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Blackpool & The Fylde College

As a Beacon college, with a national reputation for innovation and excellence in learning, Blackpool and The Fylde College’s achievements are the result of the exceptional effort and commitment of our staff and students.

The College is one of the largest colleges in the country and the work we do is remarkably diverse. We work closely with schools on the Fylde coast, providing programmes for over 600 14-16 year-olds who come into the College and study with us every week. Then there are the 3000 full-time 16-19 year-olds who study further education courses in a tremendously wide range of areas ranging from Aviation Engineering to Health Care and Early Years.

Several thousand adult students study with the college, many of them supported by their employers on courses delivered in the workplace. We are also proud to be part of the Lancashire Lifelong Learning Network which has over 40,000 learning opportunities for vocational learners in Lancashire

The College is also a major provider of university education, with degrees validated by Lancaster University. In September 2009 we opened our new £10 million University Centre at our existing Palatine site in Blackpool which offers first-class facilities and further strengthens our ability to attract students both locally and from across the country, to study with us.

Achievements and Awards

In July, the College was honoured to win a national award from the Centre of Excellence in Leadership for Social and Community Cohesion.

This award commended our work with young people in re-engaging them in education and also with adults, in projects like Blackpool Build-Up.

Working closely with Blackpool Council and using local enterprise growth funding, the College has opened a Construction Workshop in the centre of Blackpool. Here adults, many of whom have been out of employment for a long time can develop new skills and be supported back into work where they can provide much needed additional skills for the Construction industry.

The College has also enjoyed success in the prestigious National Training Awards scheme. The School of Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality and the National Gaming Academy at the College has worked in collaboration with Gala Coral Group to train Gala's staff in Casino Operations.

The collaboration won the UK National Training Award for Partnership and Collaboration.This is a tremendous accolade for the College and demonstrates our growing reputation across the UK for the provision of high quality training for industry.

Pauline Waterhouse

Principal and Chief Executive

www.blackpool.ac.uk