History of West Suffolk College

Brief History - 1951 to 2006

West Suffolk College has evolved over more than 50 years from a small provider of evening classes for the people of Bury St Edmunds to an established, major, player providing quality education to the East Anglia region and beyond.

2005/6
- Refurbishment of central administration offices.
- Production kitchen refurbishment.
- Upgrade to heating systems to improve environmental impact.
- DDA improvements across the campus.
- Creation of Early Years CoVE Centre.
- Demolition works to prepare site for new building - Leonardo House for Arts and Sciences.

2004 Build the Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) suite for Management & Professional Studies.
- Expanded Anglian Lane facilities.
- Converted the top floor of Suffolk House into a Computing Suite

2003 Opening of New Minden House (for Foundation and STEPS students with learning disabilities).
- Relocation of the Children’s Centre into the Sunshine Nursery.
- E0.45 Theatre Company is moved to Burma House
- The In Vogue hairdressing salon is totally redesigned to create the most up to date and impressive training salon in the country.
- A new centre for carpentry, plumbing and electrical installation students is created on premises in Anglian Lane.

1999 Phase 1 of the new building programme Gibraltar House (for Humanities, Health & Social Care) was opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester.

1997 The new Learning Centre and Library complex, Mechatronics Centre, Students’ Common Room and Drama Studio were completed.

1995 Australia House and the Construction Centre were extended.

1988 Australia House phase 2 (for catering studies) was opened.

1984 Minden House (purpose built accommodation for students with learning difficulties and disabilities) was built.

1983 Australia House phase 1 (for Hairdressing and Beauty training) was opened.

1976 The Construction Training Centre was opened.

1975 The Motor Vehicle Training Centre was built.

1970 The Engineering Training Centre was built.

1969 Suffolk House for Business and Management Studies was opened.

1961 The College was officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk on 29 May 1961.

1958 The decision to build a new purpose built College on its own ground was taken and the Gibraltar Barracks site was chosen.

1951 The Bury St Edmunds Technical Institute opened its new site in the grounds of the Silver Jubilee School offering Engineering, Building and vocational evening classes.