An agricultural college has been given top marks by Ofsted for its residential provision.

Inspectors paid a visit to Hadlow College in Tonbridge Road, Hadlow, to assess the accommodation and support it provides to learners who live on site.

It was judged “outstanding” across all categories - including the experiences and progress of young people, how well they are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders. The report added students were “thriving” and “making excellent progress academically, socially and emotionally”.

It said: “Residential students thrive because of the warm, caring, and nurturing relationships they have with residential staff.

“They are overwhelmingly positive about their time at the college and say it’s like a family.”

Chris Lydon, vice-principal of Hadlow College, said: “The exceptional recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our staff and student community.

“It highlights our unwavering commitment to providing a nurturing and high-quality educational and residential environment.

“We will continue to strive for excellence and ensure that our students have the best possible experience during their time at Hadlow.”

The college, which specialises in land-based qualifications, currently has 73 residential further education students. It has capacity for 147, as well as 52 for higher education students.

Each gets their own room with a communal lounge, kitchen, and bathroom areas.

It was the college’s first inspection since it was taken over by North Kent College in 2020.