Open Day

We held one of our Open days today. Initially the prediction had been for a quiet day. In fact, however, it was as busy as normal if not a little more so. Colleagues presented aspects of our programmes. The leader of the other suite of programmes and I, with some other colleagues manned the drop-in centre.

This really allowed students and their parents the opportunity to pose very specific questions about aspects of the courses on offer.

A common question was about where students would study. The Open Day was held in our prestigious Media City building. Yet most of our courses are currently delivered in the Adelphi Building and on the Peel Campus. We’re due to move into the new Gateway Building by January 2016 at the latest. That is a truly exciting space and of a similar spec to the Media City building. It will have a full size theatre, rehearsal rooms, and music practice rooms.

The more traditional teaching on some of our English courses and on Politics and Contemporary History who have recently joined us will take place in the adjacent Chapman Building, another high-spec building that was recently extensively refurbished.

Adelphi still has its charms. Walk along the music corridor at any time of day and there will be at least one person practising – trombone, piano or voice for example. It lifts the heart. This will be replicated in the new building.  But I don’t suppose we’ll have the joy – or otherwise - of mysterious Adelphi.  

“Sometimes,” says my colleague, “when you go through that door,” he points to one exit from the canteen, “you come to the library and sometimes you don’t.”

We really didn’t stop all day. Continuous conversations from just after 9.00 until just before 4.00.

A great day.