UNIQUE, inspiring and diverse is the best way to describe Brinsbury Campus. Offering a hands on, highly practical learning experience, this dynamic college is unlike any other.
As you exit the A29 near Pulborough you are welcomed by a large tree trunk carved with the words “outstanding Brinsbury”, setting the tone for this surprisingly vast campus.
Set in 570 acres of stunning countryside it has two lakes, large woodlands and a working farm. Moorhens and ducks happily wander around the college pond complete with wooden duckhouse created by students.
Inspiring quotes from famous people adorn the walls like these wise words from Nelson Mandela: “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world”.
“Do your best and be your best” is what Brinsbury director Alison Kent encourages of all her students. ” Students leaving Brinsbury are highly employable and hands on, able to apply their knowledge to whatever situation they are faced with.”
World class facilities provide an amazing learning opportunity that students can take straight into industry.
Brinsbury offers courses in agriculture, equine, animal management, dog grooming, horticulture, arboriculture, floristry, blacksmithing, welding, motor vehicle, engineering, carpentry and joinery.
Equine yard is home to around 28 horses and sits alongside indoor and outdoor schools. Brinsbury is a British Horse Society approved training and exam centre and students not only learn to ride and look after the horses but also about organising competitions and events. They are taught in purpose built classrooms, which provide the perfect environment to learn.
Horticulture courses are diverse, teaching skills like propagation, landscaping, pest and disease management, tree surgery and forestry. For the last three years Brinsbury’s students have won gold in the Ideal Home Show Young Gardeners of the Year competition. Alongside practical skills, business acumen is taught like costing a job and working out VAT and labour charges.
Blacksmithing, which covers both heritage and artistic skills, farriery and forging, is easy to find with the sound of hammering metal echoing out followed by the heat from the forge as you get close. Students work on a vast range of objects, from creating a garden bench or lantern to designing their own bespoke decorative item.
The smell of wood fills the air as you approach carpentry and joinery – students learn everything from how to build a roof to fine woodwork skills.
Brinsbury’s farm is home to more than 300 sheep and over 140 dairy cattle. This working commercial farm is the classroom where students learn key skills like milking, ploughing, livestock breeding, welfare and countryside management.
Floristry, dog grooming and animal management are housed in Brinsbury’s new £3.5 million state-of-the-art building, `The Copse’.
Flourish floristry shop, run by volunteers and open from 10am-3pm daily, allows students to sell what they have created as well as teaching them valuable skills in running a business.
Distinguished Dogs grooming parlour is home to award winning students who compete on a national level. State-of-the-art facilities mean students have the opportunity to learn the latest techniques and trends.
Animal management is home to a plethora of species – sugar gliders, tarantulas, rats, mice, guinea pigs, snakes, fish, giant land snails and Gandalf the giant rabbit to name but a few! Students approach to caring for them is scientific – they have to create the right habitat, check their health, clean them and design feeding programmes. Set out in different zones, including a pet shop and zoo, students are prepared for all the different environments they will find in industry. Outside they have llamas, alpacas and goats to work with and care for, alongside chicken coops, an aviary, kennels and even a pig sty.
Vet nursing suite has state-of-the-art laboratories and theatres, creating a hands on approach to learning but in a safe, nurturing environment.
Brinsbury welcomes students with learning difficulties on its SEN Foundation Programme. An informal, happy and relaxed learning environment with modern facilities allows students to study at a level tailored to their individual needs and learning goals.
The library is packed with specialist publications while the student area complete with pool tables, computer games and Costa Coffee shop provides a relaxing place to study or unwind.
Brinsbury is part of Chichester College, which in 2013 was ranked the number one college in Sussex for best overall success rates.
It is clearly a happy, very welcoming, unique and enjoyable place to study that achieves outstanding results.
