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‘Outstanding’ Education Group gears up to celebrate 100 years of transforming education

West Suffolk College (part of the Eastern Education Group) is gearing up for a once-in-a-century celebration.
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Celebrating our centenary year

100 years if outstanding education

100 years of serving our communities, 100 years of working with businesses and forging partnerships, and 100 years of incredible people – all leaving their mark on generations to come.

Now, it’s time to honour our past, celebrate our achievements, and look ahead to shaping a more sustainable, dynamic, and innovative future.

As our founding Principal, Norman Frederick Watterson, wrote in his memoirs: “Always hitch your wagon to a worthwhile star.” A century later, those words still ring true as we reflect on our incredible journey — from a small outbuilding behind a Bury St Edmunds pub to a thriving Group of outstanding colleges.

A cornerstone of the community with a rich history, our success is a testament to every single person who has studied, taught, or supported us over the years. This milestone is yours too – and we thank you!

Explore our historical timeline
News
Get involved
Employers and partnerships
Celebratory Film Coming Autumn 2025

News

Share your story

The history of West Suffolk College dates to 1925 and today, the college is part of Eastern Education Group, which supports around 15,000 students both locally and nationally, including Abbeygate and One Sixth Form Colleges, primary and Special Educational Needs schools, and University and Professional Development provision. Additionally, the Group is home to an award-winning XR Lab, as well as a number of learning centres across Bury St Edmunds, Chatteris, Haverhill, Ipswich, Thetford, Soham, and Sudbury. Whatever your connection to the Group, we would love to hear from you.

Over the year, we will be collecting and collating many stories, memories and testimonials as part of a ‘100 voices’ campaign to celebrate all the people who have shaped our history and are continuing to contribute to our future. And we need your help – whether you’re a former student or teacher, governor or employer partner, we’d love to hear your story. You can use the form below to share this or can send us an email and one of the centenary team will be in touch.

Submit your story

or email 100yearsofwsc@easterneducationgroup.ac.uk

Your voices

Come and see us

As part of our centenary year celebrations, we will be attending and hosting various events that are open to the public. We would encourage you to get involved, whether to visit us at the Suffolk Show to find out about all we can offer, join our centenary celebration day to take part in activities or attend our Edmund’s lecture to delve further in the history of West Suffolk College.

We’re thrilled to sponsor Thetford Town Council’s VE80 Party on the Common.

Internal events to celebrate our students

In our centenary year, we look forward to celebrating our students’ successes at both the Celebration of Achievement and Graduation ceremonies. We have held these events for many years, welcoming students and their families to celebrate at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. We are proud to have transformed education for generations and will continue to celebrate our students for many years to come.

Graduate smiling at Graduation 2024
Graduates smiling at Graduation 2024

Employers and partnerships

Throughout our remarkable 100-year journey, collaboration with local, regional, and national employers has always been at the heart of our success. These vital partnerships have not only helped shape the educational experiences we offer but have also driven innovation and growth, enriching the communities we proudly serve.

Our longstanding connections with businesses, large and small, across diverse sectors have opened doors for countless students, helping them to gain real-world skills, valuable industry insights, and meaningful employment opportunities. By continually aligning our curriculum with the evolving needs of employers, we make sure that our learners are fully prepared to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow.

As we celebrate this significant milestone, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the many organisations that have partnered with us over the decades. Together, we’ve built a strong foundation for education and employment in our region. Looking ahead, we remain committed to deepening these relationships and forming new partnerships, fuelling mutual growth and success for years to come.

We’re still working with some of our employers that we were working with all the way back in the 1960s including Glasswells, British Sugar, West Suffolk Council (made from merging of other councils), Elveden Estate and many more.

#100in100

Join the ‘100 Apprentices in 100 Days’ campaign and invest in the future of your business. Hiring an apprentice is a smart, cost-effective way to grow your team, boost productivity and shape the next generation of talent.

Apprentices bring fresh ideas, energy and a willingness to learn – and with tailored training, they become valuable assets from day one.

Be part of something big. Help build a skilled workforce for tomorrow.

Chat to our apprenticeships team

Email:
apprenticeships@easterneducationgroup.ac.uk

Phone:
01284 716 235

Join our alumni network

If you’re interested in getting involved and joining our alumni network, please email our team today.

Join our alumni network