And we're off!

We were delighted to open our doors to the Class of 2022 today - some 1,600 new students will be starting their college journeys this week and after the quiet summer holidays there's suddenly a real buzz about the place!

Of course, there's a lot of administration to get through before the real fun begins with student email log ins, ID lanyards and directions to the nearest coffee machine being the pressing issues of the day. However, within the month here's just some of what our students will be up to:-

Our business students will be taking place in an Escape Challenge at the Westgate Centre in a teambuilding exercise, quizzes and challenges around Oxford in the Oxford Challenge based at the Bodleian Library, a Dragons' Den style Venture Vortex challenge in front of external employers and a trip to the Oxford Business Exposition at Kassam Stadium;

Our arts students will be straight into putting on their first art exhibition by the end of this week before enjoying trips to the Ichi-Go-Ichi exhibition, a trip to London to see the 'Black Fantastic' exhibition at the Haywood Gallery, a trip to view the Cornelia Parker installation and will be taking part in the Ashmolean & Pitt Rivers trip;

Our sports and public services students will be spending a week in the New Forest;

NCS (National Citizenship Service) students will be beginning their community and charity works;

Our performing arts students will already be rehearsing hard for their end of term pantomine;

We will be welcoming celebrity hairdresser and partner, Lee Stafford, to our hair and beauty faculty;

Our agriculture, horticulture, animal care and equine students will be meeting the residents at our Common Leys farm campus, which include thoroughbred horses, goats, sheep, pigs, small animals and reptiles;

Motor vehicle will be revving their engines in our workshops with their first practical tasks;

And, at our Bicester Construction Skills Centre and our brand new Green Construction Skills Centre in Abingdon our plumbing, electrics and construction students will be taking their first steps onto their new careers......

Exhausting, right?? And then we have our Freshers' Week at Abingdon and Witney campuses and the Blenheim Autumn Festival and it's still only September....

So if you're still undecided about your next steps, or you are starting at sixth form but realise that you're more ready for a change of pace and scenery than you thought, come along and join in the fun! It's not too late to join us; we will be having our next Open Day on 21 September but you can call our Admissions team at any time on 01235 213213 or email admissions@abingdon-witney.ac.uk for information.

For further details of our Autumn Open Days click here. For more information about our courses click here.