“Franklin College opened in September 1990 following the reorganisation of primary, middle and secondary schools within the Borough of Grimsby. School sixth form provision was transferred to the new college based on the site of Chelmsford School which closed as part of the reorganisation. The college is named after Jack and Florence Franklin who, as local councillors, had devoted most of their adult lives to the well-being of the area. The student number plan was for a small college of about 450 students based on the area’s historically low post 16 particiaption of around 35%. The college immediately exceeded the planning number and the 16-19 population now stands at over 1500. The reorganisation of 1990 was carried out by Humberside County Council which had recently completed a similar exercise in Hull with the creation of Wyke and Wilberforce Sixth Form Colleges. Humberside had previously inherited from an ‘excepted district’ of Lincolnshire John Leggott Sixth Form College in Scunthorpe. In 1993, along with all sixth form and FE colleges, Franklin was removed by an Act of Parliament from the local authority to become an incorporated college. In 1996 Humberside County Council was abolished, replaced by a number of unitary autorities. The college is now located in N E Lincolnshire which includes the two boroughs of Grimsby and Cleethorpes and the port town of Immingham. Following incorporation in 1993 the college diversified its provision beyond sixth form work and set up provision for adult learners both on site and in outreach centres. Franklin’s local education context is complex and diverse. The area contans 11-16 schools, a large 11-18 school, three new academies (with post 16 provision) and a large general FE college with a growing HE provision. A further aspect of diversity lies in the proximity of selective grammar schools and other secondary provision in the neighbouring county of Lincolnshire.”

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