Burton and South Derbyshire College

Age: 71

History: Began life in 1940, when the County Borough of Burton on Trent Education Committee appointed the late Eric White as the first principal of a newly designated Technical Institute. In 1948 the Institute was re-named Technical College, with four clearly defined departments: commerce, engineering, building and general education. Student numbers increased steadily during the 1970s to more than 5,000, and the college continued to expand throughout the 1980s. In 1993 it became Burton College, with student numbers approaching 13,000.

Address: In the centre of Burton-on-Trent, which lies in the middle of the east Midlands motorway network.

Ambience: The college is situated on the banks of the River Trent. £7m has recently been invested in facilities for art and design and performing arts. Two new multi-million pound educational developments, designed to offer increased opportunities for local people whilst also helping to support the economic regeneration of Burton and its surrounding area, have recently been completed. A modern, purpose-built automotive and engineering skills academy (costing £2.3m) was officially opened in June 2007, and a £5m, three-storey, 2,500-square-metre university centre development was opened in November 2007 . This incorporates a three storey teaching block with a wide range of amenities, from computer rooms and a cyber café to a recording studio and business centre. A 'Lean Manufacturing Centre' is situated on the ground floor, designed to replicate an authentic factory environment.

Vital statistics: 13,000 students, with almost 600 on higher education courses, 400 of which are part-time. HE courses on offer include HNCs and HNDs, foundation degrees, teacher training and BA degrees. Burton is part of the Staffordshire Universities Regional Federation (SURF), which aims to provide programmes related to the needs of local people. The college also offers courses accredited through Nottingham Trent and Wolverhampton universities.

Added value: The college has its own Sport for England-designed leisure complex at Shobnall, two miles from the main campus. A sports academy is in the pipeline, as are HE courses in sports performance and coaching in conjunction with Staffordshire University. There are good childcare facilities, and the college lays on bus links to surrounding areas. The college is a centre of vocational excellence for construction crafts and advanced manufacturing.

Easy to get into? Fairly. The foundation degree in technical theatre requires 80 UCAS points, while HND in business requires a business qualification at NC or HNC level or an A-level pass.

Glittering alumni: Shane Meadows, director of This is England; Paddy Constandine, actor, credits include 24 Hour Party People and Dead Man's Shoes.

Transport links: Twenty-five minutes in the car from both Birmingham and Nottingham. Burton-on-Trent is well served by trains and buses, both of which stop close to the college.

Who's the boss? Dawn Ward OBE, principal and chief executive since November 2008 . Dawn has committed a significant amount of her spare time to the Government’s World Skills agenda and she has supported, coached and trained three competitors to represent the United Kingdom at World Skills competitions. In 2008 she was named a principal of the year through the Association of Colleges.

Teaching: Last inspected in 2007. Government inspectors highlighted the effective partnership work with employers and community groups leading to outstanding educational and social inclusion as a key asset, and the college’s effective collaboration with employers, which was seen as supporting local economic development needs. The inspectors identified that the college has an “outstanding” range of provision, while support for local economic development was also seen as “outstanding”.

Foundation degrees: Small business (salon) management, leadership and management, early childhood studies, construction, contemporary art practice, digital media production, music technology, dance and theatre arts, technical theatre, sports development and coaching, education, educational support, professional support for education, electrical and electronic technology, manufacturing technology,

Nightlife: As the brewing capital of England, it’s great if you're partial to a cheeky jar or two of ale. A leisure complex in town has, among other delights, themed bars, restaurants and a nine screen cinema. The college organises regular trips and nights out.

Any accommodation? None provided by the college, but student services can offer advice and guidance on securing somewhere to live.

Cheap to live there? Yes. Private rental costs in Burton-on-Trent are between £60 and £70.

Fees: Vary widely between courses and qualifications. For 2011 entry, full-time foundation degrees and HNDs are £2,363 per year, and degrees are £3,375. A three-year part-time foundation degree will only set you back £2,880 in total. Full fee details are available on application. 2012 fees are yet to be set.

Bursaries: The Staffordshire University Bursary of up to £700 is available to students with low family incomes, and the college also offers means-tested grants of up to £1,495 dependent on course intensity.

Prospectus: 01283 494 400; www.burton-college.ac.uk

UCAS code: B95