Bridgwater Technical College

Through the Technical College the roots of tertiary education in Bridgwater can be traced to the establishment of the Bridgwater School of Art in George Street in 1860.^[2] A second art school was established in 1888 in Queen Street. This became the Bridgwater Art and Technical School after its relocation to Lonsdale House in Blake Street in 1891.^[3] The school, which had been renamed as the Art and Technical Institute since at least 1931, was renamed again in 1958 when it became the Bridgwater Technical College. During the following two years, the college expanded with the acquisition of premises in Mount Street, Queen Street and new buildings in Broadway, where it continued until the college acquired its current name in 1973. Further buildings in Park Road were occupied from 1975, but by 1988 most of the college's departments were located at its buildings in Bath Road.^[2]

Cannington College, the local agricultural training provider opened in 1921 and merged with Bridgwater College in 2004. It brought with it campuses in Cannington, Paignton and Yeovil. Students studying animal management at the Paignton campus accessed Paignton Zoo until 2017 when the campus closed.^{[citation needed]}

Somerset College of Arts and Technology

The college in Taunton originated as the School of Science and Art and was established in Bath Place in 1856. This followed the Great Exhibition of 1851 which inspired arts education and saw several new art schools open across the country. By the 1960s, the College spanned three sites: Corporation Street, the Old Huish Grammar School and the Elms on Wellington Road. All remote sites eventually closed, with the Wellington Road site housing all the provision by the 90s.

The history of art, craft and design education in Taunton goes back to 1856 and the foundation of the art school in the wake of the 1851 Great Exhibition. This went on to become the Somerset College of Art. In 1898 a foundation stone of the Technical Institute was laid and in February 1900 the Institute was formally opened.

In 1956 work began on the present 15-acre (61,000 m²) site at Wellington Road, Taunton and by 1967 all departments were in situ. The College of Art relocated to an award-winning building on the campus of the Somerset Technical College in the early 1970s and became the Somerset College of Arts and Technology.

In 2005 the circular, three story Atrium was opened, the latest phase of a £15 million redevelopment scheme. As well as incorporating a main reception and shopping mall area, information and guidance points, classrooms, and student common rooms, the Atrium houses the majority of the college’s Service Industries division. Other developments have included a conference centre, nursery and a new Health and Social Care centre also completed in 2005.

Bridgwater and Taunton College

Bridgwater and Taunton College was formed in 1974 after the merger of Somerset College of Art and Taunton Technical College.

1 September 2016, Somerset College of Arts and Technology officially merged with Bridgwater College creating 'Bridgwater and Taunton College'

In 2017 the college was told by Ofsted to stop referring to itself as outstanding, due to a drop in performance.^[4]

In February 2018 the southern hub of the National College for Nuclear was launched at the Bridgwater Campus, funded by the Department for Education (£15 million), the Heart of the South-West local enterprise partnership (£3 million), and Bridgwater and Taunton (£4.5 million). The college is expected to service the building and operation of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.^[5] The college over 300 students following 30 full-time and apprenticeship courses, and also provides short courses to over 200 adults per year.^[6]