Torbay (about the area)

South Devon College is ideally situated within the South West region at a central seaside location. The Vantage Point campus in Paignton provides state of the art learning facilities for the local communities in the Torbay areas of Paignton, Torquay and Brixham as well as the South Hams and Teignbridge districts.

Get Active

The area is known regionally, nationally and internationally for its mild climate and vast stretches of sandy beaches. The English Riviera, as it is known, offers 20 beaches along a 22 mile coastline. Enjoy a range of activities on land or sea, including: surfing, sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, paragliding, climbing, swimming or fishing.

There are many local sailing and yacht clubs in the area and several sports centres, gyms and health centres which are open to the general public. With Dartmoor National Park also within easy reach, the college gives you access to some of the best natural environments around. A 33m public indoor swimming pool, squash courts, sauna, jacuzzi and steam room facilities are within easy walking distance of the college at the local leisure centre.

Nightlife

The vibrant, cosmopolitan environment provides a continental feel to the area and offers a wealth of cultural, sporting and social activities throughout the year. During the summer season, there are many festivals, regattas and exhibitions catering for all interests and hobbies. For nightlife there are many fine-dining restaurants offering a range of international and local cuisine, café bars, nightclubs and live music venues for all tastes, genres and budgets. A palm tree lined seafront in Torquay with an adjoining lively harbourside and international marina provide stunning scenery during every season. Paignton hosts the largest multiplex cinema in the area with nine screens showing a wide range of movies using the latest technology. There are also several theatres in the area producing year-round programmes by amateur and professional companies.

Getting Around

Excellent transport links exist enabling access to the county’s largest cities of Exeter and Plymouth within a 20-30 minute train journey. Bristol and London are also easily accessible by rail, coach and road. The area boasts an efficient and cost effective bus service to the whole of Torbay. Newton Abbot allows easy access to M5 and via train direct to London and other major train stations.

Life after SDC

The area is known for its booming tourism, hospitality and catering industry, providing excellent career opportunities for students. The college works very closely with local employers, through its Sector Advisory Groups shaping the course curriculum to suit the industry's needs for training the workforce of the future. Students have many opportunities throughout their time at the college to engage with local businesses and to develop links for the future.

Events

• BMW Torbay Week
• Dart Music Festival
• Devon County Show
• Devon Wine Week
• Kingsbridge Music Festival
• Royal Dartmouth Regatta
• Teignmouth Jazz Festival
• Dartmouth Food Festival
• Devon Celebration of Food
• South Devon Walking Festival
• Tones Culture & Heritage Festival
• Widecombe Fair
• Several beer festivals take place throughout the year, hosted in various locations throughout the county: Ipplepen Beer Festival, the Ipple Tipple, Abbotskersell’s Abbfest and Tuckers Maltings Beer
• Newton Abbot Festival
  

Immediate area – town of Paignton
Sandy beaches and a famous pier all add to the town’s reputation as a popular seaside resort and tourist attraction. Goodrington Sands in Paignton offers a host of local attractions including a waterpark, crazy golf and water sports facilities with activities including fishing, sailing and swimming. Paignton also hosts a local zoo, Oldway Mansion, the elegant home once owned by the Singer family of Singer sewing machine fame and Occombe Farm, an organic farm reconnecting food, farming and the countryside with the local community.