East Riding College is celebrating its eighth consecutive increase in the number of 16 to 18-year-old students enrolled on full-time courses.
With more than 1,150 now enrolled, the College is expecting to beat the growth targets set for this year, despite a significant reduction in the number of 16-year-olds leaving school in the summer.
It means the number of full-time 16 to 18-year-olds attending the College has increased by 35 per cent since the 2004/2005 academic year, the year Principal Derek Branton took up his post.
In addition, it is expected a large number of young people who have not gone into work or study straight from school will sign up at the College in due course.
Mr Branton said: “Our enrolment of 16 to 18-year-olds this year is a real success story for East Riding College against a backdrop of falling numbers of school leavers.
“We believe this is a result of a number of factors, including former and existing students passing on their academic success and positive college experience to family and friends.
“We also have very good relationships with schools and the opening of our new campus in Bridlington in 2009 has led to significant year-on-year increases in students there, including those travelling from Filey and Scarborough.”
Public services student Oliver Lovatt, 18, from Beverley, said:
“The teachers are really supportive and the students are friendly. It is a really good site and will definitely help to set me on my way for the future. East Riding College is great.”
Travel and tourism student Ben Dickinson, 17, from Filey, said:
“The tutors are really supportive and they push us to attain the higher grades in our work. I would highly recommend East Riding College to anyone with an interest in studying something new.
Mr Branton added:
“Our success over recent years is a result of a number of factors, such as a curriculum which constantly evolves according to the needs of students, employers and universities, our continued investment in our facilities and the high standards achieved by our students. This was recognised by Ofsted in last year’s inspection report.
“Our free bus service, introduced to compensate for the removal of national student financial support, is proving very popular and, along with bursaries and other support, is helping to remove barriers to education for large numbers of students.”
Across all its full-time and part-time 16 to 18-year-old and adult programmes, work-based learning and higher education provision the College expects to enrol over 7,500 students during the course of the year.
For more information about the College, visit www.eastridingcollege.ac.uk or call 0845 120 0037.
