Proposals for a campus in Morley
Goals for new campus in Morley
Leeds City College is working in partnership with Leeds City Council to explore the possibility of developing a new adult learning campus in Morley.
The plans form part of Morley’s £24.3 million government Town Deal to invest in the local area. The campus will enable people in Morley to access an aspirational, high specification centre in the heart of the town that inspires adults to become lifelong learners.
The campus is set to include an ‘emerging technology centre’ to develop skills in coding, virtual reality, drone technology, robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence, developing a wide range of valuable industry specific skills.
With a focus on meeting both individual and employer needs, the campus will additionally offer English and maths courses for adults without Level 2 qualifications, vocational skills training in key employment sectors and progression advice for higher level learning.
Progress to date
A survey is being run, which can be viewed here, to gauge public opinion about the new campus. Hundreds of people have responded so far and we will start analysing the results In April, 2022.
The preferred location for the new campus is still being decided but is due to be confirmed, and publicised, this summer.
FAQs:
Why are Leeds City College and Leeds City Council looking into opening a new adult learning campus in Morley?
We are working together, as part of major investment plans for Morley following the £24.3 million government Town Deal, to provide a high specification skills hub. This inclusive facility will be focused on providing the vocational education and skills local people of all ages, and our employers, need now and in the future.
What kinds of courses and facilities can we expect to see at the new campus?
Our intention is for an emerging technology centre, which will help residents develop skills in everything from coding and virtual reality to 3D printing and robotics, to form the heart of the new campus. The specific courses we offer will be shaped by what the people of Morley tell us they need. We will also be offering English and maths courses, and vocational employment in key sectors.
Where will the new campus be located?
We are exploring a number of sites and hope to be in a position to announce more details, and consult fully with the community about them, in the coming months
What is the timescale for this scheme – when can we expect to see the campus open?
Although we are at the early, exploratory stages of these plans we are fully committed to pushing ahead with them as quickly as possible and are aiming to announce more details, and an estimated timescale, later this year.
Who will the new campus be aimed at?
Morley residents, at all stages of their working lives and with a range of educational levels, will be the focus of the training the campus provides. This will be an inclusive facility that delivers both the skills that the local adult workforce needs to join the emerging technology sector and the vocational training that can help them find a role in, or progress in, other key sectors.
Where can I find out more and how can I be updated as the scheme progresses?
We are running a Morley Campus Survey to find out how local residents feel about the proposals and what kinds of courses and training they would like to see provided. The survey, and an option to enter your email address so you will be kept up to date with developments, can be found at morleytowndeal.commonplace.is/
What happened to the previous Morley centre?
Leeds City College had to close the Joseph Priestley Campus, in Morley, in 2015 due to financial pressures following major cuts in government funding.
Getting to Morley Campus:
Morley is a market town and the largest town in the Borough of Leeds. Its name means ‘wood by a moor’ and its origins stretch back to the 11th century. Morley was a relatively isolated village up until the Industrial Revolution, when three main industries – textiles, coal-mining and quarrying – sprang up and drove the community’s expansion.
The exact location of the new campus is still to be confirmed. Morley itself, however, is easy to reach by train, bus, bicycle or car. There is a frequent, direct train service between Leeds railway station and Morley railway station that only takes seven minutes. There are also regular buses between the city and Morley.
Cyclists and motorists, meanwhile, are looking at a six mile journey from the centre of Leeds.
The M621 motorway runs to the west of the town and the M62 motorway to the south, with Junctions 27 and 28 of the M62 being closest to Morley.
Morley is also easily accessible from Bradford, where buses and trains – via Leeds – to the town can be caught.
