Wigan & Leigh College is a state General Further and Higher Education College based at five locations in the towns of Wigan and Leigh in Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Currently, there are 500 staff members employed, and more than 8,000 students enrolled in full-time or part-time courses. The college's programmes of study include: General Certificate of Education, BTEC First Diplomas, A-Levels, National Diplomas, Higher National Diplomas, Apprenticeships, Foundation Degree and Degree courses. The foundations of Wigan & Leigh College date back to 1857, and the current institution was formed in April 1992 through the merger of Wigan College of Technology and Leigh College. Both have a long-standing history of providing high quality academic technical and vocational education. Wigan & Leigh College has four Centers of Excellence in Sport, Creative Arts, Engineering and Health and Social Care.
History
Wigan College of Technology
In 1857 the suggestion of opening a mining college in Wigan was made by the prominent mine-owner Edward Cardwell, 1st Viscount Cardwell to the trustees of the Wigan Blue Coat National School, and Wigan Mining and Technical College was formed that year. When classes started on 2 August 1858, there were fifty enrolled students in the subjects of mining, geology and chemistry. By 1875, the college had grown to hold 130 students. However, it was still peripatetic, with no fixed location and was based in other local venues such as the Town Hall, the Conservative Club and Wigan Grammar School, until 1882 when its first college building was erected. By the turn of the century, it was regarded as one of the foremost mining colleges in the country. In 1903, after raising £50,000, the college moved a new ornate campus building, which was used for much of the 20th century. In 1946, the college first started offering higher-education programmes, originally accredited by the University of London. By 1956, the college had awarded 500 degree certificates, mainly in mining and engineering. Throughout the years, it offered a growing range of courses and was later renamed Wigan College of Technology in 1972. During the 1970s it had around 10,000 full-time and part-time students.
Leigh College
Leigh college was founded as Leigh Technical School in 1894, and was opened on 26 September by Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby. The new red-brick building, built in the English Renaissance style, cost £23,000 and also included a public library and a "chemical theatre and laboratory" on the upper floor. It was granted technical college status in 1926.
Wigan & Leigh College
The current institution was formed after the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 when Wigan and Leigh colleges merged. In 2017, Wigan & Leigh College was awarded "University Centre" status, allowing students to achieve a higher education accredited by the University of Central Lancashire from the college. In 2018, Wigan & Leigh College won FE College of the Year.
