Darlington College
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox school
| name = Darlington College
| image =
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| established =
| closed =
| type = Further education college
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| president =
| head_label = Principal
| head = David Gartland
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| address = Central Park
Haughton Road
| city = Darlington
| county = County Durham
| country = England
| postcode = DL1 1DR
| local_authority =
| ofsted = yes
| urn = 130656
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| lower_age = 14
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| free_label_1 = Telephone
| free_1 = 01325 503050
| free_label_2 = Fax
| free_2 = 01325 503000
| free_label_3 =
| free_3 =
| website = http://www.darlington.ac.uk
}}
File:Darlington College Exterior.jpg
File:Darlington_College_Central_Point.jpg
Darlington College is a further education college in Darlington, County Durham, England. The college campus is located at Central Park, Haughton Road. With support from Darlington Borough Council and Tees Valley Regeneration the college building was constructed by Shepherd Construction, starting in 2004.{{cite news|first=Olivia|last=Richwald|title=Fast forward into the future as college building takes shape|date=16 August 2005|newspaper=Durham County Publications|quote=This time next year, the new £34.5m Darlington College will be unveiled as the first landmark building on the Central Park development site at the heart of the town. ... The 75-acre site is being developed by Tees Valley Regeneration, in conjunction with Darlington Borough Council and Shepherd Construction...}}
Founded in 1897, it assumed its present form in September 2006 and was officially opened by the then-Prime Minister, Tony Blair, on 22 December 2006.{{cite web |title=Blair at college opening ceremony |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/6201735.stm |date=21 December 2006 |work=BBC News}}
Teaching
The college offers a wide range of vocational courses from Hair and Beauty to Construction Services.
The University Centre unites the further and higher education of Darlington College with that of Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College and the University of Teesside.{{citation |url=http://www.darlington.ac.uk/adults/why-choose-darlington-college|title=Why Choose Darlington College?|access-date=29 October 2015}}
College facilities
Darlington College offers a learning and training environment which includes: a university centre; 'business first' - bespoke training for employers; a well equipped computing and networking suite; sports facilities; media design centre; restaurant and food court; hair and Beauty salons. The restaurant and hair and beauty salons are open to the public.
History as Technical College
File:Darlington Technical College.JPG
File:Darlington Technical College sign over door.JPG
The college was originally named "Darlington Technical College", which was constructed in 1897 designed by George Gordon Hoskins.{{cite web|url=http://dre.durham.gov.uk/pgDre.aspx?&SEARCH=By+Keyword&TERM=Darlington+Technical+College&ID=DRE6605|title=Darlington, Northgate, Technical College|website=Durham County Council|access-date=25 September 2014}} It opened in October 1897.{{cite thesis |degree=MEd|last=Lucas|first=Michael|title=The growth of technical education in Darlington 1825–1915|publisher=Durham University|year=1967|url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9712/1/9712_6505.PDF|access-date=25 September 2014}} page 215
It was built by the Borough of Darlington next to North Lodge Park "to help continue the efficiency of manufacturing and commerce".{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}}
By the 1950s the college used 28 buildings around Darlington and in 1955 took over the Girls High School building in Cleveland Avenue. New blocks were opened in 1957, and between 1963 and 1972 further development concentrated education on a single site. Darlington College of Education was also part of the institution's offerings, but closed in 1978. However, later associations with institutions of higher learning now provide for teacher training.
Darlington College of Technology re-branded in 2006 when it moved to its new site situated on Haughton Road. It became known as Darlington College, the name it still uses today.{{Cite web|title=About|url=https://darlington.ac.uk/about/|access-date=2021-06-01|website=Darlington College|language=en-GB}}
Notable alumni
- Luke Armstrong, professional footballer who qualified as a personal trainer at the college{{cite web|title=Sports Student, Luke Signs Contract for Middlesbrough Football Club|url=https://darlington.ac.uk/sports-student-luke-signs-contract-middlesbrough-football-club/|website=Darlington College}}
- Alex Cunningham, Member of Parliament for Stockton North (2010 -){{cite web|title=Who's Who|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U251497|website=ukwhoswho.com|accessdate=1 December 2021}}
- Carol Malia, BBC Look North presenter{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Lucy |title=Carol Malia on 20 years at Look North {{!}} Express North magazine |url=http://expressnorth.co.uk/making-the-news-carol-malia-celebrates-20-years-at-bbc-look-north/ |access-date=29 September 2018 |work=Express North |date=3 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180903013113/http://expressnorth.co.uk/making-the-news-carol-malia-celebrates-20-years-at-bbc-look-north/ |archive-date=3 September 2018 |url-status=dead }}
- Pauline Murray, lead singer of the band Penetration
- John Sergeant, journalist and former Chief Political Correspondent for the BBC
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.darlington.ac.uk}}
{{Universities and colleges in North East England}}
{{Schools in Darlington}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|54.5299|-1.5408|region:GB_type:edu|display=title}}