Havering College of Further and Higher Education

Age: 64

Address: The college is spread over three local campuses, with several satellite sites and outreach centres. The main campus is in Hornchurch, Essex.

Ambience: State-of-the-art facilities with industry standard equipment. A £6million centre of creative arts is dedicated to the study of performing arts, graphic design,creative media production, fine art, pottery, fashion, photography and media. Further investment has resulted in a specialist construction centre in Rainham where there is a vision to establish a whole new college campus. Investment has also ensured high quality engineering and IT facilities. Higher education students are benefitting from the addition of a dedicated HE centre at the Ardleigh Green Campus.

Vital statistics: 10,000 students from the age of 14-plus study at the college on courses ranging from basic skills to higher education. Over 1,000 HE students. 30 programmes on offer including honours degrees, foundation degrees and HNC/HNDs. Other provision includes A-levels and vocational courses. The college delivers a wide range of apprenticeships and has strong business and industry links.

Added value: Strong business and industry links. The college has been awarded the Erasmus University Charter which gives its higher education students the opportunity to study or work abroad as part of their degree programme.

Easy to get into? Yes - keen on widening participation.

Glittering alumni: None as yet.

Transport links: Bus journeys from the campus into central Hornchurch take about 10 minutes. The Tube into central London takes about 50 minutes, trains about 30 - and the college is not far away from the M25, A12and A127 for those with cars.

Who's the boss? Principal Noel Otley.

Teaching: The HE Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) gave the college its highest level of approval in March 2010. The QAA audit praised the college for the evident commitment of staff, excellent rapport with students, effective support of staff and excellent engagement with employers. Ofsted inspectors graded the college as 'good with outstanding features' in March 2011.

Foundation Degrees: Business management; early years, childcare and education; computing and systems development; electrical/ electronic engineering; mechanical engineering; motorsport engineering.

Nightlife: Enough clubbing and pubbing opportunities in Romford that the trip into London can be reserved for special nights. The student union organises parties and events.

Any accommodation? None provided by the college.

Cheap to live there? Certainly, by the standards of the south-east. It's around £85 per week for private rents.

Fees: £2,000 per year for full-time home HE students starting in 2011. The college has announced it will be charging fees no higher than £6,000 for any of its full time HE programmes in 2012/13.

Bursaries: The college is considering introducing a financial incentive scheme for its HE students from September 2012.

Prospectus: 01708 462 801; www.havering-college.ac.uk

UCAS code: H14