Hopwood Hall College

Hopwood Hall College

Age: 21

History: Formed in 1990 from a reorganisation of further education in Rochdale.

Address: This northern college is split into two sites, one in the centre of Rochdale, and one in Middleton, north Manchester.

Ambience: The Rochdale campus is the classic sixties educational building set in the middle of the small town which makes up this Manchester satellite. Middleton is a green belt site five miles away with far more attractive views but fewer amenities nearby.

Vital statistics: An expanding college with 3,200 full-time and 8,000 part-time students. It provides vocational courses, work-based apprenticeships, higher education, and professional programmes for business. University level courses are validated by the University of Salford, the University of Huddersfield, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Bolton and Edge Hill University.

Added value: A new £6m building opened at the Middleton campus in September 2005, with state-of-the-art classrooms, student services, a cafeteria, bistro and shops. The site also has a £3m sports arena with academies for boxing, football, rugby league and cricket, and a football park with a state of the art artificial '3G' pitch. Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) in early years development and child care, sport and leisure industries, health and construction.

Easy to get into? Not too hard. Level 3 vocational qualification in a similar subject area is usually required (i.e.foundation degree in early years asks for a BTEC National Certificate/Diploma). Those without formal qualifications may be considered if they have previous professional experience.

Glittering alumni: Sascha Kindred, paralympian swimming gold medallist at Beijing Olympics 2008.

Transport links: There are buses between the campuses, although students tend to be based at one site in order to minimise the necessity of travelling.

Who's the boss? Derek O'Toole, principal, chief executive and judo enthusiast.

Teaching: A QAA review of HE in engineering expressed confidence in the academic standards achieved. In new media design, students rated the majority of the teaching as good or excellent with a curriculum that directly meets employer requirements. In business and management, students commented favourably on their educational experience.

Foundation Degrees: Business and management, early years childhood studies and sports coaching and fitness.

Nightlife: Rochdale provides enough entertainment for a not particularly lively night out, and Manchester of course would keep the most avid party-goer occupied for quite a while.

Any accommodation? None offered by the college.

Cheap to live there? Most students attending the college live at home, so rents don't really worry them. There are plenty of cheap pubs with food nearby.

Prospectus: 0161 643 7560; www.hopwood.ac.uk

UCAS code: H54