LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES
There is always so much going on across our various campuses and courses.
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A Weston College course that supports young people with SEND into paid employment has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.
The innovative ‘Into Work’ programme is in the running for the SEND Apprenticeship Champion category at the FE Week and AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards.
Staff from the College’s Foundation Learning team will attend a glittering ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham on March 28th to find out if they have won. Those shortlisted have also been invited to a special reception at the Houses of Parliament on March 4th.
‘Into Work’ is a one-year supported internship for 16 to 24-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Staff work with learners, their families and employers to provide employability skills, and instil confidence and self-belief.
The course, which launched in 2014, has already proved a major success with 45% of learners achieving paid employment, and 55% progressing to higher-level training. Nationally, just 6% of learners with learning disabilities are in paid employment.
Last year, ‘Into Work’ won the ‘Inclusion in Employment’ category at the National Special Educational Needs Awards.
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group, said: “’Into Work’ is still a relatively new programme so to receive such recognition already is a fantastic achievement and deserved tribute to course leaders.
“This shortlisting demonstrates how the College has embraced the ideals and ethos of supported employment and put them into practice to achieve sustainable outcomes and help learners transition successfully into adulthood.”
Weston College is leading the way with its SEND provision, last year the College had the prestigious honour of winning a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, one of only two further education colleges in the country to be awarded this prestigious honour this year.
If you’re involved in the construction industry, there’s a good chance you’ve read or heard about our new Construction Training Centre.
If not, you may have caught sight of the scaffolding training ‘hangar’, which looms over you as you enter Weston from junction 21 of the M5.
So, with the opening day pencilled in for later in spring, it’s a timely opportunity to provide more detail about the facilities and the training that’ll be available.
First the basics.
The Construction Training Centre is Weston College’s new facility which will help tackle the growing skills shortage in the construction industry.
This project has enabled partnership work with Somax Ltd, who specialise in driver training across the South West. Somax will bring a wealth of industry experience and will deliver commercial short courses at the Centre.
As I’ve mentioned, it’s conveniently situated just off junction 21, and will mainly provide training at the point of need for businesses, their employees and private individuals.
The external and structural aspects of the buildings are virtually completed – and they’re hugely impressive; each facility purpose-built to deliver training in a specific area of the industry.
The West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), have match-funded the project with some £3.3m through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority.
The centre will essentially provide training in five key industry areas:
1 Plant operations
This will take place in a 1.5-acre area and include training in the use of construction vehicles such as 360° excavators, dumpers and telescopics.
2 Street and groundworks
This space will deal with preparing sites for grounds work. We’ll provide training for cutting into tarmac, laying foundations and pipework, installing drainage, coning off highways and setting up temporary traffic lights.
3 Scaffolding
The scaffolding ‘hangar’ is a 10 metres high by 40 meters long, and will share the building with forklift training.
As part of this initiative Weston College has partnered with scaffolding training and safety experts, Simian.
The most popular training in this area is likely to include the CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) Operative Training Scheme. More commonly known as COTS, this is a one-day course for people who are new to scaffolding.
After ‘COTS’ construction workers can progress to the CISRS Basic Access System Erector (BASE) training, and advanced personnel could move to the three-day CISRS Experienced Worker (EWPA) course.
4 Forklifting
A third of the scaffolding ‘hangar’ will be dedicated to warehouse-related training – such as counterbalance and reach truck forklift courses.
5 Logistics
The centre will also include a large tarmacked area where people will learn how to manoeuvre lorries, large passenger vehicles and cars with trailers. DVSA tests will be conducted from the centre and we expect the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) – a qualification for professional bus, coach and lorry drivers – to be popular classroom course along with ADR and Operators CPC.
We’ll also provide the standard health and safety training courses that everyone working on a construction site needs – including the H&S Awareness and CSCS Labourer Card. Personnel can then progress and specialise in the industry area they work in.
As well as the ‘practical’ training areas and equipment, the centre will include everything else you’d expect of a modern, state-of-the-art educational facility.
This includes a canteen, changing facilities, a reception area, staff offices, an IT suite, test and exam rooms, and up to seven classrooms. In fact the classrooms can be partitioned or opened out depending on what’s required – whether it’s a standard teaching session, meeting or mini-conference.
So, what’s left to be done?
Once the external building structures have been completed, we’ll focus on the internal aspects, such as fit-out and aesthetics.
The awarding bodies will then visit the centre to approve them for the training. After this, it’ll be a case of converting the extensive commercial interest we’ve received into bookings for the training.
