Fircroft College of Adult Education

Fircroft College of Adult Education, a registered charity, was founded by George Cadbury Jr in 1909 with an underlying ethos of social justice. The College, based on Bristol Road in Selly Oak, offers learning opportunities to some of society’s most disadvantaged and excluded adults.

Fircroft welcomes over 1,500 adult learners a year from all over the West Midlands and beyond. Many of these learners have previously faced chronic exclusion from education through mental health and behavioural issues, being abused, drug or alcohol dependency issues, offending or homelessness.

Residency is a key part of the learning experience at Fircroft. Being away from the distractions of often chaotic lives, learners can immerse themselves in a dedicated learning environment with excellent care, guidance and support. Fircroft runs almost 200 short residential courses a year - most of these take place over three days so learners stay for two nights. Courses cover areas including English, Maths, ICT, Personal and Social Development, Gardening, Employability and Professional Development. The College also runs a full-time 30 week Access to Higher Education Diploma for adults wishing to progress onto university.

Adults who come to Fircroft often talk about its transformative effect. Some learners come to Fircroft looking to gain confidence and self-belief, for others their goal is the acquisition of skills and qualifications, leading onto employment and/or further learning.

Over a century since its inception, Fircroft College remains firmly committed to its mission of social justice and believes all adults deserve a fair opportunity to achieve their full potential.