Celebrating 50 Years of Learning

Celebrating 50 Years of Learning

INVESTING IN YOUR FUTUREp3 4

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LEARNINGNEW BUILD - NEW LOGO

p5-6

LANDMARK LEARNING FACILITY

PARTNERSHIPS AND THE FUTURE

p7-8

HISTORY OF THE COLLEGEp1 2

CONTENTS

p1

HISTORY OF THE COLLEGEThis year Bishop Auckland College will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. In those 50 years theCollege has established itself as a first class provider of further education in South West Durham.

Bishop Auckland College began life as a

Technical Institute with classes being run in the

Mechanics Institute in Victoria Avenue and other

town centre locations. In September 1950 the

Technical Institute was opened in the old Railway

Offices, Station Approach. Enrolment in 1950/51

was 250 part-time day and evening students.

Today that figure is almost 8,000.

It was the demand for engineering courses

needed by local industry that led to the first

buildings for the Bishop Auckland Technical

College (now Bishop Auckland College) on

Woodhouse Lane. This was formally opened by

County Alderman F. Hunt JP on Wednesday 26

February 1958 at 2.30pm.

Brief Timeline:1950 - Technical Institute opened September 1950 in the old Railway Offices, Station Approach

1958 - County Alderman F. Hunt JP formally opens Bishop Auckland Technical College

on Woodhouse Lane

1962 - New 4 storey block added including Gym and Library

1988 - Access to Higher Education for adults

p2

1993 - New Corporation (governing body) established to govern the estate and staff of the College

1994 - Joanna Tait appointed Principal/Chief Executive

2007 - First phase of the brand new Bishop Auckland College opened to students

2008 - HRH The Princess Royal officially opens first phase of the new building

Since 1958 there have been only

three other Principals prior to

Joanna Tait Principal/Chief Executive

and these were H.F. Tirrell,

H.A. Dickinson and Keith Byfield.

INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE

p3

January 2008 sees the official opening of the biggestinvestment programme the College has undertaken to date –the first phase of a brand new Bishop Auckland College, servingthe South West Durham districts of Wear Valley, Sedgefield Boroughand Teesdale.

The new facilities and equipment

will see the College continue to

be flexible in the way it teaches

and supports students and will

help provide courses which are

diverse, vocational and academic.

The learning opportunities

offered will suit the growing

needs of students well into

the 21st Century.

The outstanding and striking new

three-storey building occupies

9,500 metres2 with

a ground floor footprint of

3,940 metres2.

On the ground floor the first port

of call for visitors and students is

a welcoming and spacious glass

fronted Information, Advice &

Guidance Centre; a multi-purpose

sports hall built to Sport England

specifications complete with

climbing wall; a suite of hair,

beauty and holistic therapy

salons with the latest industry

specific equipment; dining areas

and cafeteria, also glass fronted,

which is open to the public for

lunch and where customers can

relish a varied menu of quality

dishes prepared by professional

p4

catering students. A commercial

restaurant is also open for

lunches & dinners.

The first floor houses an

impressive Library and high-

tech Resource Centre where

students can access the internet

and borrow books, magazines

and cds to help with their study.

The second floor boasts a

Conference Suite with

impressive hospitality facilities

overlooking the College campus

and with outstanding

panoramic views of the

surrounding area.

Designed with many energy

saving features, study areas are

fitted with the latest

technology including electronic

and interactive smart-boards

and low energy usage hi-tech

flat screen computers. Another

environmentally friendly

element is the natural

ventilation system to most

study areas.

The expansive use of glazing

brings natural light to the core

of the building. A special point

of interest are several ocular

shaped student 'chill-out' areas

where light cascades down the

building from concealed

transparent sections in the

ceiling. The imaginative use of

colours throughout the building

creates an engrossing

atmosphere for both visitors

and students.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LEARNING

p5

Bishop Auckland College has been providing high quality education and training in Bishop Aucklandfor 50 years and is proud to celebrate its anniversary in 2008 with its many partners & students.

In those 50 years the College has established itself as the first choice for young people, mature

students and professionals who wish to attain qualifications, develop their skills or acquire new

ones. The College takes pride in the fact that we know our students as individuals and can offer

them a stimulating and rewarding College life. From its origins in Bishop Auckland, the College now

maintains specialist learning centres in Crook (Wear Valley), Barnard Castle (Teesdale) and

Newton Aycliffe (Sedgefield Borough).

The College is a Centre of Vocational Excellence in the areas of Childcare and Adult and Social Care, and

continues to grow its portfolio of Higher Education courses through close links with local and

regional universities. The College maintains a strong commitment to providing a wide range of

community based learning opportunities across South West Durham.