Towards the end of last year, we held a series of ‘employer forum events’ to make sure we were on track to deliver the skills industry requires, and reactions to the centre plans were overwhelmingly positive, with employers genuinely impressed and excited about what the centre will offer their businesses and staff.
We’ve got an awful lot done in a short space of time, and we’re in the final straight. It’s now all systems go to get the doors open for business! If you’d like to get in touch to find out more please drop me an email or give me a call - simon.werkshagen@weston.ac.uk or 01934 421266.
For more information on the Construction Training Centre, click here.
Weston College is one of just 14 providers in the UK to be recognised as a Microsoft Showcase College.
As a ‘Microsoft Showcase College’, the College will benefit from the IT giant’s support in the personalised learning of students. This includes the use of one-to-one devices and Office 365 Education, Microsoft Teams, OneNote, Skype, Minecraft and more.
Microsoft will also share ideas to enhance staff development, student employability and innovation, and provide the College with opportunities to host Microsoft-branded educational events.
The status is awarded to Colleges that demonstrate “a commitment to education transformation and empowering educators and students to innovate and exercise a growth mindset”.
This new global education programme is an extension of Microsoft’s global network of institutions that use technology to improve teaching and learning.
Tina Jones, UK Education Engagement Manager at Microsoft, said: “We recently held a two-day session for our Showcase Schools and Colleges, which was a tremendous success.
“It was an amazing opportunity for our team to share updates on Accessibility, STEM, Apprenticeships, Azure and plan together for the future as well as learning from these amazing institutions on how they have achieved such inspirational digital transformation in their school or college.”
Jon Hofgartner, Weston College Assistant Director for Technology, Learning Resources and Skills for Progression, said: “It’s exciting to be working with one of the world’s leading technology corporations.
“Weston College is dedicated to using innovation in technology for learning and business, and this commitment will be enhanced by the partnership with Microsoft and its family of pioneering institutions across the globe.
“As a Microsoft Showcase College, we will benefit from billions of pounds of research and knowledge that we would never usually have access to.
“Microsoft technologies empower people and businesses around the world, and many jobs that young people apply for will require them to use digital working environments such as Office 365, so embedding this technology as well as digital skills and capabilities into our teaching and learning is vital for all our students.”
Weston College’s results this year exceeded all expectations at every level. This included a 99% A Level pass rate, vocational results at a similar level plus over 30% of its degree provision achieving First Class Honours.
Alongside this the College are experiencing a demand for A Level places, which has grown exponentially with the realisation of the value of post-16 study. As a result the college has decided to expand its provision.
These developments will include new facilities and a significant investment at Loxton Campus in Weston-super-Mare.
In addition Weston College has been awarded a Career College status which will mean it can expand the range of provision to include technical qualifications in engineering and digital subjects alongside existing courses.
As a result the College will be able to offer up to 1000 new places for the 2019 academic year with many new buildings completed in early 2019. The intention is not to change the highly successful delivery models but actually to enhance resources available to all learners.
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College Group Principal and Chief Executive, said “The new resources will create a ground breaking educational centre for Weston-super-Mare and the wider area.
“Our learners will benefit from a unique education that takes advantage of the latest technology, and receive unrivalled opportunities to succeed.
“We will continue to develop links with local and national employers, providing learners with employability skills in a range of technical areas, fully equipping them for university or the world of work.
“Loxton Campus will therefore provide major opportunity for training post-16 learners in A Levels, vocational creative subjects and the whole health and wellbeing agenda with major involvement from Weston Area Health Trust and other bodies.”
The above investment has been made possible by the College match-funding a successful bid for funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority. This will create bespoke science labs, a health and well-being centre, sports pitches and gymnasiums.
Chair of the West of England LEP, Prof Steve West, said: “It’s great to see Weston College going from strength-to-strength. We’re pleased to help build on that success by supporting the improvements at Loxton Campus, which will give young people the skills they need to progress further in their education and secure better career prospects with the great selection of businesses right here in the West of England.”
The Minister for Local Growth, Jake Berry, said: “This Government is committed to boosting economic growth across the whole of the UK and building a Britain fit for the future.
“Enhancing learning and career opportunities is central to our plan for a stronger, more resilient West of England economy. These improvements at Weston College made possible by the Local Growth Fund will make a huge difference – both for students and local employers looking for home-grown talent.”
James Rimmer, Chief Executive of Weston Area Health Trust, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for partnership working between Weston College and Weston General Hospital. “This demonstrates the investment we are both making to support the learning and development of students. We hope it will also help the recruitment and retention of staff as well as supporting the increased demand on healthcare locally”.
If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Weston College student, call 01934 411 411 or email enquiries@weston.ac.uk
A Weston College programme that helps young people move into paid work has won a national award.
