We've been invited to Buckingham Palace to pick up one of the most important educational prizes in the country: the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

The award is the latest of a string of successes that the College has seen in recent years since the appointment of Dr Paul Phillips CBE as Principal and Chief Executive.

What is a Queen’s Anniversary Prize?

The Queen's Anniversary Prizes for Higher and Further Education are awarded to leading colleges and universities every two years, and reward excellence, innovation and positive impact on the community. It is generally thought of as equivalent to an Honour but applied to an institution. It is a nation-wide award that is considered to be the most prestigious in the education sector. For further information on the Queen’s Anniversary Prize please visit www.royalanniversarytrust.org.uk

What did we win it for?

The Royal Anniversary Trust judges acknowledged our pioneering approach to outstanding inclusive practice. They recognised that Weston College’s dedicated special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision had delivered impact at a local, regional, national and international level. The College has been recognised for creating world class facilities delivering aspirational provision to over 1000 students requiring additional support. Continuous high performance has been driven by strong leadership from the very top, which has placed empowerment and personalisation at the heart of the College’s strategic plans.

Judges could see that our excellent delivery has allowed the sharing of best practice in order to improve outcomes for other disadvantaged groups including ex-offenders and the long term unemployed. They also recognised that the College’s award-winning provision showed how staff, learners and employers have worked together to “value people” and to create inclusive social mobility for all.

Why is inclusive practice important to us?

Our focus on inclusive practice is led by our Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE, who believes that our students should be put first and that all of our students should be able to enjoy the same high-quality teaching, facilities and support regardless of their background and abilities. He was inspired by the 2001 White Paper titled “Valuing People – A New Strategy for Learning Disability in the 21st Century”.

What does this mean for our students with SEND?

Students at the College can expect to achieve results that are consistently above the national benchmark, with 97% of learners with SEND progressing into employment, further learning or higher education. They can also expect to study in purpose-built facilities that enable them to fulfil their full learning potential. They are taught and supported by highly-qualified specialist staff through personalised programmes of study, which are dynamically and innovatively based on an empowerment model which promotes independence rather than dependency. 

Hi! I’m Chris. I work in the Weston College Marketing department as an apprentice. I’m eighteen and I am loving my apprenticeship. For National Apprenticeship Week, I’m going to be talking about the exciting benefits of being an apprentice. 

I started my apprenticeship back in early September after successfully making it to interview and then completing the interview process. On the first day I was very nervous, I hadn’t worked in an office environment before but my mind was soon put to ease as everyone was really friendly and offered any help and support that I needed. It was exciting to meet my team and they are always there to give me any guidance I require which helped me to settle in quickly and make friends. 

One reason that I decided to become an apprentice was because I was excited by the opportunities that I could get within my company that I could use to kick-start my career. More and more companies are valuing real world experience and an apprenticeship is the perfect way to get this while still learning new skills and techniques through my College course. I was worried about the cost of university and so I began to look into alternatives. I found with apprenticeships that instead of paying to learn (and racking up a worrying debt) I could earn a salary and have my course paid for at the same time by getting an apprenticeship.

Some of the highlights of my apprenticeship so far have been the events that I have helped to organise. These are quite difficult to get right as you have to be very careful to not miss anything since often, quite a small problem can make a whole event go wrong! However, when the event is done it is very satisfying to know that I have done well. Some of the skills that I have learnt include professional writing, effective administration among many others. These skills have enabled me to become more involved in team activities. Professional writing has boosted my communication skills and administration has enabled me to help my team with fundamental aspects of marketing. Since I am hoping for a career in marketing, this is vital life experience that I can use to gain employment in the future.

I would recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who is looking to boost their chances for the future! They combine real world experience seamlessly with an excellent College course. I find that learning on your feet in a true work environment is the best way to gain practical experience that can then be applied in a business context. Some of the incredible experiences that I have gained include business fairs, planning my own events and I have many more planned for the future. Apprenticeships are a great way to get on the job ladder with a wide range of local and national companies pledging to hire. 
 

