The village college could lie athwart the daily lives of the community it served; and in it the conditions would be realised under which education would not be an escape from reality, but an enrichment and transformation of it. For education is committed to the view that the ideal order and the actual order can ultimately be made one.
Impington Village College opened its doors in 1939 within days of the declaration of World War II. It was the fourth Village College to be established in Cambridgeshire by the visionary educationalist Henry Morris, who firmly believed that both formal and informal education should be a lifelong process, a vision that carved an innovative new approach for education. This remains extremely important today as the founding ideas and principles remain embedded within the fabric of Impington Village College, and we aspire to uphold Henry Morris’ vision. Our College is open to the whole community; as well as an excellent education for students from Years 7 to 13, we offer a variety of adult education courses and workshops.
The foundation of Impington Village College was made possible through the foresight and generosity of the Chivers family, who donated land, support and finance. The original building was designed by Walter Gropius, founder of The Bauhaus School of Architecture, and his partner Maxwell Fry. The iconic design was a radical departure from the taut educational establishments of the Victorian era, and introduced many innovations that had not been seen before. The original construction, which is now Grade 1 Listed, still stands at the heart of the College and continues to attract visitors from all over the world.
