No applicant days - any info on uni of Bristol?

[Kaga]

My daughter’s first choice is University of Bristol (to study film) but their offer came so late she hasn’t had the chance to visit since the open day last October. We’ve heard a lot of negatives about pastoral support and mental health... any parents able to reassure or concur..? Thanks.

My DD is in her final year, she had excellent pastoral support in her first year.

She's not needed to use it since but says "Honestly the pastoral support is terrible for first years in halls now, they've scrapped everything good about it. The halls are nice to live in though. Wills and Stoke bishop are more social and party based, the city centre ones more chill and closer to everything."

@Xenia might be able to tell you more, her family have experience of different halls to my DD. Hope that's OK Xenia!

Here are the comments from my (current student) child and 2 friends- hope they are useful!

'Really enjoying course and life in Bristol. (None are studying film) . Halls are great, esp Clifton (if you can get in) and some Stoke bishop halls (definately be careful which you choose- ours was great) and really close to the Downs, which is a bonus, especially in Summer. We have friends at the city centre halls but wouldn't choose them ourselves as too busy and noisy.

Academic support
'Worst thing is that 2 of us had 3 different tutors in just over a year (languages) so there is no continuity and no one knows you, so there's no one you feel confident going to if you need help .
Mental health .There is pastoral support for non academic issues but none of us have used it.
On the plus side, Bristol is a great place to be, loads to do, total mix of students from all backgrounds, we are really enjoying our time here and courses (tutors aside!), and made lots of friends'.

I went to Bristol (albeit ten years ago!)

It’s a great city, with a really ‘cool’ vibe. But I felt like pastoral care was pretty crap - I was there for 4 years and I never had a tutor or lecturer that I felt I could confide in if necessary, or that really knew anything about me, beyond my face and name.

Would agree that the city centre halls are less desirable as they don’t have such a social/mass student scene.

Although I was in Hyatt Baker and bloody hated it. Was always very envious of those in Wills.

Would agree that the city centre halls are less desirable as they don’t have such a social/mass student scene.

My dd loved them for that reason. She lived in a brand new hall and had the penthouse flat with amazing views, very lucky ! She's really enjoyed the city and the university but is ready to move on now.

They upped their game about 3-4 years ago when my DD started as her year was the cohort after a spate of suicides but then 2-3 years ago they cut it back again and stopped some of the measures that they had put in place - such as the pastoral support provision in the halls.
Despite that, DD enjoyed Bristol and is glad she chose it.

Dd is in her final year at Bristol and has worked as a student ambassador. Her view is that if you are on the radar of student support, or with your tutor etc support is good so if your dd has existing issues it would be worth contacting them before she goes.
The tough bit is if students are struggling and not in good enough shape to seek out support.

None of my 5 children visited universities and felt it was a waste of time (or they were too lazy!).

My older daughter was at Bristol in Wills Hall years ago and had a great time. My twins are currently at Bristol (last year) and were in Wills and Churchill Halls respectively in year 1. They have really loved Bristol.

I feel the criticism about Bristol is a bit like those parents who say grammar schools or private academic day schools are hot housing, wicked and full of children killing themselves - instead the schools are fine but those parents have children who couldn't get into those schools and are just jealous so want to do down the better places. My children have not needed any mental health facilities there but people they know who have have found it very good although if you don't tell someone you have a problem at any university then they cannot help you.

My own view and that of the 3 children who went there is the Stoke Bishop halls are best rather than the city centre ones but everyone has their own preferences. It is quite nice to have a catered Stoke Bishop hall in year 1. My son was on this lovely quad in the old bit of Wills in year 1 www.google.com/search?q=wills+hall&client=firefox-b-d&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=FabKvO3SvUqOgM%253A%252CcgA3kdVlot8zKM%252C%252Fm%252F09nw_q&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kQ0I_dqxTvAgpayHYQK6JeD0PUfgg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-peyrqtjoAhXLUMAKHW7hAdYQ_B0wGHoECAcQAw#imgrc=FabKvO3SvUqOgM:

I am not sure my DDs experience could be described as Grammar school envy....