The ‘Into Work’ course took the prize in the ‘Inclusion in Employment’ category at the National Special Educational Needs (SEND) Awards.
Staff members from the College’s Faculty of Inclusive Practice received the accolade at the annual SEND Conference at the Pool Academy in Redruth, Cornwall.
Into Work is a year-long supported internship programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities and who receive an Education, Health and Care Plan. Staff work with learners, their families and employers to provide employability skills, and instil confidence and self-belief.
Into Work, which launched in 2014, has already proved a major success with 45% of learners achieving paid employment, and 55% progressing to higher-level training. Nationally, just 6% of learners with learning disabilities are in paid employment.
Elaine Biddle, the College’s Specialist Support Practitioner for Foundation Learning, said: “As a relatively new programme, it was great to see Into Work recognised for helping learners move into employment and relevant further training.
“These results demonstrate how the College has embraced the ideals and ethos of supported employment and been able to put this into practice to achieve sustainable outcomes and help learners transition successfully into adulthood.”
Ben Mager recently completed the Into Work programme. Ben suffers from cerebral palsy memory loss, seizures and other cognitive difficulties. He also lacked self-confidence after being bullied at school.
During his time on the course, Ben completed internships with Dunelm and Castle Kids Club and achieved a grade C in the English GCSE. He was also offered a paid job at Dunelm and has now progressed to a Level 2 Apprenticeship at Castle Kids Club.
Ben said: “The Into Work course allowed staff to focus on me rather than a whole class. It means they’ve been able to pin-point what I need help with.
“That’s helped me find more out about myself, improve my confidence and move into sustainable paid employment.”
Weston College has won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, one of only two further education colleges in the country to be awarded this prestigious honour this year.
The award comes just weeks after Weston College took home two Association of Colleges’ (AoC) Beacon Awards for Widening Participation and Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities at the AoC National Conference.
The Queen’s Award is one of the College’s most impressive achievements since it embarked on its 16-year transformation under the leadership of Dr Paul Phillips CBE in 2001.
Click here for a summary of why we won and what this means for us.
Judges commended the College’s facilities for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), in particular the increased independence, the high retention rate of learners with SEND, the number of students with SEND who move on to meaningful destinations, and the impact that this has on the local community.
The judges noted that the level of investment in the College’s facilities for SEND would not be possible without the sustained period of growth seen by the College under the leadership of Dr Phillips.
Weston College is widely regarded as one of the further education sector’s greatest success stories. At the beginning of the 21st century, the College was in a poor financial position with a small curriculum and unremarkable outcomes for its students.
When Dr Phillips was appointed Principal and Chief Executive, he began the long process of investment, staff development and restructuring to turn around the College’s fortunes. In just over 16 years the College’s outlook has been completely reversed and the College is now one of the most respected in the country, being named both ‘College of the Year’ and ‘Overall Training Provider of the Year’ at the 2015 Times Educational Supplement Further Education Awards.
Dr Phillips, said: “This award recognises the massive transition that has occurred at Weston College. In particular, it acknowledges the close attention that has been given to make sure that every learner in the College has the same level of teaching and support, and the same chances of successfully progressing towards their goals.
“When I think back to 2001, the most striking difference is the ethos that has grown within the College of putting the learner first and at the heart of what we do. At Weston College it does not matter who you are, your background, or what you study, the opportunity to access high-quality teaching and support, as well as incredible facilities, is the same.
“The ethos of ‘creating brighter futures’ is more than just a slogan, it is a mission statement that applies to all of the young people and adults that we teach.”
Jude Ferguson, Chair of Corporation, said: "I am delighted to see the College recognised with such a prestigious award, particularly in the field of inclusive learning."
The Prizes are part of the honours system and are awarded every two years by The Queen on the Prime Minister’s advice. UK universities and colleges were invited in October 2016 to submit entries on any aspect of their work for assessment against the scheme’s criteria of excellence, innovation and practical benefit, to the institution itself and UK education, and to the UK economy and society and for public benefit in general.
The Trust, charged by the Palace and the Cabinet Office with the administration of the scheme since its inception in 1994, undertook a process of independent assessment leading to recommendations by the Trust’s Awards Council in September this year.
Sir Damon Buffini, Chairman of the Royal Anniversary Trust, said: “The focus of the Prizes on innovation and practical benefit to people and society is a great incentive to our universities and colleges to think critically about the direction of their work and its application and relevance in today’s world.”
For further information on the Queen’s Anniversary Prize please visit www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk
Weston College has been awarded a Beacon Award for its work in improving functional, vocational and transferable skills among offenders in nine prisons across the South West of England and detainees at The Verne Immigration Removal Centre.
