BOSSES at Ipswich's newest education establishment have today revealed the state-of-the-art facility's name.

BOSSES at Ipswich's newest education establishment have today revealed the state-of-the-art facility's name.

Previously known as the SWISS centre, the sixth from college currently under construction in Scrivener Drive will be called Suffolk One.

In an exclusive interview with The Evening Star, Suffolk One principal designate Alan Whittaker said he expected that the college will be referred to as 'One'.

He said: “A new name has been under consideration for some time. We found it difficult to come up with an easy geographical name and we were looking for something more innovative and imaginative and something different altogether.

“We don't see what we are providing as either a school or a college - we are a hybrid.”

Mr Whittaker, currently headteacher at Stoke High School, said a number of other names had been considered including The Academe, Town and Country, Xcel, Gold, and Spring.

He said the name had been chosen in consultation with students.

He added: “Often names are really quite traditional and backward looking and historically and geographically based. We wanted a name that looked to the future.

“Suffolk One will offer a mix of traditional A-level and vocational courses. It is unique across the UK in terms of what the college will offer students.”

Suffolk One partnership director Bob Dool said enabling works for the new building were completed at the end of 2008.

Handover of the building from the contractors is expected in June 2010 with students using the new centre from September 2010.

He added: “We are in a great position, the contractors are on target and we are looking at early completion.

“The piling has been done and the building is beginning to come out of the ground.

“Progress has been swift.”

Do you like the name Suffolk One? What do you think? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

Suffolk One - In profile

Suffolk One will open in September 2010 and at capacity, will provide learning for more than 2,000 16 to 19-year-olds mainly from South West Ipswich and South Suffolk.

It will also offer part-time sessions for up to 200 14 to16-year-olds, on a daily basis, in partnership with their home school.

It will offer post-16 studies, including 50 A/S and A-level subjects, a wide and diverse range of vocational courses involving 17 different lines of learning, the International Baccalaureate and specialised programmes for all abilities.

The curriculum has been planned in consultation with Suffolk New College and Otley College and this close collaboration will ensure the delivery offers clear progression routes into higher level courses and through into University Campus Suffolk.

One will be built on a 12-acre site on the edge of Ipswich at the London Road site, accessible from both A12 and A14.

There is a vocational block to the north and teaching clusters to the south, all around a central heart space, 20,185sq m in total.

Suffolk One is costing �65million, and is funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

Beacon Hill School (Special School, five - 16 years), Belstead School (Special School, 11 - 19 years), Chantry High School (11 - 18 years), Claydon High School (11 - 18 years), East Bergholt High School (11 - 16 years), Hadleigh High School (11 - 16 years), Holbrook High School (11 - 16 years), Otley College (FE College), Stoke High School (11 - 16 years), Suffolk New College (FE College), Thomas Wolsey School (Special School, 5 - 19 years), Thurleston High School (11 - 16 years), Westbourne Sports College (11 - 18 years) and Westbridge Pupil Referral Unit.