Here at Weston College, we take great pride in prioritising industry experience over teaching backgrounds. This means our staff bring relevant stories from the world of work as well as valuable insights and connections into the classroom to maximise the career-boosting qualities of our courses. Afterall, we’re all about shaping careers and not just courses! 

However, this ethos is not just exclusive to our teaching staff... Our talented team of creative technicians at Loxton Campus play essential roles, providing specific expertise to support learners to develop their techniques. 

A recent edition to the Film and TV Production team is technician Kate Heaney. Joining the Digital Design department in 2021, Kate brings an invaluable wealth of knowledge gained from her impressive resume thanks to her diverse experience in the media industry. 

Having studied Film & Television Production at the University of Westminster, Kate started working mostly as a Clapper/Loader or camera assistant on short films in London before ceasing the opportunity to move to Dubai for work after visiting on holiday! 

She commented: “I loved working in Dubai! I started out working for a photography and videography studio who were in desperate need of a female video editor as they started to shoot ladies only events and weddings. I had so many amazing opportunities whilst I was out there, as I also worked on all sorts of projects from weddings to corporate and fashion/events.” 

After being promoted to Senior Videographer, Kate won a prestigious contract with Ritz-Carlton, shooting architectural videos for their hotels in Moscow, Bahrain, Muscat, and Abu Dhabi.  

To get a better idea of some of the things she worked on, take a look at Kate’s stunning showreel: 

Kate continued: “I then decided to go freelance and managed to get on the royal wedding circuit and shot as part of a team for the royal family in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. I did this for about 3 years before returning to the UK (Spending around 6 years working in the Middle East overall).  

 “Working for the Royal family, and winning the contract for the Ritz-Carlton hotel group were definitely highlights for me.”  

After retuning to the UK and working in school photography, Kate decided to come and work for Weston College to accept a new challenge and work within a team again. 

Kate said “It's great how every day is different as a technician. Seeing the projects students are working on is so interesting as it is a completely different experience in comparison to the courses I studied when I was younger. Technology is always changing and its refreshing to see the courses here keeping up it in more ways than one. 

“I'm so impressed by the equipment that the department has. Everything is industry standard which is amazing for the students to have access to in order to properly prepare them for the world of work. 

“My advice to learners is to explore all avenues within the industry. Some are vastly different and if one is not for you there are so many other types of photography/videography/filmmaking you can get into!” 

What amazing accolades. Thank-you to Kate for sharing your story and continuing to help our learners reach their full potential. 

Kate assists students studying the following courses. Click each course to learn more:

Level 2 Creative Media Production, UAL Diploma

Level 3 Media Production, UAL Extended Diploma

Level 3 Photography, UAL Extended Diploma

Media A Level

Media and Photography Degree Programmes at University Centre Weston

Weston College music alumni Kezia Povey was recently a contestant on ITVs singing performance show “Starstruck”, hosted by Olly Murs. 

In the vein of “Stars in their eyes”, Starstruck sees members of the public transformed into famous music icons, performing their classic hits to impress a panel of star-studded judges and win a cash prize.  

Since finishing her Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music Performance and Production at Weston College, Kezia has been writing and releasing music whilst singing at a local holiday park. 

The 19-year-old singer added: “I was approached on Instagram during lockdown last year as I post lots of singing vids on my social media. I then did a zoom audition which led to a producers audition in London. I wasn’t sure of the format or what the show was about - just that it was going to be an ITV prime time singing show! So I knew it would be a good opportunity.” 

After this lengthy audition process, Kezia’s sensational singing skills earned her a slot on the show where she became American pop super-star Miley Cyrus. Kezia shared the stage with two other Miley mimics, each embodying a different era of her career whilst sporting the singer’s signature raspy vocal style. 

Kezia continued: “Miley has a very distinct voice - funnily enough I have done a couple of Miley covers before, including one for a college project and have been told I have a similar sound to her. I have been told I look like her too!" 

The show featuring Kezia aired on ITV’s prime-time slot on Saturday March 26th.  

