51°25′48″N
2°32′03″W
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51.4300°N 2.5341°W
/
51.4300; -2.5341
Sixth form, college in Brislington, Bristol, England
St Brendan's
is a state funded
sixth form college
located in Brislington,
Bristol
, England. Over 1700 students study A-levels, BTECs & GCSEs on one purpose-built, university style campus.
History
[
edit
]
St Brendan's was founded by the
Irish Christian Brothers
as a Catholic school for boys in 1896 in
Berkeley Square
in Bristol.
[1]
During the first fifty years of its existence it played a part in developing an educated Catholic laity in and around Bristol. Many of its pupils entered the priesthood as well as other professions.
Direct grant grammar school
[
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]
Following the 1944 Education Act, Saint Brendan's became a boys'
direct grant grammar school
and by the late 1950s had outgrown the Berkeley Square site. The Brothers purchased a house (the Beeches) and extensive grounds of
Brislington House
in
Brislington
, built the present accommodation, and moved to Brislington in 1960.
[1]
The grammar school was wound down over several years, the last of the old grammar school students, some having joined the Preparatory School in 1975, many having joined the senior school in 1978, joined the sixth form in 1983.
Present-day: sixth form college
[
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]
In the late 1970s, as a result of a reorganisation of Catholic
secondary education
in Bristol and
Bath
, St Brendan's became a coeducational
sixth form college
providing a range of A level, BTEC and other Level 3 courses for students aged 16+.
[1]
Its reputation and the breadth of subjects and courses now offered draw many students from secondary schools across Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire. St Brendan's is an inclusive college, and membership of the Catholic faith is not a prerequisite.
In 2009 the college was almost entirely rebuilt, with the latest technology, a new music and performing arts building, a new dance studio and a theatre, offering opportunities for a range of performing arts, including music, dance and drama and also for music technology.
[2]
Other provision includes a county-standard sports hall for a very wide range of sports with a fully equipped fitness suite, and a Design and Technology design studio and workshop with 21st century machinery such as laser cutters and a 3D colour printer.
Marian Curran was appointed principal in 2020, after having been vice principal since 2018.
[3]
[4]
St. Brendan's Sixth Form College shown within Bristol and the UK
Student Union
[
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]
The St. Brendan's
Student Union
is a large part of the college's community. The union is made up of a committee of students elected by the student body annually which support and represent the students and organises events. The union is closely affiliated with the
NUS
and regularly send its electorates and students to events like the NUS Annual,
NUS LGBT
and NUS Black Conference.
St. Brendan's Relationships, a society within the college, is inclusive and supportive of
LGBT
members, and mainly focuses on four key areas: advice, campaigning, support, and social. In May 2009, the group won the
National Union of Students LGBT Campaign
award "
FE
Society of the Year".
[5]
Enrichment
[
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]
There is a range of college enrichment activities that runs throughout the timetable including sport, drama, art, music, journalism, and chaplaincy activities providing opportunities for personal development and skills acquisition.
See also
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References
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External links
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General
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Primary schools
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Secondary schools
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Independent schools
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Special schools
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Further education
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Higher education
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Defunct institutions
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Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton
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- Churches
- Our Lady and St Alphege, Bath
- St John, Bath
- St Thomas More, Bradford-on-Avon
- St James' Priory, Bristol
- St Mary on the Quay, Bristol
- St Gregory, Cheltenham
- Immaculate Conception, Clevedon
- Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury
- St Peter, Gloucester
- St Aldhelm, Malmesbury
- Holy Ghost, Midsomer Norton
- St Osmund, Salisbury
- Holy Rood, Swindon
- St George, Taunton
- St Teresa of Lisieux, Taunton
- St Joseph, Weston-super-Mare
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- Patronal Feasts of the Diocese
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Universities
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Higher Education colleges
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Further Education colleges
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Sixth form colleges
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