Construction work begins on Corby’s new £9.5 million sixth form college

Work has started on transforming Chisholm House in Corby into a new sixth form college run by Bedford College.

VIPs – but no media – attended the launch of the new college funded by a £9.5 million grant from the Towns Fund, administered by the Government’s Department for Levelling Up.

Run by The Bedford College Group, who also manage Tresham College, The Corby Sixth Form is being delivered in partnership with North Northamptonshire Council (NNC).

Construction will transform 1960’s Chisholm House and developers have promised it will be ‘re-purposed and renovated to be a carbon neutral building using the latest innovative technologies’.

The Bedford College Group’s head of sixth forms Helen Smith said: “The group’s pioneering 6th Form at Bedford has been a resounding success and has sent 1,000s of young people on to university and other progression opportunities such as Higher and Degree Apprenticeships. We hope our Corby 6th Form will replicate those fantastic opportunities for young people in Northamptonshire.”

The 4,000 sq ft college is set to open in September for 16 to 18-year-olds offering a wide range of A-Level subjects.

It will have a new entrance, more than 25 classrooms, ‘state-of-the-art’ science labs, resource centres and performance areas.

Students will be able to access an external roof terrace, café and common room areas – all within the town centre.

Cllr David Brackenbury, NNC’s executive member for growth and regeneration, said: “It was great to visit the site and see work progressing on the new Corby Sixth Form.

“This project is one of four across the town which fall under the Corby Towns Fund and aims to encourage economic growth in the local area, benefitting not just the pupils that attend but also the wider Corby area.

“I look forwarding to visiting again once the site is open to students and to see the full range of facilities on offer.”

NNC was awarded £19.9 million through the Town Fund in June 2021, that has been ring fenced for four projects, the Sixth Form College, a multi-use community building in Grosvenor House, the Corby Cycleway from the town centre to the Oakley Road steps leading to the station and Smart and Connected Corby, a ‘clean technologies’ project.