Swansea College was a

further education college Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is additional education to that received at secondary school that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It ...

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

. It was one of the largest further education colleges in

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

with over 15,000 students and employing approximately 1,000 staff. Swansea College merged with

Gorseinon College Coleg Gorseinon College was a further education college situated to the west of Swansea, in the suburb of Upper Loughor in Gorseinon. It was frequently ranked as one of the best sixth-form colleges in Wales and the United Kingdom. Recently the co ...

on 20 August 2010 to create a single sixth form and further education college for the Swansea area called

Gower College Swansea Gower College Swansea () is a further education college in Swansea, Wales. It was formed in 2010 by the merger of Gorseinon College and Swansea College. Mark Jones, previously Vice Principal of Swansea College and then principal of Bridgend Co ...

. Swansea College provided preparation for a number of qualifications, including

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of subjects taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, having been introduced in September 1986 and its first exams taken in 1988. State schools ...

s, the

IB Diploma Programme The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry int ...

A-levels The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...

and HNDs, as well as a number of

vocation A vocation () is an Work (human activity), occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity. ...

al courses leading to BTEC First and National Diplomas,

NVQ National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are practical work-based awards in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that are achieved through training and assessment. The regulatory framework supporting NVQs was withdrawn in 2015 and replaced by th ...

s and other similar qualifications. It also ran EFL programmes for non-native speakers of English.Swansea College website
The College's mission statement was: ''We will provide high quality, relevant provision for all our learners.''

Campus and catchment area

The College operated on several different sites in Swansea. * Tycoch Campus –

Sketty Sketty () is a surburban district and community in Swansea, Wales, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the Swansea city centre on Gower Road. It falls within the Sketty council ward of Swansea. Description The area approximates to the Vivian ...

: Main site of the College, provided

A level The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...

, IB and all Vocational Courses ranging from

s to BTEC awards. *Llwyn-Y-Bryn –

Uplands Upland or Uplands may refer to: Geography *Hill, an area of higher land, generally *Highland, an area of higher land divided into low and high points *Upland and lowland, conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level *I ...

: Site for visual and performing arts. *Kingsway Centre – city centre *Business College –

Llansamlet Llansamlet is a suburban district and Community (Wales), community of Swansea, Wales, falling into the Llansamlet (electoral ward), Llansamlet ward. The area is centred on the A48 road (named Samlet Road and Clase Road in the area) and the M4 mot ...

*Several other sites, including Sketty Hall and local schools, were used for courses.

Faculties and services

A Level and the arts

The faculty was split into two areas – a specially designed 'B Floor' at the College's Tycoch campus and purpose-built Arts, Media and Performance suites at Llwyn y Bryn. The faculty provided preparation for a number of qualifications, including

A-level The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...

s, the IB and HNDs, as well as a number of

al courses leading to BTEC First and National Diplomas,

s and other similar qualifications.

2008 results

* 99.3% of students passed their A Level courses.Press release about 2008 results
* 15% of these had A grades, 47% A or B and 78% A, B or C. * 93% of students passed their AS Level courses. * 100% of students passed the International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Sport, lifestyle and business

Extra curricular opportunities were offered, including work experience, educational visits, visiting speakers and entrepreneurship guidance. Courses were designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills to progress into employment or

Higher Education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

leisure Leisure (, ) has often been defined as a quality of experience or as free time. Free time is time spent away from business, Employment, work, job hunting, Housekeeping, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as ...

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...

business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for ...

hospitality Hospitality is the relationship of a host towards a guest, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill and welcome. This includes the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Louis de Jaucourt, Louis, ...

public services A public service or service of general (economic) interest is any service (economics), service intended to address the needs of aggregate members of a community, whether provided directly by a public sector agency, via public financing availab ...

. The faculty also housed the Centre for Sporting Development which is dedicated to the physical, personal and intellectual development of student athletes.

Engineering, IT and technology

These courses were designed to provide students with a choice of routes into a range of disciplines for either

employment Employment is a relationship between two party (law), parties Regulation, regulating the provision of paid Labour (human activity), labour services. Usually based on a employment contract, contract, one party, the employer, which might be a cor ...

. They gave the student a chance to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding that underpin the creation of

Engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

and IT systems and services. The faculty had fully equipped workrooms as well as specialist computer software.

Social and vocational studies

Students of

hairdressing A hairdresser is a person whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques. A hairdresser may also be r ...

beauty Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes them pleasure, pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, art and taste are the main subjects of aesthetics, one of the fie ...

and complementary therapy could take part in work experience in a salon environment at either its Broadway or Cefn Hengoed Centre.

Health Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, p ...

and

social care Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

courses were also offered.

Community operations

Community Operations worked closely with partner organisations in

to help to coordinate basic skills and adult community courses throughout the city. Opportunities were on offer to help people improve their employability by encouraging confidence and developing skills for life.

Training for business

The Business College was the commercial arm of Swansea College. Many programmes carried national accreditation. Others were bespoke, tailored to the student's particular needs. The Business College was based in Swansea Vale and offers training courses such as

NEBOSH The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH ( )) is a UK-based examination board offering qualifications in health, safety, environment and wellbeing management. It was founded in 1979 and has charitable status. I ...

IOSH The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is a global organisation for health and safety professionals, based in the UK. Structure IOSH is the chartered professional body for health and safety in the workplace. It acts as a champ ...

, CIEH, BIIAB, OCR, RTITB, CMI, ILM,

First Aid First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with a medical emergency, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or to promote recovery until medical services arrive. First aid is gener ...

and

Work-based learning

Swansea College offered modern

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

s throughout the year. There are different levels of apprenticeships available and on successful completion students are awarded with a nationally recognised Modern Apprenticeship framework. Levels included: Foundation Modern Apprentice (NVQ Level 2) Advanced Modern Apprentice (NVQ Level 3/4) Modern Skills Diploma (NVQ Level 4/5)

Results and awards

In 2008, the College's pass rates were:

Level 3 courses

* 99.3% on A Level Courses. * 88% on National Diploma Courses * 80% on National Certificate Courses * 90% on NVQ Level 3 programmes * 100% on the International Baccalaureate Diploma

Level 2 courses

* 93% at GCSE * 91% at First Diploma level * 91% on NVQ Level 2 programmes

Others

* 95% on Level One GNVQ Foundation Courses * 92% on Introductory Courses

Awards

The College won the LSDA Beacon Award (for Staff Development in ILT) in 1999-2000.

History

The original Swansea College was built in 1825 and was situated near the Swansea Dock area. This building also housed the guildhall, law courts and juvenile centre after being rebuilt in 1848. From 1960, the building was solely used as a college of further education, housing 700 students. After rapid expansion, the college relocated to a new site in Tycoch in 1971.

The further education corporation with the name of "Swansea College" was established by the Education (Further Education Corporations) Order 1992 (S.I. 1992/2097)WELSH STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS 2010 No. 1876 (W.181) EDUCATION, WALES ''The Gorseinion icCollege Further Education Corporation and Swansea College Further Education Corporation (Dissolution) Order 2010'' https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2010/1876/made Swansea College merged with

on 20 August 2010 to create a single sixth form and further education college for the Swansea area called

.New name for merged Gorseinon and Swansea colleges – News report 5 February 2010
/ref>

References

External links

Swansea College profile on Studyfinder.org
{{coord missing, Glamorgan Further education colleges in Swansea International Baccalaureate schools in Wales