Although the talented trio just missed out on the final spot, the Cyrus singers were highly commended for their performance of "Midnight Sky" by judges Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert, Beverley Knight and Jason Manford for their extreme talents in bringing the pop-star to life.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kezia Povey?? (@keziapovey)

Somewhat unsurprisingly, this is not Kezia’s first time singing on TV as she also appeared in ITV’s X Factor in 2018 when she was just 15, making it through the auditions with 4 “yes’” from the judges. 

Speaking about her return to national television, Kezia said:  

"The whole experience was great. I’ve loved my TV appearances, it’s a very surreal experience, especially meeting the judges.  

"Talking to Olly Murs was also amazing, he’s so nice and really puts everyone at ease. Knowing he’s been through being judged on a tv show too is really reassuring.  

"This show was all about having fun, transforming in to your idols and just an all round feel good Saturday night family show. I learnt a lot from the vocal coaches and of course the choreographers about working the stage and making the most of the performance."   

Starstruck has now concluded and had a staggering 4.7 million viewers, warranting its renewal for a second season. You can watch her full performance on the show here. 

Previously studying at Priory School, Kezia joined the Weston College Music department and quickly impressed peers and staff with her epic vocal abilities as she studied the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Music Performance and Production.  

She added: “My experiences at Weston college helped me learn the kind of direction I wanted to take with music. It gave me great experiences working with other musicians and using the great facilities that are within the music department at Loxton Campus. 

I loved my time at Weston college, performing with the other musicians on the course was my favourite part and doing gigs with a live band is still my favourite type of performance."

A well-deserved recognition for such a talented young person with a bright future ahead! We’d like to with Kezia the best of luck as she continues writing, releasing and recording music regularly in London. 

Click to:

• Hear Kezia's latest single "So Lovely"
• Discover our range of music courses
• Learn about the Music degree course taught in Weston-super-Mare

Two guest chefs made an appearance this March to teach our Hospitality and Catering learners a range of exciting and innovative new cooking skills. Linking up with people from industry is an important factor in our Hospitality Career Excellence Hub.

First up was Prayag Rajpura, head chef of Lympsham Pavilion. Prayag’s lesson focussed on demonstrating the use of spices, seeds, and herbs to create high protein, intensely flavoured dishes. These meals were also either vegetarian or vegan, a key demographic in today’s hospitality industry, for example the chickpea curry which was served with chutneys and pickles.

From the business side of hospitality, Prayag also taught about sourcing ingredients, costing products and how to make smart business decisions as a chef to ensure good revenue and profits.

Prayag has helmed several restaurants in Weston, including vegan pop-up restaurants and local community café the Stable, which provided thousands of free school meals to households in Weston during the first Covid lockdown.

The second guest chef to make an appearance was Dave Newman, the Patron chef of the Ginger Pig Kitchen who made a sticky toffee pudding blended with ‘porkcorn.’ Dave was able to demonstrate cooking technology to the learners when using his Thermomix to make the pudding element of the dish.

This recipe used gluten free flours since Dave has his kitchen aim to produce foods for all dietary requirements, highlighting that more customers can be reached, and a restaurant can gain higher customer satisfaction by replacing allergens.

Dave garnished the pudding with a popped pork fat known as pork corn to add flavour. Speaking about pairing flavours, he went on to add a rich butter scotch sauce and salted caramel ice cream to add a modern twist.

Dave has broad experience producing a uniformed product which can cater to most diets, having previously led his own course of a Brit awards banquet!

A big thanks to both of these chefs for coming and speaking to our learners, the skills they gain from this will be excellent.

If you want to find out more about our Hospitality and Catering courses, click here: Hospitality and Catering | Weston College

Leila Morne is an Advanced Autism Practitioner and Lecturer in Autism at Weston College. Leila plays a key role in Weston College’s Centre for Excellence in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and explains how the college is supporting students with autism to transition into higher education.

The number of university students with autism is increasing every year, but we know some autistic students find aspects of the university experience challenging.

Not only can this have a negative impact on individual students, their studies and their quality of life, but also on wider society and the contributions of this type of neurodiversity. The world needs different types of thinkers!

Our programme therefore aims to prepare them for a successful transition, as there is more support that is needed beyond the academic preparation needed to secure a place in higher education.

A smoother transition

Leaving home, family and all that is familiar and safe can be daunting for most young people. However, for individuals on the autism spectrum, university entrance may seem like an impossible dream or a predictable nightmare.

