Welcome to our website. I hope you find what you are looking for.
If you need a bit more information, the best thing to do is to ring our student advice team on 01473 784206. But feel free to have a browse as most people are surprised by the variety of courses and subjects that we teach. Our website aims to reinforce this view.
Much has happened since I started as Principal in 2004. The college has grown both in terms of student numbers and facilities. Standards have improved rapidly throughout the college in relation to student success rates and Ofsted grades. (A copy of the Ofsted report can be viewed on our website).
When I first arrived, my main priority was to oversee a period of growth, development and improving student success rates at the college. The main thrust of this vision was to orchestrate an ambitious building phase that would radically update the look and feel of everyday life at Otley and develop new systems and processes to enhance the student experience at the college. The first part of the buildings expansion saw HRH The Princess Royal open an equine centre. This centre has been approved as a potential training site for the 2012 Olympics.
A year later we opened a state of the art construction centre that has successfully taught thousands of learners since opening. Our learning resource centre was the final piece in the jigsaw. Other areas have also been created during the last few years including new sport and outdoor education areas, two cafeterias and a brand new business and conference centre.
The business centre houses our commercial department. They work with nearly 500 local businesses, tailoring courses to suit their needs. This continues to be an important developmental area for the college.
We teach further and higher education courses and we are a key partner of Suffolk's new University that is called University Campus Suffolk (UCS). In addition we teach across the full spectrum of age groups from 14-year-old students on school links programmes to more mature students on our Higher education and adult leisure courses.
Our adult leisure courses are geared around learning for enjoyment. New skills are learnt, friendships are created and the courses often lead to further study. Ultimately our aim as a college is to ensure that our students achieve. Student success is key to the college's future and this is helping to drive us forward. As well as achieving though, it is equally important that students have a great time when they come to Otley.
I hope you enjoy the website. But whatever you decide, I wish you all the best in the future.
Philip Winfield
Otley College Principal
