A COLLEGE is opening up a second campus in Basildon to cater for 500 students.

Seevic College, which opened a £2.2million teaching base at the Icon, by Basildon rail station, in September 2008, is to open another site at Church Walk House, just off Great Oaks, on February 28.

The college, which has its main campus in Runnymede Chase, Thundersley, will offer courses in media radio production, sport, performing arts, gaming, IT, secretarial, travel and tourism.

Sarah Wright, Seevic principal and chief executive, said: “I would urge any young person, including those who may not have had particularly successful previous experiences in formal education, to contact us or come and see us.

“Seevic College is delighted to be able to open an additional site to add to our provision at New Campus Basildon.”

The courses will be available for students aged 16 to 19 and include full-time vocational qualifications, Btecs, and apprenticeship programmes.

The majority of courses will last for 18 weeks.

About £1million has been put towards refurbishing Church Walk House with £225,000 of that coming from the Skills Funding Agency.

Katy Quinn, the college’s vice principal, said: “Church Walk House is being totally refurbished to ensure high-quality accommodation matches the quality of the learning experiences on offer.”

In 2010 Seevic’s overall pass rate for students who gained Btec National Certificates and diplomas was 97 per cent, while 109 students achieved a triple distinction, equivalent to 3 As at A level, and apprentices achieved a 100 per cent pass rate.

The Icon has 220 students at its campus as part of a partnership between Seevic College, Prospects College, Basildon, and South East Essex College, Southend.

A series of information days about the courses at the campus in Church Walk House starts tomorrow at the Icon from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.

For other dates and further information visit the website www.newcampusbasildon.ac.uk