At Weston College, we acknowledge that excellence in academia will not automatically mean success at university for students with autism. They may not even feel confident enough to apply in the first place.

The difficulties associated with an autism diagnosis can mean that accepting a place at university is often a highly anxious journey into the unknown. An effective means of reducing anxiety and ensuring success is through experiential learning.

An autism specific ‘dual curriculum’ can help students to gain the necessary skills and understanding for meaningful participation in university life.

Immersive learning experiences

The college has developed and invested in a new initiative that focuses on preparing learners with autism to successfully progress into higher education (HE). We provide an immersive experience where students can live in a HE halls of residence, alongside HE learners, as a transitional year.

Students engage in exciting opportunities to gain relevant, age appropriate, real-life experiences which stretch and challenge them. They are encouraged to develop the independence, social and communication skills needed.

The programme is largely experiential with students learning new skills by ‘doing’ tasks rather than listening to someone telling them how to do a task. Some of these include:

• Independence training: shopping, cooking, washing, ironing and cleaning
• Money management
• Study skills: use of library; organisational skills; VLE
• Digital technology: accessibility, chat bots and apps
• Social skills training: range of activities in the local and surrounding areas
• Visits to universities and cities
• Application process and UCAS
• Student finance application
• DSA/University disability teams
• Keeping safe socially, personally, and online
• Using public transport
• Driving lessons
• Employability training for part time / temp jobs whilst at university
• Individualised programmes

We make sure that programmes are tailored to the individual student’s needs - many involve new experiences and unfamiliar environments. Ensuring our staff have access to high quality training and SEND practices is so important in order to deliver tailored support programmes for our students. We support and provide staff with opportunities to gain relevant qualifications ranging from Level 2 to Masters Level. All Specialist Practitioners hold a relevant degree in their chosen specialism.

In most cases, these experiences are supported by young people trained as peer mentors by highly qualified Specialist Autism Practitioners. These experiences can include a range of different things from going out in the evening to pubs or clubs, joining sports’ clubs or gyms and accessing local community facilities. Students who find it challenging to cope with the social aspects of university life, are facilitated in doing so.

It is so important that these skills are taught to ensure successful transition to university, future employment and that individual aspirations are achieved. As I’ve seen for myself from our students, the results can be absolutely life changing!

Thanks to industry connections, Ethan Shi (lecturer in A Level Media) invited Kenny Tran and Nour Abida to visit the first year Sixth Form class at Loxton Campus and give some valuable advice straight form their experiences in the world of work.

Kenny is currently a Director & Producer at national shopping channel QVC where he is in charge of the production team as well as managing budgets, freelancers and post-production ready for live TV output.

Freelancing for 3 years after graduating from University, Nour joined the BBC as an assistant producer before their permanent role as BBC World Service Journalist/Producer, producing a live radio programme.

The two special guests shared their past projects, gave insight into their portfolio of works, and spoke to the class about their experiences working in several roles in the creative industries.

The session enabled students to acknowledge functional skills gained whilst doing A Level Media such as learning pre-production scriptwriting, post-production editing and different directions needed for future industry placements, employment, or further study. The speakers emphasised the importance of grabbing every opportunity or production roles and learning to work your way up from the bottom. 

Learners were also tasked with pitching their unique ideas on emerging digital platforms. They then worked in groups to go out there to produce innovative content.

Guest lecture sessions such as these are examples of one of the many career-boosting benefits as part of the Sixth Form Career Excellence Hub. These innovative subject specific hubs allow for students at Weston College to have access to exclusive opportunities. Endorsed by employers from within the industry, this enables for better integration with the sector to make sure class content is relative and opens doors for learners, so they leave college with more than just a qualification. 

Ethan added: "Overall the interactive session raised their confidence and their ability to adapt to new challenges by sharing their strengths and weakness with each other. The students really valued the functioning skills needed for key industry practice and gained a lot from the session which could benefit their upcoming coursework component."

Many thanks to Kenny and Nour for sharing your knowledge and experiences to bring learning to life!

Click here to:

• Learn more about the Media A Level course
• Discover our Sixth Form and the 20+ A Levels available
• Read more about Career Excellence Hubs 

On Thursday 24th March, the AHT (Association of Hairdressers and Therapists) Southwest regional heats took place at Weston College.

