Aquinas College, Stockport
Encyclopedia
Aquinas College, Stockport
, Greater Manchester
is a Roman Catholic sixth form college
. It was established in 1980 on the site of St. Michael's Secondary School, and is owned by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The college is named after St. Thomas Aquinas
.
inspectors in their last report on the college in 2008 concluded that "Aquinas is an outstanding college. The college provides a very welcoming and
positive learning environment and students enjoy the opportunities and
experiences offered. There is a strong commitment to the Catholic ethos at all levels. The college community effectively promotes the Gospel values of freedom, justice and love. The well-planned ethics programme is valued by students and their personal development is outstanding. Achievement and standards are good. The progress made by the majority of students is very good. Teaching and learning are good. The use of information learning technology (ILT) to enhance learning and students’ enjoyment is very good."
The inspectors previously had criticized the college accommodation as being inadequate. Since however a brand new state of the art, and much larger building has been constructed by the construction company Norwest Holst Limited/VINCI Construction UK Limited which opened in September 2010). This new building had proven popular amongst the student body.
.
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
is a Roman Catholic sixth form college
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
. It was established in 1980 on the site of St. Michael's Secondary School, and is owned by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The college is named after St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
.
Reports
OFSTEDOffice for Standards in Education
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
inspectors in their last report on the college in 2008 concluded that "Aquinas is an outstanding college. The college provides a very welcoming and
positive learning environment and students enjoy the opportunities and
experiences offered. There is a strong commitment to the Catholic ethos at all levels. The college community effectively promotes the Gospel values of freedom, justice and love. The well-planned ethics programme is valued by students and their personal development is outstanding. Achievement and standards are good. The progress made by the majority of students is very good. Teaching and learning are good. The use of information learning technology (ILT) to enhance learning and students’ enjoyment is very good."
The inspectors previously had criticized the college accommodation as being inadequate. Since however a brand new state of the art, and much larger building has been constructed by the construction company Norwest Holst Limited/VINCI Construction UK Limited which opened in September 2010). This new building had proven popular amongst the student body.
Reception
The college is popular among school leavers in the Stockport area, so much so that Aquinas College receives twice as many applications as there are places. The college also offers adult education coursesAdult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
.
Alumni
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and LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
fame - England field hockey captain Kate WalshKate Walsh (hockey player)Kathrin Louise Walsh is the field hockey captain for Great Britain and England. When she was 28 she had over 130 caps for England and 60 for Great Britain...
- ParalympicParalympic GamesThe Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
swimmer Matt Walker - Neil Conley, artist and designer and winner of the Andy GoldsworthyAndy GoldsworthyAndy Goldsworthy, OBE is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist producing site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland.-Life and career:The son of F...
young artist of the year award 2006 - DJ Richard Straffon of 97.6 Chiltern FM.