The College’s dedicated employer section ‘Business Training Services’ in Newton Aycliffe is committed

to strengthening relationships with local businesses and to enhance the quality of its education

and training solutions to help employers looking to up-skill their workforces.

Joanna Tait, Principal/Chief Executive said:

“We were aware that the existing College buildings were not meeting the changing needs of our

learners. The old buildings have served us well and the College is a landmark on this site. This

investment has given us a wonderful opportunity to keep up the College's reputation of being a first

class provider of Further Education in Bishop Auckland & South West Durham.”

p6

NEW BUILD - NEW LOGO

The new logo is inspired from the landmark

‘portico’ entrance to the new building, an

architectural feature of the new development

that can be seen from many vantage points

around the area.

To the right is a selection of the College’s

logos over the past 50 years.

If you were a student or a member of staff

from the 1950s to the present day and would

like to share your memories of your time

spent at Bishop Auckland College

please contact the Marketing Department:

01388 443000

To celebrate the launch of the new Bishop Auckland Collegea new contemporary logo was developed internally by the MarketingDepartment following consultation with students, staff, CollegeGovernors and key stakeholders.

The College provides a wide range of vocational and apprenticeship courses including:

• Accounting • Applied Science • Art , Crafts & Design • Beauty Therapy • Business & Administration• Catering & Hospitality • Childcare & Education • Complementary and Sports Therapies• Community Learning • Computing & IT • Construction (Brickwork, Electrical, Joinery, Painting & Decorating and Plumbing)

• Custom designed courses for employers • Distance Learning • Engineering • Foundation Studies• Hairdressing • Health & Social Care • Higher Education • Languages • Motor Vehicle• Music & Performing Arts • Outdoor Activities • Sport • Teacher Training • Travel & Tourism• Uniformed Services • A range of A levels and GCSEs

Durham based architects Howarth Litchfield

Partnership who are specialists in delivering

public sector buildings were appointed.

Faithful & Gould Construction, Cundall

Consulting Engineers along with Management

Systems and College staff completed the

design team.

Heading up the construction work was regionally

based company SURGO who worked with a

number of other sub-contractors.

Gateshead-based company Executel installed

the latest cutting-edge communication system.

Turner & Townsend assisted the College in

overseeing the project as a whole.

The first phase of the new college was

completed in May 2007 earlier than planned and

within budget. The new build has been 55%

funded (9.5m) by the LSC (Learning & Skills

Council) and a long term commercial mortgage.

LANDMARK LEARNING FACILITY

p7

Following planning approval by Wear Valley District Council work on the new Bishop Auckland Collegebegan in February 2006 and progressed alongside the existing college. The build programme was ledand managed by the College.

Phase 1 facilities include:

• Teaching and Learning Accommodation

• Centres for Vocational Excellence (CoVEs)

in Childcare and Adult & Social Care

• Library and Learning Resource Centre

• State of the art ICT and Multimedia

• Industry standard facilities in Hairdressing,

Beauty, Complementary & Sports

Therapies, Catering & Hospitality

• Information, Advice & Guidance

from our Client Services Team

• Student Support Centre

• Restaurant and Cafeteria

• 4 Court Sports Hall and Changing Facilities

• Management & Administration Centre

Phase 3 is also underway and involves a

partnership development with Sedgefield

Borough Council to create a state of the art Work

Based Learning Centre in Spennymoor, due to

be completed in summer/autumn 2009.

Working in partnership with employers, local

authorities, communities and local schools has

been key to the more recent developments at

the College, and will be crucial for the next 50

years of College development. Phases 1, 2 and

3 support the College’s work with schools on

the 14-19 agenda as well as the economic

regeneration needs of South West Durham and

North East England.

The College extends its heartfelt thanks to all

its partners who have supported it in its

development through its vision and mission -

To promote social inclusion, fulfil aspirations

and develop the potential of individuals,

communities and employers through excellence

in teaching, learning and skills.

PARTNERSHIPS AND THE FUTURE

Phase 2 facilities will include:

• Technology Centre for Construction Trades

and Motor Vehicle Engineering

• Music Technology including Sound Recording

and Studio Production

• Performing Arts Studios and Exhibition Area

• Design Centre for 3D, Fashion,

Graphic Design, Fine Art and Multimedia

p8

Phase 2 Phase 2

Phase 1

Bishop Auckland CollegeWoodhouse Lane | Bishop Auckland | Co Durham | DL14 6JZ

T: 01388 443000 F: 01388 609294 E: enquiries@bacoll.ac.ukW: www.bishopaucklandcollege.ac.uk Client Services: 01388 443030

Celebrating 50 Years of Learning

PrintCP Offset

PhotographyMarketing Department | Cameracraft | Julian French

DesignMarketing Department

Joanna TaitPrincipal | Chief Executive

John MoorleyChair of Corporation