The College took home the Association of Colleges’ Beacon Award for Widening Participation in Learning, sponsored by Gateway Qualifications. This is the first time a Beacon Award has been won recognising excellence within offender and detainee learning services.
Judges highlighted the College’s inclusive approach to learning which reflects “the best in adult further education within the community” and “inspires the most educationally disadvantaged to engage, improve their skills, discover and fulfil their potential and increase their life and work opportunities on release or repatriation.”
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, commended his staff and said: “This award shows that Weston College is leading the field when it comes to providing effective opportunities for some of the most disenfranchised learners in the country. Our Beacon Award’s success confirms the innovative and student-centred practice that permeates the whole of the Weston College Group.
“When it comes to offender and detainee learning, we provide the same award-winning level of teaching and support that we offer students across the College. Our approach is to put our learners first and to enable them to realise their full potential.
“This College-wide ethos is why learners in all aspects of Weston College’s provision can expect the same outstanding teaching standards, and the same dedication to providing an engaging and inclusive learning environment.”
This latest award follows national recognition of the College’s offender learning provision through successful inspections from Ofsted and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Prisons. In 2015, offender learning lecturer Jerry Nightingale became the first prison lecturer to be named Further Education Lecturer of the Year at the Pearson Teaching Awards for ‘Britain’s classroom heroes’.
A former Renault garage has been transformed into a state-of-the art education centre for Weston College Automotive students.
The £1 million refurbishment at the South West Skills Campus (SWSC) on Locking Road includes two large workshops, two computer suites and two hi-tech classrooms.
Applications have doubled for Automotive courses and now lecturers seek more employers to offer Apprenticeships and work experience.
Automotive Lecturer Ian Aldridge said: “Last year we had 60 full time students, this year we have over 120 training with us.
“Many want to be an Apprentice and are in desperate need of an employer to support their training.
“The Government wants to add work-based experience to full time education and we want more employers who need Level 3 students to help them access the working environment.
“Ideally employers would offer a learner an Apprenticeship or a week’s work experience placement, however, we can accommodate single days through our new Programmes of Study.”
Student Marc Bell, 32, of Mead Vale, is a mature Level 3 student.
He said: “I worked in security but with children I wanted a job where I am home at nights. I’ve really enjoyed the course and hope I can find work.”
The year-long courses on offer include Level 1, 2 and 3 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair.
The refurbishment is part of ongoing £11 million works at the SWSC which includes the College's Business Enterprise Centre and Construction and Engineering Centre of Excellence.
Other developments include plans to create an eco-house at the rear of SWSC, which can show students practical examples of green technology in action.
Weston College Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips OBE added: “This new automotive maintenance centre was built in response to demand for quality courses.
“Once the SWSC is complete we will have created the best engineering and construction environment in the UK.
“Weston College has been voted the best in the West for the second year running in Skills Funding Agency Poll.
“We have exceptional results in A levels, Higher Education and vocational qualifications. With 1,200 apprentices, we are the largest provider in the region from Gloucestershire to Cornwall.
“Despite the economic challenge we continue to invest heavily in buildings to meet the needs of 21st century students, offering them the best resources in the South West.”
This month (April 2024) we opened our newly refurbished library at Loxton Campus, marking a significant enhancement aimed at enriching the learning environment for our students.
The ambitious redesign was driven by feedback gathered from a series of student surveys and numerous discussions involving both students and faculties based at Loxton Campus.
This collaborative effort ensured that the refurbishment was not only about aesthetic upgrades but also about making the library more beneficial to the educational needs and comfort of its learners.
Claire Moore, Head of Learning Centres at Weston College, said: “Understanding what our students and staff wanted from our library was crucial. Feedback was an essential part of this project, allowing us to tailor the space to better suit their academic and personal growth.”
The redesigned space now boasts increased study areas, modernised resources, and technology-equipped zones designed to support both individual and group learning.
Claire added: “Libraries are an important part of the student journey at Weston College, and we are really excited to be providing this new facility for our learners.”
The reopening of the Loxton Campus library is a testament to Weston College's commitment to providing top-tier educational facilities that help students reach their potential.
The feedback from learners has been overwhelmingly positive too, Marvellous who is an A Level student, commented: “It is a really pretty space, and there is a lot of space for group study which is great!” Sirona, an Art and Design student, added: “The area has been improved and suits different study styles. There are great options for studying independently and also as a group.”
This significant investment in campus infrastructure underscores the college’s dedication to creating an environment where learners can succeed and flourish.
You can view some pictures of the new space, below.
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.
