We are delighted to announce that Bilborough College has been successful in its bid to the government’s Post-16 capacity fund for a new £3.2 million extension to the current site to provide additional teaching and study space for students. This national fund was established to help manage the additional 260,000 16-19 year olds anticipated to be in education in the coming years. Demand to the Capacity Fund was high, and the £83 million pot was significantly over-subscribed, so it is testimony to the strength of Bilborough’s bid that the college was selected.

Since Bilborough College moved onto its current campus in 2005, student numbers have continued to increase and in the last 3 years alone, the college has grown by more than 150 students. The college is consistently over-subscribed, with students from around 90 feeder schools, and has had to establish waiting lists over the last few years to manage its numbers. Whether it is the excellent results, the exceptionally wide range of courses on offer, the nationally-recognised extra and super-curricular opportunities, or the mini-university feel of life on campus, it is clear that Bilborough College offers an aspirational opportunity for young people in our region.

The college’s Principal, David Shaw, was delighted to announce the news. “Securing this new build means that students who wish to access our excellent provision over the coming years will not be turned away due to high demand. It allows us to put in the new classrooms, specialist equipment and additional study spaces which will boost the life-chances of our local students and create more pathways to high-quality university and apprenticeship destinations. Now that the bid has been formally approved, we are moving forward with our plans to get the new build up and running as soon as possible.”

Skills minister Alex Burghart said: “Every young person should have the opportunity to gain the skills they need to reach their goals and go on to have successful careers. This investment will boost capacity so we can make sure there is a place for every 16 to 19-year-old, giving them access to the high-quality learning facilities they need to succeed.”

Notes to editors: Bilborough College is a member of Better Futures Multi Academy Trust located on the west side of Nottingham. It has approximately 1900 16-18 year old students studying either A Level programmes, BTEC Level 3 Diplomas or a combination of the two. Approximately 75% of its students go on to university – a large proportion to research-intensive universities such as the Russell Group – and the remainder into higher level Apprenticeships, employment or further training.