The Bedford College Group Vice Principal Georgina Ager said:
“When Bedford College merged with Tresham College in 2017 our ambition was to make sure we properly served the Corby community. Tresham organised its curriculum across three campuses at Kettering, Corby and Wellingborough, which meant students having to travel to study certain subjects. We opened a refurbished campus at Wellingborough to reduce the need for travel there, and we are now looking to increase our provision in Corby.
Whilst the out of town Tresham College Corby campus is a shining example of what can be achieved through career-orientated learning and apprenticeships, there is a local and growing demand for college-based arts, humanities, science and computing courses currently offered only at our Kettering and Bedford campuses. An easy-to-reach town centre location would make such provision available to everyone in the area.
This model has worked successfully at Bedford where we use separate locations for technical and more general education. In addition to being accessible to learners, a town centre location means the added vibrancy of young people in the town centre. As part of the Corby Town Deal proposals, TBCG has been working with Sovereign Centros to look at a proposal using Chisholm House in the town centre.
This vision for the post-16 centre is an ambitious one – to equip students with the very best skills and education, to enable more young people to achieve their ambitions through to university and employment. If plans are approved, Chisholm House, will be re-purposed. The college centre will occupy the upper two floors of this property, the majority of which has been vacant and in bare shell condition for many years. It will be renovated to, ideally, a carbon-negative standard using the very latest innovative technologies and will deliver a modern, fit for purpose building in the heart of the town centre.
The feedback from consultation and market research shows that there is considerable demand for additional 16+ provision. Corby is growing rapidly and is predicted to see one of the highest levels of population growth in England in the next decade, according to the Office for National Statistics. Thus, over the next 5-10 years, the centre would grow to accommodate an additional 600 students drawn from across North Northamptonshire.”
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