College Life

One of the biggest questions we get about students thinking of coming to Wilberforce is “What is it like?” So we have written this section for you to hopefully get an idea of the sort of place you’ll be spending the next few years of your life. Coming to a new place can seem daunting, but Wilberforce is a small and friendly environment and all our students say they find it easy to get around and make new friends. Being a Sixth Form College, most people here are just the same - school leavers aged 16 to 19 – so you will find plenty of people you have things in common with.

Making friends and having fun

We know that socialising will be a big part of college life for you. Getting to know your new friends and making time to relax are very important, so we have tried to make sure you have a nice environment in which to do just that. The modern, specious grounds here at Wilberforce have lots of areas for you to socialise with your friends. The social hub of the College is the Dome, a large indoor area with spacious seating areas. We often hold events in here too such as charity events or performances. Based right at the centre of the college it is a great meeting place for you and your friends. We also have a student common room, labelled by students as the blue room. This is a large seated area close to the canteen and a great place to eat your lunch or just hang around with friends. Some students prefer to socialise in the smaller indoor communal spaces within the individual department blocks. Of course in the summer, you’re going to want to get outside! Our landscaped college grounds provide a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere to walk around in. There are a number of outdoor seating areas with picnic benches for you to eat your lunch at or even do some studying! You could also have a kick-around on one of the two football pitches or just sit and sunbath on the large college field. If you wanted to catch up on some studying in a quieter area you could also spend your break time in the library or the study centre which have more intimate seating areas as well as computers. All the indoor communal areas are equipped with TVs which are on all day for you to watch during your breaks. We also use these to announce important and upcoming events at the college to make sure you are in the know about everything!

Food

Refuel: Our main canteen serves a range of hot foods. Open at 8.15am, you can catch breakfast before lessons. You can have anything from toast to croissants to a Full English. At lunchtime, we have huge range of daily specials and meal deals, like steak pie, burgers or pasta, with nothing costing more than £2.30. Fish and Chips on a friday is a real favourite.

Salad Bar: If you fancy a lighter option, the salad bar serves a range of paninis, sandwiches and salads which you can make up yourself.

Refresh: If you didn’t want a full meal, Refresh serves up a range of sandwiches and snacks to suit all tastes. You can also get specialty teas & coffees, hot chocolates and homemade cakes to takeaway.

Vending machines: If you’ve stayed late and all the eating areas have closed, you can still grab a quick drink or snack from one of the vending machines.