Hartpury College

Hartpury College (an Associate Faculty of UWE) is an FE and HE college in Gloucestershire which provides courses in equine care, animal science, agricultural and land management and other related courses. It is a renowned centre for sport with elite, professional training and playing facilities and first-class coaching across Rugby, Football, Equine, Netball, Golf, Rowing and Modern Pentathlon.

Background and History

The college was established in the post WWII era of the late 1940s, as an agricultural college with 50 students. The college remained relatively unchanged until 1990, when Malcolm Wharton joined as Principal, initiating a rapid expansion programme, starting with the provision of a larger variety of further education courses. The first higher education programme in Equine Studies was introduced in 1992, followed by the first degree programme in Equine Science in 1994. Malcolm Wharton retired from his post after 22 years, in August 2012, and was succeeded by Russell Marchant. Hartpury's link with the University of the West of England (UWE) began in 1997 when Hartpury was awarded Associate Faculty status. 1999 saw the introduction of the first Masters Degree programme an MSc in Equine Science. The college was able to offer Foundation degree programmes from 2003, and 2004 saw the first PhD Student. The college was awarded Outstanding College' status by Ofsted for its further education courses and facilities in November 2009.

Location and Accessibility

The Campus is set in 360 hectares of Gloucestershire countryside and includes a farm, lake, top class sporting facilities, a world renowned equine centre, along with woodland and formal gardens. With the city of Gloucester just ten minutes away and Cheltenham twenty minutes away, Hartpury Campus is within easy reach of local amenities and frequent bus links are provided allowing Hartpury students to explore their picturesque surroundings.

Hartpury College is on the A417, 4 miles north of Gloucester.

From the M5: Leave at Junction 11 and follow the A40 towards Gloucester. At the first roundabout, turn towards Ross-on-Wye. At the third roundabout, take the A417 towards Ledbury. After leaving Maisemore, the College is signposted at the second turning on the left.

From the M50: Leave at Junction 2 and follow the A417 south towards Gloucester to Hartpury. Continue for approximately 10 miles. The College is signposted to the right.

By Train: The nearest train station is Gloucester.

What's on Offer

A full range of FE courses - A-Levels and BTECs as well as undergraduate and postgraduate degrees including, BA, BSc, PGCE, PgCert, PgDip, MA, MSc and PhD as well as a range of short courses.

Entry Requirements

A Level requirements: Six GCSEs at grade B or above, which must include English Language, Mathematics and Science. BTEC requirements: A minimum of two GCSEs at grade D or above. The entry requirements for undergraduate courses vary. For prospective Masters and PhD students a first or upper second class BA or Masters is required. For more information on entry requirements visit the university website.

University Accommodation

The College can accommodate over 1,000 residential students on-site. Facilities include catering and self-catering, on-site under 18 accommodation in separate male and female blocks, 24hr student support/warden service, en-suite facilities and communal social' areas. Living in Hartpury's on-site accommodation is an extremely popular option and frequently applications exceed the number of rooms available. To support a fair process of allocation, some groups are given priority, which include (in no particular order): Those who have confirmed us as their first / firm choice with UCAS (First year undergraduate), First year undergraduate students, Students with physical disabilities, First year undergraduate international students

Offsite Accommodation

This option suits students who like the independence and lifestyle linked to living closer to a town, while having the security of being able to call upon Hartpury staff for assistance. The College manages five properties within Gloucester (four miles from Hartpury). These properties are either flats or rooms with shared facilities. All the properties were formerly large residential houses and room sizes do vary, which is reflected in the rental price. All rooms are rented on a self catered basis, are fully furnished and are let for a total of 45 weeks. Rooms and flats do not need to be vacated during holiday periods. Rent includes all utility bills and internet access, where available. A College bus pass is available to and from Gloucester/Hartpury College.

Here are some FE courses that are on offer at Hartpury: AASEA levels, Agriculture and Land-Based Studies, Animal Care, Apprenticeships and work-based qualifications, Equine Studies, Residential Taster Courses, Foundation Studies, Sport, Outdoor Adventure, Uniformed Public Services, Veterinary Nursing.

Academic Facilities

There are a number of leisure facilities, including Legends Bar, Oaks social venue for under 18s and several restaurants. Teaching and learning facilities include the Frank Parkinson Learning Resources Centre and the Mark Davison Centre a 15,613 square feet (1,450.5 m²) lecture theatre and classroom complex. Home Farm facilities include a service/repair, welding and projects workshop, Home Farm Shoot, a trout lake, woodland, game rearing unit and a farm information centre. The new Malcolm Wharton Centre is a 1500 m2 classroom, office and learning resource centre block for agriculture, countryside (game), farm mechanisation and land-based technology students based at the Home Farm. The building is aimed at achieving the highest BREEAM rating. BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the effective measure used to describe a building's environmental performance.

Sports Academy Centre

The Hartpury Sports Academy Centre has been built to provide a top-quality training environment for members of the Hartpury Academy of Sport and Gloucester Rugby. Academy students use the centre to improve their fitness as well as assess and monitor their performance. The centre is also the base for further education teaching and recreational sport. Facilities within the centre include a fitness suite, sports hall, squash court, sports rehabilitation suite and physiotherapy consulting centre, two plunge pools, a performance analysis suite and classrooms. The centre overlooks a stadium comprising a 1st XV floodlit pitch, seating for up to 400 people and two all-weather rubber crumb pitches.

Human Performance Laboratory

The Human Performance Laboratory is a facility which is primarily used by Sports Science academics to support undergraduate teaching and conduct research into human performance parameters. The lab also supports the elite Hartpury Academy of Sport athletes, helping to improve upon performance and efficiency. Sports Coaching students also have the opportunity to test the general population for cholesterol levels and record general fitness parameters. The lab equipment enables VO2 max endurance testing, blood lactate profiling, lung function testing, electrocardiogram testing, hydration testing, kinanthropometry testing, body composition, and speed and power testing.

The Hartpury Arena

The International Equine Arena Complex includes a 70 x 40 metre competition arena with additional warm-up facilities, seating for 600 spectators, teaching facilities and a panoramic restaurant. This facility complements the two indoor and four outdoor arenas, stabling for 250 horses and grazing land on campus.

Equine Veterinary and Therapy Centre

The Equine Therapy Centre forms an integral part of academic provision for our animal and equine students, whether they are studying for a Foundation degree, Honours degree or a Masters programme. Practical sessions are regularly held using the high-speed treadmill and water treadmills (equine and canine). Specialist equipment includes digital radiography equipment and the equine operating theatre. The on-site equine veterinary surgeon also performs a range of diagnostics including endoscopies on the high-speed treadmill, ultrasound scanning and radiographs, giving students a visual understanding of veterinary practices. The Equine Therapy Centre is also the site of many undergraduate and postgraduate research projects utilising specialised equipment including 3D kinematic analysis equipment.

Learning Resource Centre

The LRC provides information, resources and IT facilities to support learning and teaching, including books, e-books, DVDs, computers, e-resources, magazines and CDs.

Hartpury RFC was founded in 2004 with a team comprised of university students and a few college staff. The university 1^st XV has won the British Universities championship on three occasions and the U18 1^st XV have been national champions for the past two years. They were also the recipients of the prestigious Rugby World Team of the Year award in 2011.  

Did you know?

The college was graded as Outstanding' by an Ofsted Inspection in November 2009. The Inspection Report gave the College Grade 1, the highest possible - for all cross college aspects of its work. Hartpury is currently one of only three specialist residential colleges in the UK to be graded as Outstanding. Hartpury College was graded as Outstanding' across all five cross-college areas by the Ofsted Inspectors.