The College is set in the most beautiful surroundings: a large park, ringed by rising woodland and Dartmoor, bordered by the Okement River on one side and rolling farmland on the other. There can't be a prettier campus in England

The buildings are a mixture of Victorian Grammar School, modern three storey central block and mixture of mid 20th century blocks. There is a new-ish theatre with specialist music rooms and practice rooms and a new Technology and ICT building offering high class teaching and learning accommodation.

The extensive playing fields are complemented by a large all weather-pitch with flood lighting, a Sports Hall, a gym and a weights room. All this has been added to by the building of a new Sports Centre (thanks to the work of a community action group and all those lottery tickets).

So what you can you expect to see at Okehampton College on any ordinary day?

The day really begins with the arrival of the school buses: the catchment area is huge - over four hundred square miles. With this rural region many of the students live in villages, hamlets or isolated farms so the College is the real centre of their social lives; it is with ill-disguised pleasure that they greet each other each day.

Being happy in each other's company is then extended to the general ethos and 'feel' of college life. Visitors often comment on the friendly atmosphere and it is indeed a very special feature of Oke College. The relationship between students and staff is a happy one, at once relaxed and respectful.

For some students it is a long day - 7.30 am till 4.30pm with bus travelling so morning break and lunchtimes are important for topping up energy levels. The Dining Room bustles and bubbles but is also well controlled.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR LIFE

All rooms are open to students at break times, plus various hard surface play areas and the playing fields when it is dry. The Learning Resource Centre and the computer rooms are available at lunchtimes and various subjects run homework or catch-up sessions. After school the Homework Zone offers students the chance to get help from staff in semi-formal sessions based in the LRC.

Sports clubs run at lunchtimes and after school. There is an orchestra, a jazz big band, a junior and senior choir and drama clubs or drama rehearsals for major productions. There really is plenty to do for students who want to get involved.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays coaches are laid on for students who wish to stay behind after college for any of the extra-curricular activities. This means that those students living in outlying areas aren't being disadvantaged because of where they live.

During lesson times, a walk around the site reveals good order: students working with enthusiasm and independence, often outside the classroom carrying out Science experiments, on drawing exercises for Art or practising Shakespeare for English. Learning is more often than not a pleasurable activity.

End of day sees the mass exodus of students on the buses. Within fifteen minutes nearly a thousand students are decanted into coaches of various hues of paint and dispersed into the countryside.

The College doesn't die at this point - teachers' meetings flourish, students abound attending extra curricular clubs and learning activities taking advantage of the late buses provided..

There is a lull between 6.00 and 6.30pm but then College comes to life again as adults pour in for their evening classes run by the Community Department. All the sports facilities - including the floodlit all weather pitch - are in full swing until ten o'clock.

College officially closes as the caretaker padlocks the front gate and wends a weary way home.