Bath College
Avon Street, Bath, BA1 1UP, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1225 312191 Web: www.bathcollege.ac.uk
Name of Principal: Kevin Hamblin (Principal & Chief Executive) since May 2025
Age of Pupils: Caters to learners aged 16 and above (often listed up to 99 as a statutory upper limit)
Number of Pupils: Approximately 9,000 learners annually across both campuses (including full-time, part-time, and adult learners)
Day Fees: Not applicable; as a Further Education college, it does not charge school-style day fees. Instead, courses may be free for eligible students or funded via government schemes, apprenticeships, or tuition fees depending on level and status.
Religious Denomination: None — the college is secular and non-denominational.
The Curriculum: Bath College offers a broad and vocationally-focused curriculum, including: A wide range of vocational courses including business, IT, media, performing arts, catering and hospitality, hair and beauty, floristry, construction, engineering, carpentry, stonemasonry, sport, travel and tourism, and public services. Qualification levels from Entry Level through Foundation Degrees, HNDs, professional qualifications, and links with higher education providers such as Bath Spa University. Special programmes for international students, including English language courses and foundation programmes.
All learners will have the opportunity to participate in a college-wide, diverse enrichment programme as part of this strategy, designed to enhance their personal development, broaden their experiences, and support the growth of essential life and work skills. The programme will be co-created with learners, the Student Union, and staff, ensuring it reflects the interests, aspirations, and voices of the college community. It will be aligned with our G.R.O.W values and serve as a dynamic platform for developing the B.A.T.H Work Skills, including communication, teamwork, resilience, and leadership.
Extra-curricular Activities: All learners, individually and collectively, will be involved in college decision making and participate in feedback about the College and their experience, either through learner representatives or feedback mechanisms.
Learner Representation: Student Union: All learners at Bath College are automatically members of the Student Union. Students can opt out if they wish to. The Executive members of the Student Union will be elected by the whole learner body annually.
Student Governors: Two student governors from the Student Union Executive will be assigned annually to the Corporation and Curriculum and Quality Committee.
Student Council: A representative of each tutor group will be elected to join the Student Council, hosted by the Student Union Executive. The Student Union Executive will create the agenda and will chair the meetings each term following the Curriculum Council. Members of the Senior Management Team will attend all Student Council meetings. Student Council representatives can influence decision making through Council meetings.
Curriculum Council: A representative from each class elects a representative who puts forward views to the Head of Department and Curriculum Team Leaders on a termly basis. Departments will conduct these councils in a focus group format. This will occur termly, and learners should be informed of developments and changes made due to learner voice feedback. All council meetings and actions will be recorded, and subsequent meetings will present opportunities to demonstrate progress and/or completion of actions agreed previously.
The college provides a vibrant range of additional opportunities, including:
- A host of clubs, workshops, sports, arts projects, guest speaker sessions, and more
- Apprenticeships, foundation learning, and hands-on practical training across disciplines (e.g., catering restaurant training, construction skills)
Pastoral Care: Bath College prioritises student and staff mental health and well-being through various support services and initiatives. The college offers a Student Counselling Service, a Breathing Space service in partnership with Bath Mind, and various wellbeing courses and groups. Support Services and Initiatives:
Student Counselling Service – Provides confidential support for students’ mental and emotional well-being. They offer help with a range of issues, including stress, anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. Students can typically receive a first appointment within a month of contacting the service, which can be done directly or through their tutor or the Student Welfare team.
Bath Mind Breathing Space – Offers face-to-face and telephone support every evening, year-round, for individuals in or at risk of a mental health crisis.
Radstock Wellbeing Group – Encourages positive mental health through conversation and creative activities, supported by Bath Mind staff and volunteers.
Wellbeing Courses – Bath College offers a range of free courses to improve mental wellbeing, fitness, or social connections.
If you have a learning difficulty, disability or other support need, we will give you additional support. Early in your course, we will give you an assessment to help us arrange the support that you may need to complete your course. For further details visit the Inclusion Team learning.support@bathcollege.ac.uk
Outstanding Characteristics: Bath College is a mixed-gender Further Education college formed by a 2015 merger and has a longstanding tradition dating back to 1892. The college serves approximately 10,000 learners per year across two campuses (City Centre and Somer Valley), and offers more than 1,400 courses from entry to degree level.
