LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES
There is always so much going on across our various campuses and courses.
Stay up to date on our latest news here or check us out across social media.
Learners from our Business Career Excellence Hub are spreading Christmas cheer, through the Business Enterprise Challenge.
Learners studying Business related courses at Weston College have been split into groups, and tasked with raising money for Weston Hospicecare. Each group have been given a Business Mentor, as well as a £50 donation for a start-up budget. The challenge is to turn their £50 into the most profit, with all proceeds going to the charity.
Each group of learners have created their business plan, which includes sourcing products, developing their pricing strategy, coming up with a marketing plan and then selling their product or service.
The groups have also been given a Business Mentor, with lots of key business people from across the town offering their support to this great initiative (full list below).
The challenge which was launched in October is well underway, and last week (W/C: 5th December) learners took to the Sovereign Centre in Weston-super-Mare, to sell their products. With a presence each day, learners showcased their merchandising skills as well as their products – selling Christmas gifts and raising lots of money in the process.
Dean of Faculty for Professional Studies Access to HE & Animal Science at Weston College, Helen George, said: “I have been really impressed with work that the students have been producing as part of the Business Enterprise Challenge.
“Over the course of the challenge so far, we have seen learners grow in confidence, increase their understanding of running a business and build some vital skills that will support them throughout their future careers.
“Most importantly learners are raising a lot of money for Weston Hospicecare, which has been the driving force behind the success we have seen to date.
“I wanted to say a big thank you to our Business Mentors as well, they have provided such valuable advice, guidance and feedback to the learners, and we really appreciate the support that they have given us.”
Each group of learners will present their experiences to a judging panel, as well as sharing how much they raised at the end of January, to try to win one of four awards:
- Fundraisers Achievement Award (for the team which raises the most profit)
- Most Sustainable Business Award (for the most sustainable business or product idea)
- Visual Merchandising Award (best trade stand)
- Entrepreneur of the Year Award (awarded to a team which demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurialism)
With the winners being announced at Weston College’s Celebration of Success event, in February 2023.
If you would like to find out more about studying a business courses at Weston College, click here.
Dear Parents/Guardians
As Christmas draws near and we look back on a year of challenges and opportunities it is good to see the phenomenal developments post the covid closure era!
At the various sites of the College, we have continued to invest in state-of-the-at learning and support facilities for our learners ensuring at all times we have been focussed on supportive learning environments with inclusivity at the heart of all we do. I am pleased to report that we opened our new premises in Bristol recently where the city centre location is specialising in facilities that enable rapid progression in gaining new skills with bespoke support. Our world continues to change but at the same time we continue to deliver outstanding resources and commitment to everyone we are responsible for. When it comes to the topic of student support and care, in November we were thrilled to be able to celebrate being the first college to be awarded Gold for the Further Education Mental Health award, along with being the first college to achieve the People, Culture and Wellbeing Award. The wellbeing and safety of our community remains our number one priority.
This newsletter will bring you up to date on our resources and services that maintain outstanding teaching and learning but also how we can support learners over the holiday period.
A reminder that the College will close for the festive period on Friday 23rd December 2022 and will re-open on Tuesday January 3rd 2023 for the start of the spring term.
From all the Weston College staff and governors, we wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.
Sir Paul Phillips CBE
Principal & Chief Executive
Learners from the T Level Digital and BTEC Computing courses recently took part in the Bebras Challenge. Bebras is a computational thinking challenge that is organised over 50 countries, in partnership with Oxford University and The Raspberry Pi Foundation. Learners answer questions that look at challenging their logical thinking and problem-solving abilities, both of which are vital skills required in computer science. This takes place in the 2nd week of November, with all that compete earning either a certificate of participation, merit, distinction or best in school.
Tom, one of the learners who had placed in the top 10% of achievers, told us about his experience.
“Our whole class entered the challenge together. Ben Hobbs, our teacher, put in the application for us all. It was great that we all entered as it meant we were able to revise together; we were given practice papers for the lead-up to make sure we were prepared for the challenge.
