History of Bournville College

Bournville College has a long history of providing education and training in the community, dating back to 1899 when the Cadbury family recognised the need to develop its workforce. Classes in English, mathematics and science as well as physical education were made compulsory, initially at the Bournville factory and school premises in the local area. It was first established as an institution in 1913 and referred to as Bournville College from 1949.

The College moved to its former premises on Bristol Road South in 1972, formerly occupied by Birmingham Polytechnic (Birmingham City University). The building was constructed in several phases on different levels in the early 1960s and was originally designed to meet the needs of higher education students.

In September 2011, Bournville College relocated to a brand new state-of-the-art campus in Longbridge. The new campus has capacity for 15,000 students and spans 4.2 acres of land. The new campus provides facilities that are among the best in the UK.

The landmark campus is part of a £1 billion regeneration project of the former MG Rover works and the first phase of the ambitious redevelopment plan for Longbridge. In years to come, Bournville College will be positioned in the heart of Longbridge town centre. This will feature retail and leisure facilities, residential accommodation, a hotel, a supermarket and much more. For more information about the new campus click here

Bournville College enjoys good reputation with its students, employers and the local community. It’s been particularly praised for the work undertaken in assisting the local community during the Rover collapse, including a letter of congratulations from the Prime Minister.

Browse through this book to find out more about our history:

Take a look at our video below to find out more about the rich history of Bournville College