careers in the animal sector. The Animal Management Unit includes specialist aquatics, herpetology and nocturnal areas, alongside opportunities to work with exotic species such as meerkats and a serval. This provides students with valuable zoo-style experience. Many animals are part of national and international conservation programmes, while the collection also includes domestic species such as pigs, goats, alpacas and poultry. We are also the first in the UK to offer a falconry qualification (part of our Animal Management qualification). The Animal Management Unit is located at Ashes Lane, Tonbridge, TN11 0AN. Comprising 4 hectares of beautiful individually designed themed gardens built by NKC Hadlow College staff and students - Broadview offers a great place to escape when you fancy a break from studying. NKC Hadlow College’s fully stocked hatchery contains a variety of tropical and cold-water fish species housed in different types of industry-specific systems. Students learn about fish welfare, accommodation and husbandry methods, gaining practical knowledge and experience relevant to the aquaculture industry. The hatchery features more than 50 aquarium tanks and several advanced Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), incorporating industry-standard equipment such as commercial drum filters. Grove Farm features a 2-hectare mixed coarse fishing lake and growing-on ponds, operating as both a commercial fishery and fish farm. It provides students with hands-on experience in carp husbandry, fisheries management, fish farming practices, and relevant industry legislation, supporting the development of practical, job-ready skills. NKC Hadlow College’s horticultural facilities include a modern glasshouse complex, fruit orchards and field production areas, providing students with a wide range of practical, hands-on growing environments. The glasshouse is home to the The Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence which is a groundbreaking partnership between ourselves, leading industry grower Thanet Earth, and research and innovation organisation Growing Kent & Medway. The Centre is based at our state-of-the-art glasshouse and is the UK’s first centre of excellence in greenhouse growing. Within this facility, horticulture students gain experience in a commercial crop environment, growing produce such as tomatoes while developing the practical skills and knowledge needed for careers in the horticultural industry. Inspiring creativity with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the landscaped gardens, this modern building incorporates a gallery, lecture theatre equipped with drawing boards and a fully equipped CAD suite. We offer an exceptionally well-equipped machinery workshop where the engineering students have a vast array of specialist tools to hand to carry out a wealth of engineering projects. The workshop has 540 square metres of floor space to accommodate many kinds of projects, from vintage and classic tractor restorations to modern tractors and implements that need fault diagnosis with the aid of a laptop. The facility provides refuge and care for up to 600 unwanted and vulnerable reptiles and amphibians. Its aim is to re-home them through a national network of retailers and wholesalers, as well as improve the body of knowledge around the care and needs of these animals. The centre is also used for student work experience, offering valuable hands-on training in animal husbandry, welfare and husbandry practices in a specialist environment.
Where is the Animal Management Unit located?