“I’d only found out about being in the top 10% of competitors when I was given the certificate the following week; it was definitely the highlight of the challenge!”
Those that achieve within the top 10% nationally, are eligible to take part within the Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC) in January, which looks to challenge them on their programming abilities within their choice of coding language, including C#, Java or Python.
Tom commented: “I intend on taking part in the OUCC; I think it will be much more difficult as it is focused on problem solving with coding, but I’m excited to face the challenge.”
Tom’s advice to anyone thinking of entering the Bebras challenge was to “try and manage your time and answer as many questions as you can – practice questions were the best and most effective way to improve on this.”
Ben Hobbs, the computing teacher who entered the learners into the challenge, said: “I am so proud of everyone who competed in the Bebras Challenge, particularly those who were in the top 10%; what an incredible achievement! Opportunities like these are the perfect way for the learners to put what they learn into practise, and the development in their confidence afterwards is astounding! Congratulations to everybody involved!”
Weston College have launched their new ‘Become an Inclusive Employer’ workshops, where employers are provided with the knowledge and skills to support neurodiverse employees and customers. This allows employers to access untapped talent in the workplace, and create an inclusive environment for customers.
Puxton Park are one of the many employers who have undertaken the workshop, and the impact it has already had on their business is incredible. The park, which attracts over 450,000 visitors every year, has made it their mission to ensure that new play equipment, infrastructure and daily operations are as inclusive and accessible as possible. Investments such as an accessible roundabout, which can be used by children of mixed abilities, as well as a state-of-the-art wheelchair accessible trampoline have already been made, alongside wide paved paths throughout the park for wheelchair access.
Since attending the inclusive employer workshop, new ideas and initiatives have been developed to best support the neurodiverse community. The concept of neurodiversity aims to reduce stigma around learning and thinking difficulties, and encourages viewing differences in the brain as differences rather than defects. One of the new additions to the park to support neurodiverse customers is an investment in Ear Defenders which can be rented out free of charge.
Georgina Francis, Operations Manager of Puxton Park, says: “Being an inclusive attraction has always been extremely important to us. We have worked closely with Weston College and have had the privilege of taking part in their neurodiversity training workshops. This training was enlightening and informative and opened our eyes to the opportunities and initiatives we can take part in to best support the disabled and neurodiverse communities. We continue to grow our business partnership with Weston College and thank them for their continued support.” Read their full story, here!
We are so thrilled at the impact of these workshops on the businesses who are taking part; sign up for the Inclusive Employer workshops, here.
Nicola Lace, the SEND Operations Manager, commented: “We are so thrilled at the long lasting impact this is having on the employers who attend our sessions, and how this is contributing to the inclusivity in their businesses. In 2023 we will be hosting 5 sessions, with the potential to add more with demand, as we seek to support businesses across the region to adopt best practice and create a more inclusive environment for their colleagues and customers.”
Last month our amazing Sixth Form learners took part in a Winter Market in Bristol as part of Young Enterprise.
Young Enterprise is a leading UK charity centred around empowering young people to discover, develop and celebrate their skills and potential. Their mission is to motivate young people to succeed in the changing world of work by equipping them with the work skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed.
As part of the Young Enterprise programme, our learners have had incredible talks from industry professionals at companies like Abatec and Brent Engineering to inspire and motivate them.
The Winter Market, held on 26th November near St. Nicholas Markets in Bristol, was an opportunity for learners to demonstrate everything they have learnt. Within teams, they selected and produced their own goods, which they then had to expertly pitch and sell to the public.
We caught up with Jack, whose team received a judge’s honourable mention at the Market. They did exceptionally well, successfully profiting on their unique, hand-crafted, metal Christmas ornaments.
Jack, who is a first year Economics, Politics and Business learner, told us:
“Young enterprise is an opportunity for young people to start a business that they run by themselves or with assistance from lecturers, creating and selling a product to the public. I got involved because my economics lecturer, who also teaches business, said it would be a great way to use my economic and business skills together.”
