Welcome from the Principal

As a student at Runshaw College, you are at the heart of everything we do. Our simple ambition is that you are happy and fulfilled whilst achieving your dreams and ambitions during your time with us.

We aim to provide:

• the very best teaching
• personal tutors and teachers who really care for you
• a wide range of enrichment activities from sport, music and drama to visits, debates and students’ clubs
• additional support for those students who require extra help with their studies
• a friendly, caring and safe environment with high expectations at all times

Visitors to the college frequently comment on its happy and purposeful atmosphere. I believe this comes from the friendly and respectful relationships which exist between staff and students, creating a college community where each person is valued and can flourish.

We are proud of our reputation and popularity. The successes of our students over the years have led to widespread recognition.

We are the only college in the country to have won the European Quality Award for Excellence. In our Inspection of May 2008, Ofsted judged us to be ‘outstanding’ in every respect; a wonderful tribute to the staff and students who make up the Runshaw learning community.

As a result, Runshaw was awarded Beacon College status by the Department for Education. Beacon College status is only awarded to colleges which are ‘Beacons’ of educational excellence. We are very proud to be the only Beacon College in this area.

We have also worked very hard to make sure that you have the facilities you deserve. In recent years we have invested over £25m in upgrading college resources, including:

• a new student restaurant
• a new Student Services building
• a new ICT and computer building (Runshaw is a centre of excellence for IT)
• a new sports hall, fitness suite and two all-weather sports pitches
• new laboratories in the Sir Walter Norman Howarth Science Suite
• music, drama and performing arts facilities
• language laboratories
• the Arena – an outdoor performance area

We believe that we now have the finest facilities in the region.

We are extremely proud of our students. They are a delight to work with. I hope you will join us and I look forward to making you welcome at Runshaw.

Kathy Passant
Principal