The college opened in 1978 when Kettering and Corby further education colleges merged. When Wellingborough College merged on 1 April 1992, the college became Tresham Institute of Further and Higher Education. It took over the site of Kettering Boys' School in 1993, which became its headquarters in September 1994. The college is named after the Northamptonshire dynasty and lineage of
Tresham.
Rutland College merged with Tresham Institute in 2000. On 8 July 2009 'Tresham Institute' became 'Tresham College of Further and Higher Education'.
Redevelopment The Corby campus re-opened with an entirely new building on a different site in September 2011. The Kettering campus has improved security to match the Corby campus and further extensions are planned. The Wellingborough Campus also has significant plans for redevelopment. The redevelopment resulted in the demolition of the Kettering Boys' School building, which featured a 1962 mural, the
Kettering Abstract, by
Kenneth Budd. The mural was removed to safekeeping at the behest of the Kettering Civic Society. The remade mosaic is displayed in the
Alfred East Gallery in Kettering but the gallery is closed to the public during renovations.
Former schools As well as Kettering Grammar School, whose site was seconded in 1993, the former Corby Community College in Corby was taken over in 2009. This school had originated as
Corby Grammar School, a
grammar school on
Oakley Road which became the comprehensive Southwood School in 1973, then the Queen Elizabeth School in 1982. John Sutton CBE was headmaster of these schools from 1973-88. He later became General Secretary from 1988-98 of the Secondary Heads Association (became the
Association of School and College Leaders in 2006).
John Kempe was headmaster of Corby Grammar School from 1955–67; he was later headmaster of
Gordonstoun from 1968-78.
Colin Dexter, the author, taught Classics at Corby Grammar School from 1959-66. As well as Corby Grammar School, there was Kingswood Grammar School in the town (now
The Kingswood School), which opened in 1965.
Notable alumni (Corby Grammar School) •
Jill McGown, writer of detective fiction •
Andrew Pettigrew, sociologist and academic == References ==