Students and staff at a Tees Valley college were giving themselves three cheers following a highly successful first year in their new campus.

Twelve months ago Redcar & Cleveland College opened the doors of its £26m new campus on Corporation Road in Redcar and what followed has been a year of fantastic achievement for staff and students alike.

In February the new campus received a Royal seal of approval when it was officially opened by HRH the Duke of York and in June it was recognised as being an officially ‘Good’ college by Ofsted inspectors.

College Principal, Gary Groom, was joined by student Grant Davies, who celebrates his birthday with the college, to share a slice of special college birthday cake.

Mr Groom said: “It hardly seems like yesterday that we were stood here with the Right Honourable Vera Baird MP watching the first students come through the doors, twelve months on and with an Ofsted report that identifies our building as ‘outstanding’ and our provision as ‘Good’ we are looking to the future with our phase 2 development programme already well underway.

“We are determined not to stand still and we want to continue to grow and improve the range of courses and facilities available to our students, we are already on the journey to becoming an outstanding college.

Student Grant Davies, who celebrated his birthday on the same day as the college, only recently started on a BTEC Diploma in Information Technology at the college. He said: ““The new college is really successful and this was a big reason for me choosing to come and study here, but I didn’t realise that I shared a birthday with it.

“I’m really looking forward to my time here at the college and hope that I can do well on my course and develop a career in IT.”

Timeline:

It’s been a busy year at Redcar & Cleveland College. Below are just some of the highlights:

September 2008 – The new Redcar & Cleveland College opens its doors to its first students

November 2008 – Staff, students and former pupils gather for the rededication of the college’s war memorial, which was repositioned as part of the new development.

November 2008 – Olympic Pentathlete, Katy Livingstone, visits the college to present a sporting masterclass to students.

December 2008 – The college is visited by teachers from a Polish primary school as part of a cultural exchange programme.

January 2009 – Students from the college’s Public Services Preparation course take part in a residential course with the armed forces at Barnard Castle.

February 2009 – The new college campus gets the Royal seal of approval at an official opening by HRH the Duke of York.

March 2009 – The college hosts the regional finals of the UK Apprentice Plumber of the Year competition.

April 2009 – The college launches a new Foundation Degree qualification in Chemical Science aimed at boosting the skills of local people working in the chemical and process industry.

April 2009 – The seeds are sown for the college’s new state of the art sports pitches with the help of students from the college football team.

May 2009 – The achievements of students on the college’s Curriculum Enhancement Programme

June 2009 – Students from the college’s Art and Design course show off their work at a special exhibition.

June 2009 – An Ofsted report grades the college as being officially ‘Good’

July 2009 – College students from the CACHE Childcare course visit Romania.

July 2009 – Students John Atkinson and James Brownless scoop gold medals at the regional SkillBuild competition.

August 2009 – Student Heather McLeod celebrates after landing a place at university following a course at the college.