Portland College

Portland College is a National Residential Specialist College for students with a wide range of physical disabilities and associated learning difficulties. It is one of the foremost colleges of its type in the United Kingdom, providing good learning opportunities for up to 300 students aged from 16 upwards.

Students come from all parts of the United Kingdom to take advantage of excellent facilities and wide spectrum of programmes in an environment designed to meet their special needs. Since opening in 1950 over 9000 students have benefited from the "Portland Experience".

The aim of the College is to provide an environment where appropriate guidance can be given on request in which individual students can develop their potential, become more independent, gain self esteem and prepare for employment. Portland College places great emphasis on equal opportunities and offers a wide range of customised learning in an environment designed to meet individual needs.

The 37 acre campus of Portland College is an attractive wooded setting in the heart of Sherwood Forest and is near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire.

History

During the 1940's Winifred Duchess of Portland had the vision of providing re-employment for ex-miners, disabled as a result of mining accidents in the locality and casualties of the Second World War.

On 29th June 1949, the then Princess Elizabeth Duchess of Edinburgh, laid the Foundation Stone of the College. By the Spring of 1950 several buildings were complete, members of staff were appointed and in June 1950 the College accepted its first students. On 24th June 1950 Her Majesty The Queen officially opened the College.

Since its foundation, Portland College has consistently improved and developed its facilities for people with disabilities and associated learning difficulties. The College is today a very different place to that small training establishment which opened its doors in 1950, but we believe that the original "Portland Spirit" is unchanged. The energy, drive, commitment, ability to challenge problems, pull down barriers and bring about change is as strong today as ever.

Back to top

TRBL Partnership

Over the years Portland College has retrained many ex-Servicemen and ex-Servicewomen and have at present fifteen ex-Servicemen in training and have three ex-Servicemen working as full time tutors in the Employment Department.

The Royal British Legion, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire County Field Officer has teamed up with Portland College to use the valuable facility for the re-training of ex-Servicemen and Servicewomen who for various reasons have a disability and have a need for retraining.

The Royal British Legion through the Portland College can provide the ex-Service student with training in the following subjects:

	Computer Aided Design
	ICT Network Support - leading to Microsoft Certified Professional
	Desktop Support
	Administration
	Customer Services
	Computerised Accounting
	Hospitality and Housekeeping
	Horticulture
	Preparation for Employment
	Skills for Life - offering Literacy, Numeracy and Study Skills
	Dyslexia Support
	Internal Work Placement opportunities on campus

To ensure that student's needs are met during their stay at Portland College the following facilities are made available

	Residences with single study bedrooms, TV lounges, bathroom and kitchen facilities
	Well-appointed refurbished training environment
	Latest technology in our new state of the art ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Learning Centre
	Job Club with access to the internet for job search and information
	Pearson Vue Testing Centre - CompTIA A+ qualification
	Microsoft Testing centre
	CISCO Networking Regional Academy

Portland College is a registered charity (No 214339). All money to pay for specialised equipment, refurbishment and new buildings must be sought through charitable income. The college is always grateful to receive both financial and voluntary support, which in turn, helps to provide the students with the best training facilities and enables them to obtain realistic and justifiable employment.

For help in Derbyshire contact the County Field Officer on Poppy Support in Derbyshire

or contact

Portland College
Nottingham Road
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire
NG18 4TJ

Telephone : 01623 499111
Fax : 01623 499134
Email : college@portland.org.uk
Website : www.portland.org.uk

For Employment Training contact the following website
www.portland.ac.uk/pages/students-at-portland/employment-department.php

Back to top