At Colchester Institute we are passionate about your success.
Colchester Institute provides first class education, professional development and technical skills training to over 8,000 young people and adults every year. The College supports individuals to launch or develop their careers, and local businesses to access the skills and talent they need to thrive. The College has two main campuses in Colchester and Braintree.
Programmes include full and part time further education courses, degrees and Apprenticeships as well as short courses for industry.
Vocational learning is an integral part of all of our courses, where the knowledge gained from practical activities with cutting edge, industry standard resources, work placements and theory provides students with strong knowledge and skills in their chosen field. Our ambition is to ensure that all students achieve the best possible results they can, giving them a competitive edge when entering employment or taking their studies to the next level.
In Colchester, we have recently transformed our main buildings to provide outstanding new facilities in a number of subject areas. We opened a 40-station new state of the art commercial hair salon and a brand-new beauty salon. In addition, we officially opened our new Early Years suite, that now supports T Level qualifications. We continue to expand our construction workshop facilities and launched a Net Zero Centre in September 2024. All of this activity follows on from opening our flagship £5m Health and Social Care facility in 2020, complete with replica clinical and care settings and immersive technologies. These developments complement our fabulous facilities for all other areas and especially Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, Creative Media, Hospitality, Performing Arts and Art and Design.
At Braintree we completed our campus transformation programme in 2019, providing outstanding learning environments for all subject areas, including some of the very best facilities in the country for Digital Media and Engineering. Both main campuses feature a welcoming library, study zones, student services and refectory facilities to support students.
Our degree students, enrolled at University Centre Colchester enjoy their own building and facilities and study on a wide range of degrees and apprenticeships, which are also focused strongly on preparing them for work, or progression at work. University Centre Colchester has an excellent track record for its graduates gaining work or further study after their time with us.
Alison Andreas, Principal and Chief Executive
The Board discharges its responsibility for setting the strategic direction of Colchester Institute by agreeing the Vision and Mission statements and the College’s Strategic Plan.
Our Values
- We are an INCLUSIVE College, welcoming employees and learners of all backgrounds, ages and abilities
- We are COLLABORATIVE, working in partnership internally and externally to achieve shared goals
- We are RESPECTFUL of each other in our words, actions and behaviours
- We are AMBITIOUS for our learners, our staff and our College, always striving for excellence
- We are HONEST and open, and act with integrity in all that we do
- We provide a physically and emotionally SAFE environment,
Over the period of this plan (2024 – 2028) we will strive to provide:
An Outstanding Learner Experience
To ensure an outstanding experience for every learner and stakeholder.
This means providing exciting, challenging and engaging learning, in a safe, supported, respectful and inclusive environment, where learners gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours to succeed and to thrive in work and in life.
A Fantastic Workplace
To provide a fantastic place to work where wellbeing and development is prioritised.
This means that employees are well-managed and led, and feel recognised, supported and positively rewarded. The College is a Learning Organisation which prioritises a culture of individual and team development, teamwork, trust, integrity and inclusivity. Our people feel proud to work at Colchester Institute.
Financial Strength and Physical Resources
To further build the financial strength and physical resources to enable achievement of our goals.
This means that sound financial planning and controls safeguard the College’s future and enable investment in physical and digital resources that support an outstanding learner experience, transform business processes and positively impact the environment.
A Responsive Curriculum
A responsive curriculum, mapped to local and national skills priorities, that meets the skills needs of individuals, organisations, the economy and the environment.
This means that our curriculum fully reflects local and national skills priorities, including green skills and emerging technologies. Both professional and personal skills are prioritised, making Colchester Institute learners great employees, and responsible citizens.
Productive Partnerships
Collaborative, productive partnerships that positively impact the College, its staff and its learners, and enhance our reputation.
This means that employers contribute to the design and delivery of learning and recognise Colchester Institute as vital to their success. Other partnerships, including trade and professional bodies, enhance our ability to deliver on this plan, building our reputation as an essential, anchor institution in North Essex.
Please click the image or link below to view our Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028.
The Vision and Mission Statements seek to encapsulate the core purposes and aims of the College. The Board recognises its obligations to all those with whom it has dealings: students, employees, local and national employers and industries, suppliers, other educational institutions and the local community. It also recognises that it has accountability to tax payers. Board members are committed to ensuring that they conduct their business in accordance with the highest ethical standards, to this end, every Board member signs a Code of Conduct. This is based upon the seven Principles of Public Service set out in the Nolan Report, these are:
- Selflessness
- Integrity
- Objectivity
- Accountability
- Openness
- Honesty
- Leadership
The Code sets out the ways in which members are expected to deal with their statutory accountability, how they exercise skill, care and due diligence, and the Board’s powers, conflicts of interests, collective responsibility, openness and confidentiality, complaints, attendance and good governance.
