News

14 July 2011

Barnsley College - The Key to Success

At the start of term in September Barnsley College will welcome students into their brand new campus building on Old Mill Lane. After 7 years of planning and 2 years of building, Barnsley College edges one step nearer to opening its doors.

The 9 storey building, designed by local architects Jefferson Sheard, incorporates state-of-the-art facilities and equipment specially chosen to high industry standards to ensure a superb learning experience that can be tailored to the different needs of each individual student. The new campus offers an array of fully-equipped classrooms, workshops, IT and learning resources including brand new hair and beauty salons, training kitchen facilities, dance studios, a fully operational radio and TV studio, two new recording studios kitted out with gear used by top record labels and WiFi access throughout.

Tom Rhys Jones, Director, Jefferson Sheard Architects said, "I am very proud of what my colleagues have achieved at the College. The project was a model of positive collaboration between a client with great vision, a contractor (Miller Construction) with the kind of "can do' attitude that has ensured that the job is completed on time and to an excellent quality and a team of design and project management consultants which shares that attitude.

The Principal, Senior Management Team, Staff and Governors, past and present, deserve the thanks of the people of Barnsley for having the vision and commitment to deliver this project and the Council deserves great credit too – it is a long and painstaking task to produce a project like this and we have received great support from all the officers and the Leader of Barnsley Council throughout that process.

I hope that students are inspired to great things when the College opens for the new term in September, they will enjoy facilities which are the equal or better than those at any other college and which befit Barnsley College's outstanding status."

The official handover of keys from Garry Hope, Operations Director at Miller Construction to Barnsley College Chair of Governors, Frank Johnston marks a momentous occasion in the history of the College and is testimony to the hard work and determination from all involved in ensuring that the people of Barnsley and beyond have world-class facilities providing the best possible learning environment and opportunities.

Barnsley College Chair of Governors, Frank Johnston said, "Today is a landmark in the history of Barnsley College and the town. We are delighted to receive the keys to this magnificent building and look forward to welcoming our students from September. This building reflects the College's ambition moving forward; we are one of the best Colleges in the country and we now have a building and facilities to match.”