As thousands of young people across Cheshire begin their final year of secondary school, Cheshire College – South & West and Macclesfield College are inviting prospective students and their families to explore their options at the first Open Events to be held since the two colleges officially merged. 

The newly merged College will host its October Open Evening across its Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester campuses on Tuesday 6 October 2026, from 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Macclesfield Campus will then host its October Open Event on Thursday 22 October, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. 

The events will give students and their families the chance to explore their local campus, meet teaching teams, find out more about courses and discover the support available as they begin making decisions about their next steps after Year 11. 

The merger, which officially took place in August 2026, brought Cheshire College – South & West and Macclesfield College together to create a single college serving communities across Cheshire. The organisation now offers a wider range of education and training opportunities across its four campuses. 

As the largest provider of post-16 education in the region, the College supports over 16,000 students across a wide range of study routes, including A Levels, T Levels, apprenticeships, vocational programmes, adult learning and Higher Education. 

Principal and CEO of Cheshire College – South & West and Macclesfield College, Jasbir Dhesi OBE, said: 

“Starting to think about what comes next after school is an important milestone, and we understand that choosing the right pathway can feel like a big decision. 

“This year’s Open Events are particularly significant as they are the first since the two Colleges merged. They give students and their families the chance to explore what is available across our organisation, while experiencing the individual campuses and communities that make our College what it is.” 

“Whether students already have a clear idea of their future plans or are still considering their options, our teams are on hand to answer questions, provide advice and help them find the right route for their next steps.” 

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the specialist facilities of the Cheshire & Warrington Institute of Technology (IoT) at its Crewe and Macclesfield campuses. The IoT supports the delivery of technical education and skills development across the region, with industry-standard equipment and dedicated learning spaces for areas including engineering, computing, construction and healthcare science. 

Students and their families can find out more and register for the October Open Evening at Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester via https://www.ccsw.ac.uk/events/october-open-evening-2/. 

Further information about the Macclesfield October Open Event is available through https://macclesfield.ac.uk/event/october-open-event-3/ .