Students welcomed to new academic year with newly refurbished college sites
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As students return to City of Bristol College for the new academic year, they are also returning to refreshed and improved spaces across the college’s sites, following a programme of refurbishment and regeneration over the summer.
From brighter, more welcoming corridors and updated student spaces to more accessible kitchens and improvements to campus sustainability and security, a range of work has taken place across the college during the summer break.
The programme has been designed with one key aim in mind; creating welcoming, inspiring and practical environments where students can learn, develop and truly feel part of the college community.
Creating brighter, more engaging spaces at the College Green Centre
At the College Green Centre, one of the main areas of focus has been the refurbishment of corridors and communal areas.
With hundreds of students and colleagues passing through these spaces every day, the corridors had naturally become worn over time. Some of the artwork and displays were outdated and no longer reflective of the current college community.
The refurbishment has given these areas a fresh look, with improvements to flooring, wall coverings and decoration, alongside updated artwork that better reflects the College’s current brand and community.
The changes also create more purposeful spaces for students, with previously cluttered wall areas now available for displays that can be regularly updated. These can include student work and artwork, student voice, support information, positive messages and key information about college expectations.
There is also greater scope to highlight important topics relevant to students, including British values, behaviour standards, exploitation awareness and drug prevention.
Large digital screens in reception and communal areas now also provide opportunities to showcase student work, videos and images, helping to bring the college community to life throughout the building.
The refreshed spaces can now be managed by designated teams, allowing displays to change regularly and remain relevant to each year’s student cohort.
Supporting a more sustainable college
The improvements at the College Green Centre have also included the installation of new, accessible water fountains, encouraging students and colleagues to use refillable bottles and helping to reduce reliance on single-use plastic.
The centre’s training kitchens have also undergone an important sustainability upgrade.
Previously operating using a combination of gas and electricity, the kitchens have now been refurbished to run exclusively on electricity as part of the college’s Sustainability Plan.
Moving away from gas will help reduce carbon emissions from the kitchens, while more energy-efficient equipment can also help reduce energy consumption and running costs over time.
The changes support the college’s wider ambition to reduce its environmental impact and move towards a lower-carbon future.
A more accessible learning environment at Ashley Down
At the Ashley Down Centre, refurbishment was focused particularly on the café, creating a space designed around the needs of the students who use it.
Welcoming spaces at the South Bristol Skills Academy
At the South Bristol Skills Academy (SBSA), the external wood fascia has been restored, refreshing the appearance of the building and creating a more welcoming first impression for students, colleagues and visitors.
The work is part of the college’s ongoing commitment to maintaining attractive, well-presented environments across its sites.
There is now also a newly developed kitchen that has been tailored to the requirements of the curriculum, while accessibility has been placed at the heart of the design.
A dedicated wheelchair-accessible area includes height-adjustable sinks and hobs, specially designed ovens and an easily accessible storage pantry.
The improvements will support students across SEND, Foundation and Community Learning programmes, providing a more inclusive environment in which students can develop practical skills and learn with greater independence.
Strengthening security at Parkway
Improvements have also been made to the security gates at the Parkway Centre. Maintaining safe and secure campuses is an important part of the college’s duty of care to its students and colleagues, and the upgraded gates form part of the ongoing work to ensure that college sites remain secure.
Investing in the student experience
While many of the summer projects may not be the most visible changes to take place across the college, together they make an important contribution to the experience of students and colleagues alike.
From the spaces students walk through every day, to the kitchens where they develop practical skills, the programme has focused on making college environments more welcoming, accessible, sustainable and fit for the future.
With the new academic year now underway, students can make the most of these refreshed spaces as they begin another year of learning and growth at City of Bristol College.