How did you find the experience?
“It was our first time doing this, so we didn’t know what to expect but thankfully it was a success and the judges liked us and we even got an honourable mention as a result. It turned out well and we were pleased with our results. We achieved what we wanted to do which was sell all the products through our use of an appealing stand and our high-quality marketing skills.
Next time we aim to improve our products and innovate. We’d like to go to more markets and become more successful than last time.”
Jack, who tells us he would like to go on to work in the banking industry after college, finished off by saying “I really recommend doing the Young Enterprise as it gives you an insight into making business decisions and the responsibilities of businesses.”
Amazing work from everyone who took part!
To find out more about A Levels at Weston College and the opportunities available, click here.
The wonderful Level 1 Hairdressing learners were welcomed by Emma, the salon owner of Unique Hair, for work experience in an industry standard salon. Unique Hair is an independently run hair salon, local to the college, currently underway to becoming a Career Excellence Hub ambassador. This results in the college and the salon working very closely together to ensure the content in the course is of upmost importance to the learners, and even results in work experience opportunities which otherwise would not be offered to L1 learners!
Emma had six Level 1 learners in total spread over three Mondays, where she opened the salon especially for work experience days. Emma sourced her own clients for the learners to work on, undergoing treatments such as meeting and greeting clients, shampooing, conditioning and applying treatments, as well as blow-drying, curling and setting clients’ hair. This gave the students the chance to use industry-standard equipment, and experience first-hand, what a day working in the salon would be like.
While Level 1 learners would not usually gain the opportunity to have work experience, Emma was so keen to help out and allow the students to develop employability skills to increase success in their futures in the industry. The students commented, “It was such a great opportunity, and really helpful experience for what working day to day in a salon would be like. Emma was great at explaining everything, and really kind when explaining everything, including the new techniques. We’d absolutely love to go back!”
The learners’ tutor, Kelly, told us, “It has been amazing to see the development of their skills since this experience!”
Rachel Harrison, the Workplace Coordinator for Hair, Beauty and Hospitality commented: “The learners absolutely loved their time at the salon, and having the chance to try out new products; the opportunity was invaluable for the learners. Here at Weston College, we focus on finding the learner’s career aspirations first, then assist in how they can reach this. Having a whole day in an industry-standard salon is one of the most beneficial ways to help in reaching their dream jobs; I am so grateful to Emma for her kindness and hospitality towards the learners, and being their mentor for the whole day! I hope we are able to provide this work experience to Level 1 learners in the future!”
On Wednesday 30th November, Weston College hosted a Celebration of Partnership and Progression evening, which celebrated the progression that has been made over the last academic year, as well as recognising the key partnerships the College has in helping achieve this success.
Employers and industry leaders from across the region were among 250 guests at the event, which was held at the Winter Gardens Pavilion Ballroom.
Sir Paul Phillips, Principal and CEO of Weston College Group, hosted the event and took the guests through the collective success of the College, its students and staff achievements as well as launching the Group’s Annual Report, which details the College’s progress in 21/22 and outlines the year ahead and the exciting range of projects on the horizon.
Highlights of the year included the success of the 300 in 50 campaign, where the ambitious goal of recruiting 300 apprenticeship sign-ups in just 50 working days was smashed by the College, as well as the success of the Career Excellence Hub and the Institute of Technology both exceeding expectations and national benchmarks.
A selection of awards were also presented during the evening, the first of which was the UWE Bristol Partnership Award, to celebrate individual contributions which have added to the strength and success of the partnership. This was awarded to UWE Bristol’s Sarah Howell, Susan Ylimaz, Fiona Lawrence and Marianne Reed who have each demonstrated their commitment to delivering outstanding results for both Weston College and UWE Bristol.
The second award was the Carnegie Centre of Excellence – Further Education Mental Health Award, awarded to Weston College for “demonstrating excellence across all eight competencies of the Further Education Mental Health Award”, as commented by the Award assessor. Dr Georgie Ford, the College’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Excellence Lead collected the award.
