College builds on firm foundations

Students flocking to Norfolk's Easton College in ever-increasing numbers are laying the foundations for high-flying careers in a brand new £2.25 million building which was completed just in time for the new term.

The college's Jubilee Building first opened its doors in 2003 when the college celebrated 50 years on its present site.

Since then the college has introduced foundation degrees in partnership with the University of East Anglia, it has become the country's first Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) in Land Management, opened a new Rural Support Centre, improved farming facilities, and created a new technology suite.

Now, to cater for the new courses and meet the expectations of students whose numbers have risen by 10 per cent, it has opened a £2.25 million extension to its Jubilee Building.

Deputy principal Tricia Bell said: "We said before the first phase of the Jubilee Building was finished that it would soon be bursting at the seams and began to plan for phase two.

"Now it's open and the students and staff have the use of excellent facilities well suited to meeting the taxing demands that come with CoVE status and the delivery of foundation degrees. The new foundation degrees are expected to lead to a further increase in students coming to the college because they offer a new way of gaining a degree by allowing people to combine employment with study."

The extended building has created an extra 1300 square metres of space and enabled the college to double the size of its Learning Resource Centre. Students in the new block have access to over 100 computers, as well as a design studio, three further computer teaching rooms, an internet café, five additional general classrooms and a lecture theatre with seating for 60 people.