[ (L-R) Shaun Mullen (Head of Department for Arts & Performance, Music, Sport and Protective Services), Rich Harris (Chief of Operations), Wera Hobhouse MP, Martin Sim (Principal), and Sam Kenny (Director of Quality , Performance & Progression) ]
Bath may boast two universities but it also has Bath College which has been the city’s main further education and vocational college in one form or another since 1892.
Our Lib-Dem MP, Wera Hobhouse haspaid a visit to hear more about the more than 1400 courses – right up to degree level – on offer. The college is home to around 10,000 learners across its two campuses, in central Bath and Radstock.
The college is also the largest provider of apprenticeships in the area.
It has a strong vocational emphasis and a strategic focus on building links with businesses across the region. It also provides an inclusive learning environment for the community, which is committed to providing education, support and guidance. Together, this ensures that over 85% of learners and apprentices go on to secure positive destinations following their studies.
The drive to support learners to successfully access their next steps was mirrored amongst the students Wera met on her vibrant visit.
She chatted to students from several departments including, Digital and fashion & Photography, and heard from Film and Media students who were enthused about the hands-on work and practical elements of their course, which they said really brought the subject to life and made them relate to its applicability to the real world of work.
The college is also home to the West of England Institute of Technology, (IoT) part of a government flagship programme designed to spearhead the delivery of higher technical education in STEM subjects.
The programme brings together employers with FE colleges and the University of the West of England, and the facility at Bath College provides world-class digital facilities, across two floors, for both learners and employers to access.
This unique space comprises an employer lounge, hardware and network labs, modern independent and group study areas and even a VR and gaming space supporting the computing, media, health sciences and care, and electronic, electrical and mechanical engineering sectors.
Key employer partners include Airbus and, in Bath itself, the Royal United Hospital, B&NES Council, CareUK, the Peggy Dodd Centre, Bath Spa University, Boomsatsuma and Windsor Hill Mortgages.
During her visit, Wera met with department heads Shaun Mullen (Arts & Performance, Music, Sport and Protective Services) and Sam Kenny (Quality & Performance) along with others from the senior leadership team to get an update on the changes at the top since the Ofsted report of October 2023 found a number of areas, including the quality of education, to be “requiring improvement”.
Martin Sim, Interim Principal, told her:
“This year the college has recruited above target from 16-18 year olds and is now financially robust with a significant surplus. Work is now centred around ensuring consistent quality across the entire curriculum. As evidenced by our recent Ofsted Monitoring visit the college is an improving college and we look forward to continuing to drive this progress.”
Wera ended her visit with a tour of some of the college’s facilities, including the IoT labs, the fashion design studios and the new health and social care centre, which provides a true-to-life representation of a care service user’s home to give their health and care students a realistic training environment to hone their skills.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, commented:
“A huge thank you to the staff and students at Bath College for hosting me and showcasing the incredible facilities on their vocational courses. Such brilliant opportunities for our young people, and older learners, to gain the skills they need for fulfilling careers! I look forward to hearing of the college’s continued improvement and future successes and partnerships.”
Sadly this has also meant the demise of Love to Learn, and the dismantling of facilities for courses that always had a waiting list.
You’re absolutely right, so short sighted. with their fantastic facilities they could be promoting the lost heritage crafts that are crying out for young people to take part.
Interesting news to read ‘the College is running at a surplus’. So can they bring back Love 2 Learn Ceramics, which was their most popular course, always over-subscribed, and was important as a social simulation & well-being course for such a large number of adults in Bathnes.
Love2learn Ceramics has been so much missed by so many. The facilities were good and the teaching excellent. The tutors has a wealth of specialist knowledge and professional experience in the industry combined with patience and understanding. The courses also had a strong social benefit for those bereaved, single or with long-term illnesses.
The ceramics courses were always oversubscribed and it is difficult to understand how these courses were not financially viable.
The glass courses are also missed by so many of us – as well as our excellent tutor. It was one time in the week when I met people with the same interests, spending time with them and exchanging ideas
Richard – There are a huge number of adult learning students who have been sorely let-down by Bath College, in particular, the Ceramics closure.
This warrants highlighting, via your intrepid journalistic skills!
They are two sides to every story & all that jazz…
Wera should be informed too. It”s not all rosy as she may think.
Losing the love2learn printed textiles class is something I’m still struggling to come to terms with. Having attended the classes with Lyn snow for over 10 years it’s cancellation has left a massive gap in my life along with so many screen lost in the process. We weren’t consulted or given a chance to save precious work.
It was because of the Love to Learn Printed Textiles and the tutor Lyn Snow , I developed my small business and are thankful for the skills I learned but sad I cannot continue due to the closure of the course. There is something very special about attending a weekly course with like minded people , encouraging each other and developing skills ,it was ‘my time’ and very much missed . The college shouldn’t under estimate the importance of creative based courses for adults , they are not just ‘ leisure ‘ courses but can develop skills leading to new businesses , provide valuable ‘time out’ for someone who has stressful job or is a carer and are an opportunity to meet like minded people and forge new friendships . The benefits to mental health are well documented and the return of the Love to learn courses ( day and evening) should be a priority .
It is good to see the college blooming again but what about the Love to Learn students who have been loyal supporters of the college over many years. We feel very let down by the college and the sudden loss of courses and our work . Printed textiles was a very popular course and we miss it and our fantastic tutor .These were such an important part of our wellbeing .
The college might be ‘back in the up’ for some students but what about the adult learners and many others in the community who have been badly let down and abandoned by the short sighted and misguided removal of the Love2Learn courses? So many of these courses were a lifeline to many people for a variety of reasons. I agree with Clare, they were far more than ‘just leisure’ courses. They provided valuable creative learning and social interaction opportunities both of which have enormous mental and physical health benefits for everyone. This is all well documented in many scientific studies and the college and government (local and national) need to realise this. Such courses could be saving the NHS a fortune!!!!!
I can only echo what is being said in the comments above. The love to learn courses were a lifeline for many adult learners, not just in improving skills and knowledge, but giving a valuable outlet to meet people from all walks of life and sharing that special common interest. Bravo that the college has improved their status, but I feel badly let down having been to the creative fashion courses for many years. We had a brilliant tutor and the class was always full, so I don’t see how it could have been so costly to run. We have so many problems in this county brought about by poor mental health and I feel the decision to ditch adult learning, is only going to maker matters worse. Bring back love to learn .