AHT is a national competition that enhances learner technical and employability skills, as well as testing them under pressure to prepare them for the trade.

The Southwest heat welcomed learners from across the region, with many learners taking part.

14 Weston College learners competed, bridal hair, fantasy hair, barbering, ladies evening style, 1920’s Editorial make up, Halloween face paint, Carnival create an image and Higher-Level Body Paint, and impressed with their skills during the competitions.

Poppy said: “This has been an incredible experience. Getting the opportunity to compete against other likeminded students has really put my skills to the test and has helped me to become a better a hairdresser.

“I really enjoyed the task, especially getting the opportunity to bring my bridal creation to life whilst working under pressure. If you get the opportunity to compete in the AHT competition, I’d recommend it, it has been fantastic.”

Jenna Ratcliffe, FE Curriculum Co-ordinator for Hair and Beauty at Weston College said: “It has been a pleasure to host the AHT regional heats, and the standard of work produced has blown us away. Competitions like this one, enhance creativity and contribute to the wider development of students and enhance the development of higher technical skills – something we are really passionate about at Weston College.

“We are really proud of our learners and their achievements, a huge congratulations to Daniel Green, Natasha Thomas, Kaci Moger, Olivia Layfield, Poppy Dowle, Ashleigh Hughes, Megan Hustcroft, Bel Gardner, Jasmine Haines, Julia Kmiecik, Claire Cox (UCW) who have won regional heats in their competitions, and good luck in the finals.”

Find out more about our Hair and Beauty Career Excellence Hub, by clicking here.

Weston College’s Foundation Learning Football Academy is going from strength to strength, as they sit top of the league.

This is the first year that the team have entered the league format, and with impressive wins against colleges such as Truro, Plymouth and Petroc under their belt, the team are on track to win the league.

It isn’t just their football skills on the pitch that are impressing either, with their coach, Joe Radcliffe, saying: “The learners have developed fantastically this season, and it is clear to see that they have grown in confidence, built new friendships, and show terrific resilience.”

Joe went on to share about the sportsmanship shown by one of his players: “Last week, one of our more accomplished footballers subbed himself off so that a learner that wasn’t as confident could take a penalty, and not only did he score the resulting spot kick, but he was absolutely made up – a fantastic testament to the camaraderie and selflessness of this team."

The team are competing on other fronts as well as the league, as they have qualified to represent the South West at the AOC National Finals in Nottingham, and also to represent the South West at St. Georges Park (World Class training environment, home of the Football Association).

Joe added: “I am so proud of this team, they continue to impress us every week, and we look forward to seeing how the rest of the season pans out.”

Nick Chadwick, one of the other coaches for the Academy, said: “It is inspiring to coach this group of players, who work hard for each other in order to be the best that they can. I’m so proud to be involved with this team, and they deserve every success that they are achieving.”

A huge well done to the team, and good luck for the rest of the season.

Weston College’s Hospitality and Catering Career Excellence Hub, has been awarded national success, named as Outstanding Industry Partnerships award winners at The Professional Association of Catering Education (PACE) awards.

PACE is the representative body for hospitality and catering education with a regional and national network of members, and these awards are a celebration of the work that happens on a daily basis in education to develop the future workforce of the hospitality industry.

Weston College was commended for its work during the pandemic, and the opportunities that were created for learners through working with employers, despite difficult circumstances.

Sandra Bull, Dean of Faculty for Hospitality, said: “We are so pleased to have won this award, as it reflects the hard work and dedication of not only our staff, but also our students, who continue to impress us and raise the profile of the work we do.

“Our team doesn’t stand still, and we are always looking to create opportunities that will benefit our learners, and that is demonstrated in this award.

“One of the aspects that we were commended for, was our links with employers, and how we deliver regular masterclasses which offers our learners a unique and exciting way to develop their skills – experiencing a range of techniques. We must thank our endorsing employers who work so closely with our curriculum it allows our learners to learn from their journeys, expertise and experience. But also the importance of experience, whether that be through placements or working live events, which is a key part of our delivery at Weston College.”

A huge well done to the Hospitality and Catering team. If you would like to study one of our hospitality courses, you can find out more information, here.