the Birstall post Y O U R
C O M M U N I T Y
MAY 2010
N E W S P A P E R
www.birstallpost.co.uk
No. 322
College investment FUNDING HAS been secured for a new £4.8million building at Longslade College which is set to open next year. The Palmer-Tomkinson Centre (pictured below) will be used by students throughout the day and open for use by the community in the evenings, weekends and school holidays. Plans for the centre were first announced in May 2008 but were put on hold due to the onset of the recession and the difficulties facing the Learning and Skills Council, the main source of funding. Now the Young People’s Learning Agency have provided £3.47million with the other funding partners, the Palmer Tomkinson-Trust, Jelsons and Longslade, bringing the total to £4.8million. The new two storey building will provide: • a new sixth form centre for the college
with spaces for teaching an additional 175 students • high quality multi-purpose facilities for media, technology, performance, health and fitness and vocational subjects • a refurbished all weather sports pitch and multi use games area, subject to additional funding being found • a facility to provide partnership teaching, particularly for Diploma pro-
gramm es • a quality building for use by the wider community in the South Charnwood area, with sports areas, changing rooms, exhibition areas, main hall, stage and Continued on page 3
Pic: (l-r) Student Advisor at DMU Kirstey Wilkinson, Kieran Mistry, DMU School Liason Officer Jamie Bradford and Andy Reed MP
High achievers OUTSTANDING STUDENTS from Longslade College were presented with awards in March. Leavers from last summer were invited to collect their A level certificates and meet up with friends they hadn’t seen since June. Awards for achievement were presented by Continued on page 2