Fircroft College is a specialist adult residential college based in

Selly Oak, Birmingham Selly Oak is an industrial and residential area in south-west Birmingham, England. The area gives its name to Selly Oak ward and includes the neighbourhoods of: Bournbrook, Selly Park, and Ten Acres. The adjoining wards of Edgbaston and Harborne ...

, England. The college was founded by George Cadbury Junior, son of George Cadbury Senior, in 1908 and offers over 150 short residential courses throughout the year, most of which last three days. Fircroft was founded with a strong ethos of social justice which continues to this day, with many learners coming to Fircroft with no or few prior qualifications. The short course programme covers subject areas such as English, Maths, ICT, Gardening, Personal and Social Development, Counselling and Mentoring. These courses are aimed at helping adults improve their skills and confidence and work towards reaching their own personal or work goals. The college also runs a number of professional short courses and qualifications aimed at adults working or involved in the voluntary and community sectors. As well as the short course programme, there is a 30-week Access to

Higher Education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...

programme for adults wishing to progress to university - this course has non-residential as well as residential places available. Fircroft College is located in George Cadbury Junior's family home, originally called Primrose Hill, set in of gardens and woodland. An adjoining teaching centre housing a new library, conference rooms, IT facilities and teaching rooms was opened in 2005. The college uses these facilities to host a number of conferences, training events, meetings, away days and team building sessions during the course of the year. Fircroft was rated as an ‘outstanding’ college by Ofsted in its last inspection and has also been awarded Beacon Status in recognition of its academic excellence. It was federated with eight other nearby colleges, known collectively as

Selly Oak Colleges Selly Oak Colleges was a federation of educational facilities which in the 1970s and 1980s was at the forefront of debates about ecumenism - the coming together of Christian churches and the creation of new united churches such as the Church of ...

Notable alumni

Oliver O'Connor Barrett Oliver O'Connor Barrett (January 17, 1908 in Eltham, London, England – July 1989 in Cwm Prysor, Trawsfynydd, Wales) was a British sculptor, painter, graphic artist, educator, poet and composer. Most of his adult career and recognition was i ...

, artist *

Dunduzu Chisiza Dunduzu Kaluli Chisiza (8 August 1930 – 2 September 1962), also known as Gladstone Chisiza, was an African nationalist who was active in the independence movements in Rhodesia and Nyasaland, respectively present-day Zimbabwe and Malawi. Earl ...

, political activist *

Doris Fisher, Baroness Fisher of Rednal Doris Mary Gertrude Fisher, Baroness Fisher of Rednal, JP (13 September 191918 December 2005), née Satchwell, was a British politician. Early life and career Born in Birmingham, she was the daughter of Frederick James Satchwell. She was edu ...

, politician * Edward Fletcher, politician *

Arvid Johanson Arvid Helmer Johanson (3 February 1929 – 6 November 2013) was a Norwegian newspaper editor and politician for the Labour Party. He served five full terms in the Parliament of Norway, was Norway's second Minister of Petroleum and Energy from ...

, newspaper editor and politician *

Didymus Mutasa Didymus Noel Edwin Mutasa (born 27 July 1935) is a Zimbabwean politician who served as Zimbabwe's Speaker of Parliament from 1980 to 1990. Subsequently, he held various ministerial posts working under President Robert Mugabe in the President's O ...

, Zimbabwean politician

External links

Fircroft College homepage
Learning and Skills Beacons Further education colleges in Birmingham, West Midlands Educational institutions established in 1909 1909 establishments in England Selly Oak {{WestMidlands-school-stub