Barnsley College - Barnsley

Mason Granter

Great college, definitely recommend it. The staff are so friendly and will help you.
I just finished my Creative Media course with them. Although some parts were a little bit of a headache at the start, my tutors supported me and helped me learn new things as well as put me with a group of people who got along well with each other, at the end of the year I managed to get some decent grades.
The food served at the cafeterias is nice too and a good price, not overcharging like some colleges may have.
And the walk to the bus & train station is very short, only 7-10 minutes depending on how fast you walk.

Joseph Oates

I attended Barnsley College in the SciTech building studying an extended diploma in games development from 2019-2021. The buildings themselves are modern and pretty.
While there, the teaching staff were friendly and relatable with a background in games development and 3d software. They made my time on the course much more fun than previous studies and helped the work to feel less like work. Barnsley college has above average computer specs in the building which are capable of running industry software. They also have extra interesting tech such as VR headsets, but we didn’t get chance to use these while I was on my course outside of open days.
The course itself I personally found too easy, and this can be reflected in the effort by some of the other students in the course. Group work often felt like getting blood out of a stone with some students. I think the UAL course is flawed and needs to be more challenging to inspire students to give it their all as I was frequently going above and beyond to feel happy with my work level and for the work to feel ‘complete’. Other students I spoke to on the course felt the same and I believe more discipline could be in order to prevent students playing games or, in one individual, walking around the classroom without shoes or socks which was gross.
One thing that really grinded my gears was the higher ups of the college rolling out rules across the board for every course which were not appropriate at all for all courses. Every 2 hours in my second year we had to stop our work and go downstairs to a common room type place – constant disruption totally messed up my flow.
At the end of the course an anonymous survey was handed out so hopefully changes have now been made to improve the course based on our feedback.

Matthew Spriggs

I did a two year B tech course at Barnsley College Stem Centre.

I was lied to about my course by the course leader, so that I join the college.

Was literally assaulted twice and both times the person assaulting me got away with it.

My class and I spent the second half of our foundation year without a teacher.
I'm pretty sure almost every rule/regulation, put in place for staff and marking work, was broken by both the teachers and the people in charge of the teachers.

One teacher was allowed to mark based on how much he liked the student.

Shout out to Paul and Ben, the only two people who actually taught us properly. Thankyou.

They got a literal apprentice to teach us two of our modules.

They nearly removed me from the course because ONE student made stuff up to get me in trouble. The teachers refused to listen to me.

The college have so far refused to give me my certificate despite passing the course.

Amongst many other things I could have listed, these are just a few examples.
I do not know about the other departments at Barnsley college, but stay well away from courses Stem Centre, I highly recommend going somewhere else.

6ixBlade

Barnsley College staff are immoral and totally unfair. The course i am doing Computer science is not only poorly managed but also there is a lot of favouritism going on especially in the sci tech building. I was not allowed to switch courses at all, and kept on being targeted by the staff members. The lessons taught weren't good either

S Cleo

Adult and part time courses are very limited for people who work. If you work and want to improve your employability skills or learn new skills, look elsewhere. Other nearby colleges have a better range of evening and part time courses than Barnsley College.

Kirsty Charlesworth

I have never dealt with such an unprofessional group of people.
Numerous lies told, emails ignored, two official complaints not dealt with!
My son has just got his qualification 18 months late and only because I contacted the EPA company directly.
Avoid the construction department if you want to keep your sanity!!
A terrible learning experience for my son form beginning to end!!

Esme Shirt

Would not recommend the art and design course. The resources are extremely limited, there is next to no room for artistic expression outside of the traditional resources. Some staff members on the course are great, however, there are others who were not. Artwork has been interfered with by some staff members and have ended up being ruined and the students are expected to fix it. I’ve had my own work be called unoriginal by one of the tutors. I’ve had peers and myself be shutdown with ideas for a project simply because a tutor didn’t like it. Honestly, this course destroyed my mental health and my passion for art. Not worth the time and energy.

Jess Martin

I am writing to express my profound disappointment and dissatisfaction with the treatment I have received as a student at Barnsley college. I have consistently been treated as a mere number, rather than as a valued individual with unique needs and aspirations.

It is disheartening to observe that the institution prioritizes financial gain over the well-being and success of its students. This is evident in the lack of support and resources provided to students who face challenges and require assistance.

I am particularly aggrieved by the fact that my future prospects have been severely compromised due to the institution's negligence and lack of inclusivity. As a deaf individual, I have faced numerous barriers and obstacles in pursuing my education, and I have not received the necessary support to overcome these challenges.

It is deeply concerning that my mental health was disregarded and attributed to the difficulty of a particular course, when in reality, it was the result of being held back and not given a fair opportunity to progress.

I believe that the institution's apprehension about my potential success in game design has led to my placement in an internship rather than allowing me to continue my studies. This decision is not only unfair but also undermines my capabilities and aspirations.

I hope that this serves as a wake-up call for the institution to reassess its priorities and ensure that all students, regardless of their backgrounds or challenges, are treated with dignity, respect, and provided with the support they need to succeed.