A BOLTON college has grand designs for the future after unveiling plans for a state-of-the-art £1m extension. Management at Bolton Sixth Form College have revealed that building work will start in summer on the new block at the North Campus on Smithills Dean Road. The extension -- which will be used to house new business studies and information technology classrooms -- has been funded jointly through the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) and the college itself.

The FEFC has contributed £350,000 to the scheme, with the remainder, £650,000, being supplied by the college.

The moves comes in the wake of an inspection report from FEFC which praised many aspects of the College's work.

But in their report inspectors noted: "Accommodation is attractive and generally well maintained. However, there is some overcrowding in classrooms on the North Campus."

College spokesman Lee Isherwood said: "We have recognised the need for the college to expand and there have been some developments at the South Campus, but nothing on the scale of this new building.

"It has been designed to give us the extra space we need and, while it is planned to house new Business Studies and Information Technology classrooms, it may also include other features such as Student Services."

The college say that building work will begin on the extension during the summer, with an opening date of Easter 2002.

The FEFC report into the Sixth Form College followed the first inspection of the facilities since its creation in 1998, following the merger of North Bolton Sixth Form College and South College.

Across the range of subjects and services offered by the college, inspectors graded the majority as "satisfactory with strengths but also some weaknesses"

But courses such as Business Studies, English and Modern Language were rated as above the national average with "strengths clearly outweighing weaknesses".

In their report the inspectors stated: "The college has a clear commitment to improving the quality of its provision. Courses are well planned and well managed and most teaching is good."

The report also notes good levels of student support from teachers and courses are well planned and well managed.

But adds that there is also room for improvement by saying: "Despite some recent improvements, some achievement rates and retention rates on advanced level courses still fall short of the national averages for sixth form colleges."

The report suggests the college should improve: quality of teaching and tutorials, achievement rates where they are below the national average, support for students who need help with basic literacy and numeracy and access for students with restricted mobility.

Speaking about the new building, college principal Roy Whittle said: "Whilst the inspection report pinpointed the College's accommodation as being an attractive learning and teaching environment for students and staff, the new development will enhance the college's position as the key specialist sixth form provider in Bolton."

He added: "I am very pleased that inspectors confirmed that teaching is of a high quality, that students receive a large amount of formal and informal support and that the college is utterly committed to the students and their success.

"I look forward to moving from a good report to an outstanding one next time."

Comment: Page 32. NEW BLOCK FOR THE KIDS: An artist's impression of how the £1m extension at Bolton Sixth Form College's North Campus will look. SUPERIOR

INTERIOR: An inside view of the new block which is due to open next Easter.