Joseph Priestley College

Joseph Priestley College was a further education college founded in 1955 serving the communities of South Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was named after Joseph Priestley, a scientist and co-discoverer of oxygen who was born nearby. The college had three campuses, in Rothwell, Morley and Beeston. In 2010, the college was seeking partners and a possible merger, to secure its future, due to national funding issues, in further education. Four years prior to this, news was reported about another college in the area, which suggested that the Joseph Priestley College may have been looking into the possibility of merging with other colleges in the region, for some time. Following financial problems, a dissolution order was created by the government, and the college was merged with Leeds City College in August 2011. The merger aimed to improve educational opportunities and the provision of education for people in South Leeds. In 2015, it was announced that the sites the college used to be based at, may be closed by Leeds City College, with a later report suggesting new houses may be built on the Morley site.