There is student and staff parking at both the Colchester and Braintree campuses, however this is limited and there is no guarantee of a space. Therefore we advise staff and students to explore alternative ways of travelling to campus where possible. Please note, there is no visitor parking available at the Sheepen Road campus, visitors should park in the nearby public pay and display car park on Sheepen Road.
Staff and students can access support and incentives such as public transport discounts to help with their journey to campus as part of our Sustainable Travel Plan.
There are a number of quiet and off road cycle routes to campus. Numerous bus services and the Colchester Park and Ride stop an 8 minute walk from Campus or a 15 minute walk from the town centre. Colchester station is a 16 minute walk away.
Please browse the menu below to find out more information about travel routes.
Essex Pedal Power Colchester 2024
Over 700 FREE high-quality bikes will be provided to residents living in eligible postcodes within Greenstead. Everyone who receives a bike will also be provided with a helmet, lock, pump and lights, and can access free learn-to-ride and cycle confidence training sessions with qualified instructors. The Essex Pedal Power team will also support recipients to maintain their bike. Click the link below to learn more and find out if you are eligible.
Essex Pedal Power Colchester 2024
There are quiet and mainly off road cycle routes to campus. One resource to use is https://www.cyclestreets.net where you can find routes to plan your journey and an APP available to download.
Covered cycle parking can be found in various locations including outside the main reception.
Travel Zones
Colchester Network Map – Click to enlarge
The nearest bus stop to Colchester Campus is at Middleborough, approximately 8 minutes walk away. All Colchester bus services stop in the town centre, a 15 minute walk away.
These are the main operators in Colchester. If you know the operator of your local bus service, visit their website for time tables, route information and downloadable apps.
There are a range of travel and public transport web services available to help you plan your route to College including:
www.arrivabus.co.uk/herts-and-essex/
https://www.hedinghamandchambers.co.uk/
www.beestons.co.uk (971 Service and stop guide)
www.essexhighways.org (Bus and Road)
Alternatively you can use www.travelinessoutheast.org.uk  for door to door route planning.
Colchester Park and Ride – Located off the A12 at junction 28, buses leave every 15 minutes offering a fast journey of approximately 12 minutes to Middleborough bus stop.
For more information and ticket prices – Colchester Park and Ride
For more information on Essex Public Transport routes and timetables please click here.
DigiGo is a shared public transport service which offers on-demand or pre-bookable travel in parts of Essex. There is no fixed route or timetable, which puts you in control of your journey. DigiGo operates 7 days a week, from 6am to 10pm on weekdays and from 7am to 10pm on weekends.
For more information and ticket prices, please click the link: DigiGo
For more information on Travel Essex please click the link: Travel Essex.
College campuses
Adult Skills Centres (Formerly Learning Shops)
We are a College proud to encourage widening participation. We aim to provide a welcoming environment in which all learners are encouraged to realise their full potential; where every individual is valued and offered equal opportunity to progress.
To achieve this the College aims to ensure that all actual or potential learners are treated in an equivalent fashion regardless of age, disability, family responsibility, marital status, race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, trade union activity and any other irrelevant criteria. We seek to promote awareness of equality and diversity throughout the College and embrace diversity in all its aspects.
Colchester Institute is a mixed economy college of Further and Higher Education, established by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The statutory Instrument and Articles of Government sets down the membership, the powers and the responsibilities of the Board of Governors.
Much of the further education work of the College is funded through the Skills Funding Agency and the College is required to abide by the Financial Memorandum and the Audit Code of Practice.
The Colchester Institute Board of Governors is made up of members from a wide range of backgrounds, reflecting the communities the College serves and members elected by the staff and by students. The Principal is the only member who is both a Board member and a member of the executive.
The Board has overall responsibility for the educational character and mission of the College, for the general oversight of its activities and is accountable for the proper use of public funds and for exercising a duty of care for the assets of the College.
The Board of Governors and Colchester Institute are committed to ensuring that there is no discrimination within the College on the grounds of age, disability, family responsibility, marital status, race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, trade union activity, and any other irrelevant criteria.
Visit our governance section for further information
Colchester Institute is committed to safeguarding all of our students and apprentices, all our staff have a responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of our students and apprentices.
