Moving on

There has been a lot of thought about moving on in our household this year, with Mark looking towards university, my younger son, Ben, looking towards 6th form and me considering the level of comittment I have remaining towards my present job; and this week has seen a couple of significant steps towards decision making.

On Wednesday evening, Ben and I finally went for his interview here...

(Best viewed large)

...at the Joseph Wright 6th form Centre.

Joseph Wright is part of Derby College which evolved into its present form after the merger of two colleges of FE within the city (Wilmorton and Mackworth) and an agricultural college a few miles north of Derby (Broomfield Hall). Since then, the Wilmorton site has been demolished and two new sites have been constructed, one of which is the Joseph Wright Sixth Form Centre; located in the heart of the city, just beyond the far end of Sadler Gate and close by the cathedral. In fact, this photograph was taken from the tower of Derby Cathedral back in September 2009, when Mark and I abseiled  down it in support of the Derby Mountain Rescue Team.

Joseph Wright is a superb centre. Opened in 2005, it still feels brand new. The main entrance opens onto a huge central atrium which houses a large reception area (where the interviews were conducted) and a canteen. The atrium extends up through all three stories of the building and classrooms lead off the balconies which run around three sides on all levels. To the right of the atrium is a library and resource base housing hundreds of books and an impressive array of computers. The whole building is light and airy, with modern facilities and a great feel. It has already been extended twice and can cater for around 1500 students, mostly school leavers, but including a smattering of more mature learners.

I'm delighted to say that Ben was offered a place on the A level courses he wants. He was brilliant in the interview and now only needs to hit the grades in his remaining GCSEs to be assured of his 6th form opportunity; following in the footsteps of big brother, who is just about to complete his A level studies there and has loved every minute of the experience. :)

wiki.verkata.com/en/wiki/Derby_College

Towering over Derby

From the top of the cathedral tower, the view east over Derby is quite impressive, but isn't it interesting how height can give you those little insights into things which are normally hidden from view? I've never spotted this sub station from ground level!

Derby's river is the Derwent, nearing the end of its 50 mile course from the moors above Bamford Dams to its confluence with the Trent. The new bridge looks very smart, though I have yet to meet anyone who has actually crossed it (not that I often ask) and am not quite sure what criteria the council used when deciding where to place it. I'm sure they had their reasons.

With its historic buildings, narrow streets and more traditional shops, the Cathedral Quarter is definitely the more character-filled part of town; though it is suffering somewhat from the advent of the super-sized Westfield Centre just a short walk away. (Yes Bradfordians, we have a Westfield Centre, not just a Westfield hole!)

At 212 feet, Derby Cathedral tower is the second highest Anglican tower in England. I'm guessing that the highest is York Minster, though I am quite prepared to be corrected.

My eldest son and I were lucky enough to abseil from here in September. It was an amazing experience which I would love to repeat. Derby Mountain Rescue Team were professional, reassuring and quite happy to accommodate someone daft enough to want to climb the 189 steps for a second time, just to take some photos! (As long as I was also prepared to go back down the long way this time - shucks!)