‘It is business as usual for the foreseeable future!’ That’s the message from the St Vincent Principal after reports emerged last week that a new £30 million ‘super college’ could be built in Gosport.

Following a press release from the Learning and Skills Council – the funding body for post-16 education – which announced a proposal to possibly construct a new college for Gosport and Fareham, St Vincent principal Lynn Lee has moved to assure people the college will remain open for three years at least.

’I would just like to reassure people that St Vincent is not closing: far from it. We are working on the assumption that we will be offering a full programme to students for the next three years at least.

‘While we welcome this news from the LSC that they are prepared to significantly invest in Gosport, it is worth remembering that this is only a proposal.

‘The only way St Vincent will close is if there is a new college on a new site and we are a long way off achieving that yet.

Mrs Lee reiterated that there are no plans drawn up or even a site identified for the new college and the proposal will have to go out to public consultation before anything will happen.

St Vincent’s view is that September 2011 is the most likely opening date for any new college.

‘In the meantime St Vincent will continue to develop and expand its wide range of courses for students at all levels. The young people of Gosport and Fareham deserve nothing less.

‘We are excited about the prospect of developing a new college for Gosport and Fareham and support the concept in principle. We are looking forward to playing a full role in making the idea work.

‘Since St Vincent opened 20 years ago we have seen ourselves as being a college whose role it is to serve the needs of the people of Gosport, Fareham and beyond.

‘We have been highly successful in that mission and we are sure any new college would want to build on our undoubted reputation and expertise.

‘This could be excellent news not only for the regeneration of Gosport, but also for the young people of the area, who would have access to state of the art facilities,’ she added.

St Vincent College is an open access sixth form college with around 1,150 full time students aged 16-18 and 2,000 adults following a range of academic and vocational courses

For further details on this and other events at St Vincent College please contact:
Susan Lines - Communication & Marketing Officer
Tel: 02392 603594
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