Aquinas College, Stockport

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Aquinas College


Established	1980
Type	Independent (Roman Catholic)
Principal	Dr Ambrose Smith
Students	1,800
Location	Stockport, United Kingdom
Website	www.aquinas.ac.uk

Aquinas College, Stockport, Greater Manchester is a Catholic educational institute providing further education to those aged 16 and above. It was established in 1980 on the site of St. Michael's Secondary School, and is owned by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The college is named after St. Thomas Aquinas, medieval philosopher considered by many Catholics to be the Church's greatest theologian.

OFSTED inspectors in their last report on the college in 2003 concluded "There is much very good and excellent teaching. Lessons are very well planned, they have a clear and identified purpose and the teaching is supported by excellent learning materials.".^[1] The inspectors also criticised the college accommodation as being inadequate and recommended that key skills be improved. The college is popular among school leavers in the Stockport area, so much so that Aquinas College receives twice as many applications as there are places.^[2]

The college also offers adult education courses, including the government initiative ECDL course.

Famous alumni include Dominic Monaghan of Lord of the Rings and Lost fame, Nigel Tu of "Swahili Festival in a Disco Setting" fame, England field hockey captain Kate Walsh, British Paralympic swimmer Matt Walker, DJ Richard Straffon of 97.6 Chiltern FM, journalist and author James Hart.