Post-16 providers funded to create better facilities

Thirty-nine post-16 providers have been awarded a share of £83 million, which will be used to build new classrooms, science labs, and extend teaching facilities.

Minister for Skills 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."

The programme will also support the government’s drive to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with all successful providers required to show how their projects will contribute to the target.

Providers benefitting from the investment include Sixth Form Colleges, FE Colleges, 16-19 academies and free schools, and a University Technical College (UTC). The funding will help make sure they can build extra capacity to increase their admissions in 2022 or 2023.

Successful bids include East Kent College Group (Ashford College), which will use their funding to build a new extension, creating an ‘engineering hub’ and additional space for business and IT provision, growing capacity for around 250 new students. Wyke Sixth Form College in Hull will build a new two-storey extension which will provide seven additional classrooms, as well as increasing social and learning space for students. This will allow the college to increase its capacity by 350 people.