New Peterborough university can help stop city's brain drain

Peterborough’s education chief has spoken of his hopes that the new university can stop the ‘brain drain’ in the city.

Jonathan Lewis, director of education for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said the new Anglia Ruskin University site, which opens later this month, was a huge boost for Peterborough’s future.

‘It is a real statement of intent’

He said: “The new university is a real statement of intent, and putting ourselves on the map. We have a university, and you can come here, or even better, stay. That for me is the key thing – the brain drain we have experienced. It is employers saying ‘well, we haven’t got degree qualified people that are in Peterborough. We can now create that link, and that is how you boost the economy, and get loads more opportunities.

"At the moment, we do lose people, and see them go out of the city. But the talent is here.”

Mr Lewis spoke of the importance of using the university to inspire young people in the city as early as possible.

He said: “I’ve been working with (university principal) Ross Renton and we are really keen to get as many primary school children down to the university as we possibly can, so we can set the aspiration that you can come to this university, that it's on your doorstep and it's an amazing facility. They need to say ‘I need my English, and maths. I'll enjoy my A levels and then I'll pick the course and stay in Peterborough, and then work in Peterborough.’ Then employers will come here and we can see that shift in our economy.

"I’ve been down and seen the science kit they offer – they have some really amazing technology, some great health kit – it is really inspiring.”

Aspiration for a local place for a local child

The university is the latest educational facility to open in Peterborough. Three new schools opened this term in the city – Manor Drive Primary and Secondary Academies, and St John Henry Newman Catholic Primary School and Nursery.

Mr Lewis said that while there were no other new schools on the immediate horizon, the situation was always being monitored. He said: “My aspiration has always been for there to be a local place for local child. We want to keep people in their communities and to meet that aspiration in the growing city.

"You've got to continue to develop your your education offer. And obviously, we need a balance. We need to hold a surplus (of school spaces) but we don't want too many spare places.

"I've been speaking to my admissions team today. We've had in excess of 700 applications come in over the summer for school places. Some of those are from outside of the UK some from in the country. We're seeing a lot of mobility of people which we haven't had in the last couple of years, so making sure we've got enough places is really key.

"When I came to Peterborough in 2007 we had about 2,000 children coming in to reception – now we have 3,000, which shows the work we have had to do.”

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