I think thesandwich has it about right. Bristol have gone down the track of centralising their welfare, so great if you self present. However they lack first line support. Several courses, including DDs, do not offer tutors in the year, whilst other tutors dont seem to be proactive in following up on non attendance. They withdrew wardens from halls, and centralised the accommodation office. They did propose withdrawing senior residents, ie postgraduate students who take on a bit if a welfare role in exchange for cheap accommodation, but changed their minds following student protest.

What they have therefore is a deluxe service for those who self present, but very little to catch others, who start to be overwhelmed by: being away from home; difficult flatmates; money problems; academic problems; problems related to too much partying and the easy availability of drugs, a health crisis (Bristol University's health service is not efficient) or something happening at home.

The standard MN response is that kids who struggle are in some was Billy-no-mates who would have problems elsewhere. But certainly our experience was that LSE offered a much better first line support in the form of tutors and checking attendence, and friends with kids at Bristol have said similar about Durham and York.

If your DC is reasonably straight forward be prepared to remain fairly hands on in listening to issues and helping the student to work out ways to resolve them. Do not expect much from the University until they really qualify for central welfare support.

DDs first year was a nightmare, a sort of Lord of the Flies enacted in a student flat of 12. She got through it and now loves the City, but still feels the University should do something about drugs in halls. She got through it largely unscathed, though it took a year of sharing with nice calm people to regain her self confidence. The undesired karma is that the alpha, albeit immature, characters in her flat who prioritised drugs over University attendance are almost certainly more damaged by the lack of local welfare provision.

Her advice, assuming OPs DC is there to study rather than party, would be Clifton, then City Centre halls over Stokey B. Stoke Bishop is remote, so there is little escape. It's much easier elsewhere, if things prove too much, to disappear to the library or meet up with friends.

Thanks everyone - this has been very helpful. My daughter is quite a quirky young person which was why Bristol drew her initially, but her fears of not being accepted as a state school gal and fear about mental health issues were screaming at her. Just so annoying that they offered so late which means we can’t drive down there for another visit. Anyway, thank you again - really pleased to have heard from so many helpful people! Have a great day! #stayathome

My DD went to state school and she never had any problems as a result, nobody cared where people went to school. There is such a mix at Bristol of comprehensive, private, grammar and overseas students that it's really not an issue in her experience.

I don't think the divide is strictly state and private. DDs first year flat was, bar one, private or southern England selective state. There seems to be a greater mix in the City Centre flats.

Where we are, people often go private because they don't get into Grammar. And therefore have less money.

My daughter is there. She has ADHD and the support has been good in the sense that the academic staff are understanding and tolerant.
She has absolutely loved it, it’s a fantastic city with lots going on.
She is on the Stoke Bishop site and has a lovely group of friends from comps, grammars and private. Their year has sadly been spoilt by staff striking and now by Covid.
My only observation is that there is a lot of partying, drinking and I suspect a lot of drugs. Maybe that’s everywhere? My daughter is a party girl though so that may also be her choice!

@Kaga
Decisions on firm and insurance don't have to be entered until May 19th (put back from the 5th) if all her universitie replied by 31st March, so she's got a while yet to hang on in the hope that travel may be permitted at some point before then?

My DD's city centre flat was 2 men, 2 women. Both the men were overseas students and the women were both state school, obviously it's harder to get variety in a 4 person flat. I think that the majority of people from the UK there are in the south, mainly because I think people tend to stick to their 'half' of the country when choosing a university unless they are doing a very specialist subject.

DD said there was a lot of partying and drugs use at the other halls but the city centre ones were quieter and hardly anybody used the common areas. That suited her. She liked being able to get out for a coffee and browse in the book shops and that there was a gym nearby. She says that many people who were out the halls further way seemed to move nearer to the centre in the 2nd year and people in the city centre halls moved out to Clifton or Redcliffe.

DD is at Bristol (well at home atm) - graduating this summer and starting a Masters in September hopefully.

She was in Riverside halls - fantastic location, good mix of students from different backgrounds (she was state comp so didn’t want a too rarefied atmosphere) good for clubbing, etc.

She has never had any pastoral support from any tutor, though she has clicked with her diss tutor. Infact she has campaigned for better MH support for students who need it.

She has also closely supported a friend who was struggling badly with MH and added family/financial/minority issues and was so frustrated by the lack of joined-up thinking and proper support.

But that may be the same at other unis.