RIOTS in central London, MPs quitting frontbench positions and an attack on a royal car.

These incidnets, spurred by the increase in tuition fees, dominated the news agenda towards the end of last year and attracted a lot of criticism.

But while students have strongly opposed fees soaring to up to £9,000 a year, the controversial Commons vote could play into the hands of South Essex College.

The college has just celebrated a year since South East Essex College and Thurrock and Basildon College merged, to become South Essex College.

Jan Hodges, college principal and chief executive, said higher university tuition fees mean more people may choose to study locally.

She said: “We are offering good quality degrees validated by the University of Essex and it is very attractive to people. The increase is not a good thing, but it might be something we capitalise on.

“It might be the case the tuition fees increase means people look to study locally instead of at university – the local education offer is a strong one.”

Mrs Hodges, a mother-of-two, from Westcliff, said the merger happened because, historically, further education needs were not being met adequately in Basildon and Thurrock.

She said the change was to also strengthen leadership and save money.

There are 19,000 students enrolled at the merged college, aged between 16 and 80, with 1,400 staff across three campuses. The college annual turnover is £60 million.

Mrs Hodges said: “We are the biggest college in the east of England and a big employer in south Essex.”

She said the staff and students have coped admirably with the merger, alongside other achievements.

The college received recognition for the quality of staff training, joining the National Enterprise Academy – a group set up by Peter Jones of Dragons’ Den fame – to support budding entrepreneurs.

Students’ overall pass rates also increased, even though Mrs Hodges said mergers mean standards initially fall.

Education watchdog Ofsted also ranked the college nursery for staff and students as outstanding.

Mrs Hodges is looking forward to making more improvements.

She said: “We’ve invested more than £1million on the campuses. We want to make every aspect of the college outstanding, which is quite ambitious.”

The college is part of a partnership, which will see millions spent on a new central library in the heart of Southend town centre.

Another aim is to replace the Thurrock and Basildon campuses in future years and increase the number of students studying locally.

Mrs Hodges said: “It’s been a positive first year and we hope to build on what we have achieved.”