The final award of the night was the People, Culture and Wellbeing Quality Mark, a national award which recognises Weston College as being at the forefront of implementing person-centred initiatives that increase productivity by developing skillsets and supporting mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. Weston College is the first education institution to achieve this! This accreditation was presented on stage to the College’s Assistant Principal Ben Knocks and Caroline Pringle, the College’s HR Director.
Sir Paul Phillips commented on the evening: “The Celebration of Partnership and Progression was an incredible opportunity to recognise not only the success of Weston College, but also our key partners, who play such an important role in contributing to the collective success. I am incredibly proud of every achievement we have gained this year, and very much look forward to the coming year to see what possibilities await us.
Many congratulations to those who were presented an award tonight, your hard work and dedication is highly valued.”
The event was hugely successful and provided excellent networking opportunities for a range of local and regional businesses, charities and organisations.
The West of England Institute of Technology (WEIoT) has launched a new “soft skills certificate” to enable people to gain the soft skills and certified credentials requested and recognised by local employers.
Enhancing soft skills such as Teamwork, Adaptability and Critical thinking can enable individuals to work more effectively and collaboratively with colleagues to enhance and progress careers.
This free, time limited, flexible and modular training is being delivered by education and industry specialist partners delivering 7 modules which can be mixed and matched and tailored to meet individual and business needs:
- Digital Skills For Inclusive Cloud Collaboration
- Effective Communication
- Insights Discovery
- New World Working
- Soft Skills For Project Managers
- Team Working
- Workplace Skills And Behaviours
Face to face, online and twilight delivery options are available through one of the WEIoT education partners: Weston College, Bath College, Yeovil College, City of Bristol College and Provek. All training must be completed by 31 March 2023.
Businesses can utilise this new certificate to develop the skills and careers of their workforce in line with current and emerging skills needs and new world working practices. This will ultimately improve workforce productivity, satisfaction, and retention.
Individuals can enhance and accredit their soft skills credentials, enabling them to work more effectively and collaboratively with colleagues and to enhance and progress their careers.
This is also supported through the inclusion of Credly Digital Credentials, which are included with the certificate, to acknowledge and share achievements.
Click here to read more about each module in order to sign up and complete this certificate for free before 31st March.
The WEIoT is part of the government’s flagship programme designed to spearhead the delivery of higher technical education; to support the economy with a skilled workforce that can drive productivity and take advantage of key growth opportunities.
The WEIoT+ Soft Skills Certificate is funded through the Department for Education’s Skills Development Fund, aimed at helping employers and individuals access the skills needed to enhance careers, support local innovation and economic
A letter from UK Health Security Agency and North Somerset Council:
Dear parents, guardians and carers,
Re: Increase in scarlet fever and Group A Streptococcal infections
We are writing to inform you of a recent national increase in notifications of scarlet fever to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), above seasonal expected levels.
We would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the signs, symptoms and the actions to be taken if you think that you or your child might have scarlet fever.
Signs and symptoms of scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a common childhood infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, or group A Streptococcus (GAS). It is not usually serious, but should be treated with antibiotics to reduce the risk of complications (such as pneumonia) and spread to others. The early symptoms of scarlet fever include sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. After 12 to 48 hours, the characteristic red, pinhead rash develops, typically first appearing on the chest and stomach, then rapidly spreading to other parts of the body, and giving the skin a sandpaper-like texture. The scarlet rash may be harder to spot on darker skin, although the 'sandpaper' feel should be present. Patients typically have flushed cheeks and be pale around the mouth. This may be accompanied by a bright red ‘strawberry’ tongue.
If you think you, or your child, might have scarlet fever:
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contact your GP or NHS 111 as soon as possible
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make sure that you or your child take(s) the full course of any antibiotics prescribed. Although you or your child will feel better soon after starting the course of antibiotics, you must complete the course to ensure that you do not carry the bacteria in your throat after you have recovered
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stay at home, away from nursery, school or work for at least 24 hours after starting the antibiotic treatment, to avoid spreading the infection
You can help stop the spread of infection through frequent hand washing and by not sharing eating utensils, clothes, bedding and towels. All contaminated tissues should be disposed of immediately.
Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS)
The same bacteria which cause scarlet fever can also cause a range of other types of infection such as skin infections (impetigo) and sore throat. In very rare cases, the bacteria can get into the bloodstream and cause an illness called invasive group A strep (iGAS). Whilst still very uncommon, there has been an increase in iGAS cases this year, particularly in children under 10 years old. It is very rare for children with scarlet fever to develop iGAS infection.
As a parent, you should trust your own judgement. Contact NHS 111 or your GP if:
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your child is getting worse
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your child is feeding or eating much less than normal
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your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration
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your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39C or higher
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your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty
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your child is very tired or irritable
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
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your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs
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there are pauses when your child breathes
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your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue
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your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
Stop the spread
During periods of high incidence of scarlet fever, there may also be an increase in outbreaks in schools, nurseries and other childcare settings. Children and adults with suspected scarlet fever should stay off nursery / school / work until 24 hours after the start of appropriate antibiotic treatment. Good hygiene practice such as hand washing remains the most important step in preventing and controlling spread of infection.
Yours faithfully
Professor Dominic Mellon
MSc Dip HEP MEPS FRSPH FFPH Regional Deputy Director for South West UK Health Security Agency
Matt Lenny
Director of Public Health and Regulatory Services
North Somerset Council
Annex: Resources
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NHS information on scarlet fever: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/
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UKHSA advice on the diagnosis and treatment of scarlet fever: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/scarlet-fever-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment
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UKHSA guidance on the management of scarlet fever outbreaks in schools: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1110540/Guidelines_for_the_public_health_management_of _scarlet_fever_outbreaks.pdf
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UKHSA guidance on Health protection in education and childcare settings: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and- other-childcare-facilities/managing-specific-infectious-diseases-a-to-z
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Additional resources to promote hand and respiratory hygiene in schools: http://www.e-bug.eu/
Marketing and Communications
The marketing department is responsible for promoting Weston College to the public, by promoting the Colleges courses, achievements and events.
Our aims are to attract learners to study within the Weston College Group, build and grow the College’s brand and highlight its reputation, and promote the College Group’s success, student progression and outstanding support for our learners.
The marketing department manages the College’s websites and official social media accounts, runs advertising campaigns, creates press releases, and manages many of the College Group’s events, such as Graduation, the Celebration of Success and the Business Awards.
We produce a wide range of publications including our full-time, Higher Education and part-time prospectuses, course leaflets and posters, and other documents such as the College’s annual report, magazines and newsletters, course brochures and the student handbook.
Weston College is committed to providing accurate and timely information for local, regional and national media, and the general public.
The marketing team is available between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays. You can get in touch with us by emailing marketing@weston.ac.uk.
All of our press releases are uploaded to the news section of our websites. News from the academies we sponsor, including the North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College, can be found on the news section of the Inspirational Futures Trust’s website. News pertaining to our Higher Education Provision can be found on www.ucw.ac.uk.
The marketing department produces most imagery and film in house, and keeps an extensive archive of the photographs it takes. If you would like a copy of an image featuring you or a member of your family, please contact us at photography@weston.ac.uk.
Our photos of graduation and many other events can be found on the College’s Facebook page. High quality images can be found on the College’s Flickr account.
Weston College is able to accommodate many requests to provide locations for film and photography. The College has a range of attractive, modern and adaptable facilities which can be viewed on our youtube channel.
We also are able to provide heritage facilities such as the Victorian Hans Price designed Conference Centre and, from September 2017, the 1927 Winter Gardens Pavilion.
For booking details, contact marketing@weston.ac.uk.
For enquiries about sponsoring key events such as Celebration of Success, Business Breakfast, Business Awards and Graduation, please contact the marketing team by email at marketing@weston.ac.uk.
