By Matt Scorer

Members of Hope Valley College's Management Team have been visiting local primary schools to speak to prospective parents and Y5 students for entry in September 2010/2011. 

The visits are the first step in providing the students with a smooth transition from primary to secondary education and open a dialogue between the College, primary schools, parents and students.

Principal Bernie Hunter said: "We are one of the few schools in the area who value working with primary schools and prospective parents in this way. Most schools open their doors for big meetings but we value the smaller and personal meetings. We believe it is important to get out into the community to meet people and keep in touch with our feeder schools."

The sessions provide the College with an opportunity to get across its ethos, values, achievements and goals with the launch of its' new Prospectus. It also provides parents with the opportunity to have their queries and concerns answered.

In addition to the Primary visits the College also hosts an evening for parents living out of catchment area who are considering sending their children to the College.

Mr. Hunter added: "This year we admitted a record number of students which is in part down to our strong t reputation as a provider of high quality education and our extensive extra- curricular programme. It is also partly down to the attitude we adopt towards parents and the way we promote ourselves. We don't just sit and wait for parents to come to us we go out to them to put across our message and listen to what they expect from us. I'd like to thank the primary schools for hosting the events."

This year parents have been the first to receive the College's new glossy prospectus. The prospectus is picture driven, student centred and explicitly promotes the College's aims and values.