Church Road – Proposed Merger and Corporation Dissolution

STRODE COLLEGE: STATUTORY NOTICE

FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION ACT 1992

Notice is hereby given by the Corporation of Strode College, Church Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0AB in accordance with the Further Education Corporations (Publication of Proposals) (England) Regulations 2012, of the proposal for the transfer of the property, rights and liabilities to the Corporation of Bridgwater & Taunton College, Bath Road, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4PZ and the subsequent dissolution of the Corporation of Strode College.

The Corporation of Bridgwater & Taunton College is separately proposing to the Secretary of State a change of name for the Corporation to be effective from 1 August 2025. The proposed name of the merged college Corporation is University Centre Somerset College Group (UCS College Group).

Dissolution of the Corporation of Strode College is proposed in order that it may merge with Bridgwater & Taunton College. The merger will create a strong institution delivering high-quality education and skills training for learners and employers across Somerset.

The date proposed for the dissolution of the Corporation of Strode College is 1 August 2025.

All students at Strode College who have not yet completed their course of study by the date of the proposed dissolution will continue their education in the merged college on the same campus where they studied immediately prior to the dissolution of the Corporation of Strode College. This will affect approximately 4,000 students: 1355 16–18-year-olds (FE learners) and 2645 adults.

A copy of the consultation document on this proposal is available at http://www.strode-college.ac.uk/ or by writing to Strode College, Church Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0AB.

The consultation period runs from 27 March to 30 April.

All responses and representations must be received by the closing date through:

completing the online response form at http://www.strode-college.ac.uk/ or http://www.btc.ac.uk/

or email to merger@strode-college.ac.uk or merger@btc.ac.uk

A summary of the feedback and the outcome will be published by 30 June 2025 on the Strode College and Bridgwater & Taunton College websites. A copy of the document will be available free of charge to any person who requests it.