Cheshire College's October open events drew 29% more visitors than last year, its best yet. The Chester and Ellesmere Port campuses open again on 19 November.

The college’s next open evening at its Chester campus on Eaton Road, Handbridge, is on Thursday 19 November, from 5.30pm to 8pm. It follows a record turnout at the October events.

Cheshire College South and West and Macclesfield College say attendance at their October open events was 29% higher than at the same events last year. The college says that is the highest attendance it has recorded at any of its open events.

They were the first open events since the two colleges merged. The merger took legal effect on 1 August 2026.

What visitors did

Prospective students and their families toured specialist facilities, took part in activities and spoke to current students and teaching staff. They asked about courses, student support and where the courses lead, the college said.

Visitors could also see the Cheshire and Warrington Institute of Technology facilities at Crewe and Macclesfield. These have specialist teaching spaces and industry-standard equipment for engineering, computing, construction and healthcare science. Crewe is about 20 miles south-east of Chester; Macclesfield is about 35 miles east.

Crowds of visitors walk between stands on the ground floor of a large glass-walled college atrium, with more people on the curved balcony above
Visitors on the ground floor and the balcony of a college atrium during the October open events. Photo: supplied by Cheshire College South and West

What the principal says

Jasbir Dhesi OBE, Principal and CEO of the merged college, said:

“We were delighted to welcome such a fantastic turnout across all four of our campuses at our first Open Events since Cheshire College and Macclesfield College merged to form one organisation.”

Dhesi added:

“Our campuses each have their own character and communities, and these events have given us an opportunity to showcase what is available across the newly merged organisation. We look forward to welcoming many of these prospective students back in the future as they take their next steps.”

The November open evenings

Registration is open now. The dates are:

  • Thursday 19 November, 5.30pm to 8pm: Chester campus (Eaton Road, Handbridge, CH4 7ER), Ellesmere Port campus (off Sutton Way, CH65 7BF) and Crewe campus.
  • Saturday 21 November: Macclesfield College.

The college’s November open evening page gives the times and a button to register. It says there will be live demonstrations, and enrolment zones for adults interested in its masterclasses. Register for Macclesfield at macclesfield.ac.uk.

The merged college

The college teaches across four campuses. Courses run from Entry Level to Level 7 and include A levels, T levels, apprenticeships, vocational programmes, adult learning and higher education.

The college says it is the largest provider of post-16 education in the region, with nearly 15,000 students and 1,500 apprentices. It says it has invested £200 million in facilities across its campuses.

At Chester these include media booths, TV studios, gaming suites, a Digital Hub and 3D printers. Ellesmere Port has a Sustainable House and a motor vehicle workshop. Crewe has a hospital ward, Anatomage tables and an esports suite.

The college leads the Cheshire and Warrington Institute of Technology, which has a £14.2m building at the Crewe campus. Employers it works with include Bentley, Lloyds Bank, the NHS, Stellantis, Scottish Power, Belong and National Gas, the college said.

The college has published the announcement on its own news page. In October it also held its first joint graduation at Chester Cathedral, and it is shortlisted twice in the West Cheshire Chamber awards.