We are committed to promoting the welfare, protection, and wellbeing of all of our students at all of our learning locations and safeguarding them from all forms of abuse or harm. We aim to ensure that all learners attending college do so in a safe and secure environment.
We have a trained a safeguarding team available between 8:30am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 4:30pm on a Friday, college term time.
The Safeguarding Team can be contacted on 01206 712828 or sswelfare@colchester.ac.uk college term time.
Help and Support
If something happens outside of our office hours or out of term time the following services may be of help for students, apprentices, families, carers and employers. If you access assistance from any of the services below please ensure the safeguarding team are informed as soon as possible (next working/term time day) so that we can support the student or apprentice when back in College.
- Police – 999 for emergencies or 101 for non-urgent issues
- Samaritans – 116 123
- Childline – 0800 1111
- NSPCC – 0808 8005000
- NHS 111 – 111 for urgent medical help or advice that is not life-threatening
- Children’s Social Services Essex – 0345 603 7627 (emergency duty number 0345 606 1212)
- Adult Social Services Essex – 0345 603 7630 (emergency duty number 0345 606 1212)
- CARA – Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse – 01206 769795 or online www.caraessex.org.uk
- Papyrus – UK Suicide Prevention – HOPELINE UK – 0800 068 41 41 or online www.papyrus-uk.org
Radicalisation
Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies. If you are worried that you, or someone close to you, is becoming radicalised act early and seek help.
The College works with the local police prevent team to prevent students and apprentices who may be vulnerable to radicalisation. The College engages with the Department for Education Prevent Co-ordinator, local prevent policing team and the multi agency Channel Panel.
The College fully supports initiatives which prevent people being radicalised. Friends and family can also support our students and apprentices and are best placed to spot the signs of radicalisation, so trust your instincts and share your concerns in confidence. To find out more about how to help someone close to you visit actearly.uk
Peer on Peer Harmful Sexual Behaviour and Sexual Harassment
The College works swiftly to support students who are experiencing any safeguarding concerns. In response to the increase in cases relating to peer on peer harmful sexual behaviour and sexual harassment being experienced by young people, not just in education but in society, the College has increased its staff training and awareness in this area, follows guidance on how students should be supported and how concerns will be handled. The College has developed a personal development programme which encompasses the opportunity for students to explore this topic in a safe way. We want all of our students to feel safe and encourage any students to come forward with concerns so they can be supported and listened to. The College understands that even if no concerns are reported harmful sexual behaviour and sexual harassment will still happen at our College and between our students. The College works within Government guidance including: Keeping Children Safe in Education and guidance from the local safeguarding board and the Local Authority.
Safeguarding and associated policies
Colchester Institute welcomes the opportunity to forge relationships with the many communities that surround us, and to work collaboratively with our local contacts. These are some of the ways in which Colchester Institute provides community engagement opportunities and works with other organisations, for the benefit of local people and communities:
Colchester Institute Foundation Trust (CIFT) is an independent charity which raises funds to support students who due to financial pressures, might otherwise be at risk of not completing their programme of education. This includes students studying Further Education, Higher Education and Apprenticeships.
The principle purpose of CIFT is to benefit Colchester Institute students who are experiencing financial hardship to the extent that they are struggling to participate at College / University and complete or achieve their qualifications.
Whilst the College has access to Government awarded discretionary Learning Support Funds to provide financial support for students on low incomes, who meet pre-defined eligibility criteria, in the current economic climate there are often cases where an individual student needs more financial help than these funds can provide. Additionally, some students who do not meet the eligibility criteria for government-funded support, can still struggle to meet the costs associated with studying on vocational programmes and CIFT can often provide support here too.
In most cases students should first approach the College / University Centre Colchester to see if funded support is available to them after which they can then submit an application to CIFT, see application form below,
Colchester Institute Foundation Trust awards can only be considered where a student can demonstrate commitment to their chosen course of study and that the impact of the award could mean the difference between them staying on the course or having to withdraw.
Support for Apprentices
As apprentices are classed as being in full time employment, the College is unable to use government funds to support their expenses, this group of students are often the ones most in need of financial assistance as they, and their families, are unable to claim most state benefits. CIFT actively encourage applications from Apprentices.
Direct Solutions Travel Bursary
As part of the CIFT support for Apprentices there is a discrete bursary set aside for apprentices who would benefit from support with the costs of travelling to work and / or College.
Please apply using the standard application form below and return this form to Clare Garner – Student Services (clare.garner@colchester.ac.uk).
