The Sheffield College has confirmed its decision to move students, staff and courses from Peaks Campus following the conclusion of a stakeholder consultation process.
Staff, students, parents and carers, community organisations and civic and business leaders were invited to have their say on the decision.
A summary of the feedback received during the consultation, which sought to gather views on the impact of the plans, has been published on the college website today, 7th June 2023.
The college has written to staff, students, parents and carers, applicants, and other stakeholders today confirming the latest update.
Angela Foulkes, Chief Executive and Principal, The Sheffield College, said: “We would like to thank everyone who has shared their views with us.
“We understand the strength of feeling for Peaks Campus. The feedback that we have received will inform how we implement the move. We will do everything we can to support our students and ensure that the learning environment is appropriate to their needs.”
She added: “We are working with partner organisations in the city on finding a long term sustainable solution for use of the site to ensure that the building is still used in a way which continues to serve its communities. Currently, there are no plans to sell the site.”
In 2014/15 there were 776 students studying at Peaks. Now there are around 300 students based at Peaks Campus.
During the last month, the college has held one-to-one meetings with students to discuss their options and provided tours at City Campus and Hillsborough Campus. Drop-in sessions at City Campus and Hillsborough Campus have also been provided to high needs students and their parents and carers.
Consultation feedback has focussed on travel arrangements and costs, support for high needs students, facilities, estate capacity and what will happen to the Peaks Campus site.
In its summary response, the college has confirmed that courses will continue and relocate, not close.
Programmes for high needs students are delivered across the college. All high needs students are offered the same support regardless of where they study. Around 21% of all high needs students are based at Peaks Campus currently; the majority, 79%, have chosen to study at the college’s other campuses.
Support with travel will be available to existing Peaks Campus students and applicants until summer 2025 to help with the transition period, and based on individual need. The package of support will include:
- A free travel pass.
- Paid for bespoke transport arrangements where these are required, for example, high needs students.
- Information, advice and guidance support to help students plan their journeys.
As part of a review of Peaks Campus, the college completed a planning exercise to ensure that there would be enough space for students and staff who are moving.
The college is currently reviewing its timetabling to ensure that the busier times, for example, lunch and break times, are planned differently and staggered to ensure the best student experience, as well as its facilities.
The college’s decision to no longer deliver teaching and learning at Peaks Campus from September 2023 was announced on 9th May 2023.
A stakeholder consultation ran from 9th May until 1st June 2023. Alongside that, the college has been formally consulting with the trade unions and Peaks Campus staff.
No staff are at risk. The college has been consulting with 15 staff permanently based at Peaks Campus, and who are being offered redeployment to other sites.
The college has also been consulting with 70 staff who are based across more than one site, including Peaks Campus, and who will continue to work at the college's other campuses.
The college’s decision follows an internal review of the estate, which found that Peaks Campus is significantly underutilised and costly to maintain and run.
Student recruitment at Peaks Campus has declined with more students wanting to study at City Campus. Around 85% of college students from the local area travel to the College’s other sites to study, particularly City Campus.
The Peaks Consultation Update has been published today on the college website.
For more background information, please visit our Peaks Campus FAQs.
