Located in South West London, close to the River Thames, Kingston College provides students with a friendly and stimulating environment in which to gain qualifications. Some 3,500 full time and 6,000 part time students currently benefit from its professional approach to learning. Hardly surprising, therefore, is the rate of progression to higher education. Each year over 500 Kingston College students leave to become undergraduates at British Universities. In addition, over 1,600 students study at the College on Higher Education courses.
The origins of this success go back to 1899, when the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames built Science and Art Schools and a Technical Institute on the present main site of the College in Kingston Hall Road. The Victorian home of Kingston Technical College (as the institution was then known) survived until the 1960s, when major reconstruction work followed a local reorganisation of further and higher education.
In 1962 Kingston Technical College split into the present college of further education and a college of technology, now Kingston University. Because Kingston College and Kingston University have this common heritage, there remains a strong bond between them today which works to the benefit of students. Jointly run courses and close staff relations ensure that a ladder of educational opportunity is available for both full time and part time students from post-GCSE to first degree levels, and beyond. So, as to respond to growing student demand, Kingston College has over the past few years broadened the range of courses on offer to keep the curriculum abreast of new technology.
