City of Bristol College
Encyclopedia
City of Bristol College is one of the largest further education
colleges in the UK. Based in Bristol, the College continues to gain national recognition for its work with adults, young people and employers.
The College currently has five centres
Other College centres
City of Bristol College offers the widest choice of courses in the area including, Diplomas, AS/A2 Level courses, Apprenticeships and NVQs. Moving on to College offers a bridge between school and university, or school and employment and allows students to gain confidence in a learning environment more akin to the workplace or university. Tuition is free for 16 to 19 year-old EU students.
Adult learners
The College offers numerous and varied part-time courses, ranging from Plumbing to Horticulture and First Aid to Media. There are also flexible courses which allow students to work at their own pace with the support of college tutors. Most part-time courses have a tuition charge (concessionary rates are available).
University level study
These include Foundation Degrees, HNCs and Access to HE in partnership with University of Plymouth
, Bath Spa University
, University of the West of England
, University of Gloucestershire
and University of Bristol
. Students may study for a third year at university to turn their College qualification into a degree.
International students
Currently there are more than 400 international students from over 50 countries studying at the College. Services designed to help international students include: personal tutors; free immigration and visa support; English language support and advice about living and studying abroad.
It was formed by the merger of Brunel College with South Bristol College and subsequently also merged with Soundwell College and smaller establishments such as the College of Care and Early Years Education.
The buildings of the Ashley Down Centre
have in the past been used as the exterior set for the BBC television series Casualty
, posing as the outside of the Accident & Emergency department of Holby City Hospital. The show used the College to act as Holby City Hospital from 1986 up until 2002, when the series relocated to another Bristol location more in keeping with the buildings used in the sister series Holby City
.
Skins
Auditions for the first series of E4 drama, Skins, took place at City of Bristol College. Former performing arts student, Mike Bailey, nabbed the role of Sid Jenkins in series one and two.
Other
Louise Brown, was famous even before studying at City of Bristol College as the world's first test-tube baby.
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
colleges in the UK. Based in Bristol, the College continues to gain national recognition for its work with adults, young people and employers.
Awards
- LSIS Beacon status
- Member of the 157 Group, which is shaping the future of further education
- AoC (Association of Colleges) Beacon award for widening participation
- TQS (Training Quality Standard) status for meeting the needs of employers
- The Matrix Standard for Information, Advice and Guidance
- 2010 Ofsted report highlighted the College’s ‘outstanding’ ability to create benefits for learners through partnerships with schools, employers and others
College centres
- Ashley Down Centre
- College Green Centre
- Parkway Transport Technology Centre
- Soundwell Centre
- South Bristol Skills Academy
Other College centres
- Bridge Learning Campus
- Orpen Park
- Skills Centre South West
Vital statistics
City of Bristol College offers over 1,000 courses at all levels for school leavers, adult learners and international students, as well as training packages for employers. Currently catering for more than 30,000 students and employing over 2,000 staff, the College delivers the majority of post-16 education in greater Bristol. A recent Ofsted inspection highlighted its inclusive and welcoming environment.Student population
School leaversCity of Bristol College offers the widest choice of courses in the area including, Diplomas, AS/A2 Level courses, Apprenticeships and NVQs. Moving on to College offers a bridge between school and university, or school and employment and allows students to gain confidence in a learning environment more akin to the workplace or university. Tuition is free for 16 to 19 year-old EU students.
Adult learners
The College offers numerous and varied part-time courses, ranging from Plumbing to Horticulture and First Aid to Media. There are also flexible courses which allow students to work at their own pace with the support of college tutors. Most part-time courses have a tuition charge (concessionary rates are available).
University level study
These include Foundation Degrees, HNCs and Access to HE in partnership with University of Plymouth
University of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
, Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University
Bath Spa University is a university based in, and around, Bath, England. The institution was previously known as Bath College of Higher Education, and later Bath Spa University College...
, University of the West of England
University of the West of England
The University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre...
, University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
and University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
. Students may study for a third year at university to turn their College qualification into a degree.
International students
Currently there are more than 400 international students from over 50 countries studying at the College. Services designed to help international students include: personal tutors; free immigration and visa support; English language support and advice about living and studying abroad.
Background
City of Bristol College dates back to the merchant venturers in the sixteenth century and has since expanded through a series of mergers.It was formed by the merger of Brunel College with South Bristol College and subsequently also merged with Soundwell College and smaller establishments such as the College of Care and Early Years Education.
Trivia
College v CasualtyThe buildings of the Ashley Down Centre
New Orphan Houses, Ashley Down, Bristol
The New Orphan Houses, Ashley Down, commonly known as the Muller Homes, were an orphanage in the district of Ashley Down, in the north of Bristol. They were built between 1849 and 1870 by the Prussian evangelist George Müller to show the world that God not only heard, but answered, prayer...
have in the past been used as the exterior set for the BBC television series Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
, posing as the outside of the Accident & Emergency department of Holby City Hospital. The show used the College to act as Holby City Hospital from 1986 up until 2002, when the series relocated to another Bristol location more in keeping with the buildings used in the sister series Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
.
Skins
Auditions for the first series of E4 drama, Skins, took place at City of Bristol College. Former performing arts student, Mike Bailey, nabbed the role of Sid Jenkins in series one and two.
Other
Louise Brown, was famous even before studying at City of Bristol College as the world's first test-tube baby.
Awards
City of Bristol College, our students and ex-students have won many awards, some of which are mentioned below.- Ex-Students Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias win Gordon Ramsey’s “Best Restaurant” competition 2010.
- City of Bristol College students triumphed at 2009 Association of Hairdressing and Therapists South West area competition.
- The winner of the Habia Young Apprentice (YA) of the Year 2009 was Ellie Quirke, from City of Bristol College, who received her award from Patrick Cameron at an awards ceremony held at Hammersmith College, London on Tuesday 23 June 2009.
- City of Bristol College students triumphed at 2010 WorldSkills UK national final for Hairdressing.
- Soundwell College students triumphed at RTITB National Junior Mechanic Competition 1987RTITB National Junior Mechanic Competition 1987The 1987 National Junior Mechanics Competition event for the Road Transport Industry Training Board National Mechanics Competition was held on 24 June 1987 at located at High Ercall, a former RAF base.The RTITB's Chairman, John Armstrong, revealed that 230 teams entered 1987's...
(and on three other occasions).