Mid Cheshire College was a further education

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

based in

Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since t ...

and

Winsford Winsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the River Weaver south of Northwich and west of Middlewich. It grew around the salt mining industr ...

, Cheshire. The college merged with Warrington Collegiate in 2017 to form

Warrington and Vale Royal College Warrington and Vale Royal College, previously known as Warrington Collegiate, is a vocational learning provider in Warrington and Winsford, Cheshire for people aged 16–19, as well as courses aimed at adult learners. The college mainly offers voca ...

. It had approximately 9,000 students at the time of the merger.

Curriculum

The college offered a wide variety of

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

and

vocational A vocation () is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. People can be given information about a new occupation through student orientation. Though now often used in non-religious c ...

courses including BTEC National Diplomas, BTEC First Diplomas and National Vocational Qualifications (

NVQ National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are practical work-based awards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are achieved through assessment and training. The regulatory framework supporting NVQs was withdrawn in 2015 and replaced by the ...

). Subjects included Art & Design, Beauty Therapy, Hospitality & Catering, Public Services and Construction. The college also offered Foundation Degrees accredited by the

University of Chester , mottoeng = "He that teacheth, on teaching" , former_names = , established = (gained university status in 2005) , type = Public , endowment = £395,000 (2018) , budget = £118.3 million , chancellor = Gyles Brandreth , vice_chancell ...

and

Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester Metropolitan University is located in the centre of Manchester, England. The university has over 40,000 students and over 4,000 members of staff. It is home to four faculties (Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Health and Educat ...

. Subjects included Business, Fashion, ICT, Music Technology and Graphic Design. The college promoted continuing education through a number a number of adult courses, return-to-work and study courses. The college also awarded Access to Higher Education Diplomas, which enabled adults - with none or few qualifications - the opportunity to go on to study at university.

Campuses

Mid Cheshire College was based across two main sites: * Hartford campus, the main campus, located in

, offered courses including Art & Design, Performing Arts, Photography, Fashion, Engineering, Construction, Motor Vehicle, Business, ICT and Travel & Tourism. Beginning in 2008, the college began a large redevelopment of its Hartford campus replacing older buildings this included a new £3.5m Arts and Creative Media Building. In 2012, the Centre of Creative Arts and Sport opened to host sport, fashion, photography, dance, media, music and the performing arts. *

campus, in 2010 a new £10m campus opened to host courses in health and social care, child care, adult learning, and public uniformed services.

Closure and redevelopment

In September 2018, a year after Mid Cheshire College merged with Warrington Collegiate to form

in August 2017, Hartford campus was closed with the loss of 56 jobs. Despite local opposition from the local council, the new college said the decision was because the Hartford campus was ‘seriously under-utilised’. In August 2019, Sports England officially objected to plans to demolish the £7.5million Sports Centre (which opened in 2012) by the housing development company that acquired the former Hartford campus. In March 2020, plans to build 108 homes on the former campus site were passed after

Cheshire West and Chester Council Cheshire West and Chester Council is the local authority of Cheshire West and Chester. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services ...

planning officers recommended it for approval.

References

External links

College website
Northwich Further education colleges in Cheshire Education in Cheshire West and Chester {{Cheshire-geo-stub