Deciding what to do and where to go after school can be a difficult decision to make, but at Weston College we offer so much variety that we have fantastic courses for everyone.

If you’re looking to pursue a media course, we are confident that we have the best options on offer for you, and we know that we are the best place to study media. Keep reading to find out why...

Creative Arts students from Weston College had the exciting opportunity to visit Bristol’s Marble Factory to watch the ‘Art Battle’ live painting competition.

The ‘Art Battle’ featured 12 artists, who had 20 minutes to create art on a blank canvas. The competition challenged the artists’ ability to work quickly and showcased their creative talent in front of an eager audience of art fans.

The winner is decided by an audience vote. All of the artwork produced on the night goes to a silent auction to support the artists involved.

Nicola Stent, Creative Arts lecturer at Weston College, who accompanied the learners, said: “This was a great opportunity for our learners. The group were engaged throughout the evening and they got involved with voting and purchasing artwork from the event.”

Weston College Art and Design students Cam Gelder and Heidi Lear will be taking part in the next ‘Art Battle’ in Bristol in November.

Nicola added: “We’re very excited to accompany Heidi and Cam and we wish them the best of luck!”

The event is taking place on Tuesday 13th November at the Marble Factory from 7pm. Spectator tickets are still available and can be purchased here.

A film celebrating Weston-super-Mare’s entrepreneurial women was screened at Weston College’s Conference Centre today (April 25).

The project, sponsored by the College, is the brainchild of producer and interviewer Becky Walsh, a former Weston College student, and Justyna Steinkeller, an associate producer and graphic designer.

Becky studied a BTEC in Performing Arts at Weston College and progressed to The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama for her stage management training. She then spent 15 years in the West End working as a stage manager on shows such as West Side Story and Blood Brothers. She was also part of the lighting team for UK’s ‘Handover of Hong Kong’ to China in 1997.

She then spent time living across the globe, having gained a reputation both in the personal development field as a self-help author and as a TV and radio presenter, before returning to Weston to bring her knowledge back into the town.

Becky said: “The women interviewed for these documentaries come from various backgrounds but have one thing in common – they have brought inspiration and entrepreneurship to Weston in terms of creativity and care.

“Their stories are heart-warming and inspiring, and create a new chapter in Weston’s history.”

The film tells the stories of:

• Gill Bute, who fought off gangsters to build a company
• Amelia Eikli, who turned her life around after just one year living in the town
• Valerie Donegan, who has spent her life helping the people who have made the streets their home
• Sara Pacey, who organises entertainment events across the area
• Linda Chan, who was a high flyer in the corporate world until she started to lose her sight.

Linda’s luck changed after moving to Weston, when she joined an adult part-time art course at Weston College. She then progressed onto a Level 2 Art and Design Diploma at Weston College and, last year, graduated from UCW with a Contemporary Art and Professional Studies, FdA.

Linda is now an exhibiting artist and her life has been transformed.

Linda said: “I was overwhelmed by how inspirational the first class was and I have never looked back.”

Dr Paul Phillips, CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this event. Weston College is passionate about supporting the people of Weston and helping our community to grow.”

If you would like to join a full-time course, like Becky, visit our website.

If you are interested in a part-time adult course, like Linda, visit us at the Festival of Learning on Saturday 15th June 11am-3pm at the Winter Gardens and Italian Gardens.

There will be a live Q&A with the team at https://youtu.be/ZOX1CZi41zI 

Weston College toasted the outstanding success of learners and employer partners at its annual Business Awards on Thursday (June 20).

Winners from a range of categories were presented with awards at the Oscars-style event at the Winter Gardens.

Guests – including students, employers and local dignitaries – enjoyed a three-course dinner and heard an inspirational keynote talk from Nick Elston, one of the country’s most renowned speakers on the subjects of anxiety, mental health and well-being.

Principal and CEO of Weston College Group, Dr Paul Phillips, who hosted the awards, said: “This year we received a record number of nominations and, while this made judging an unenviable task, it highlights the wealth of talent among our learners and the level of dedication and expertise within our employer network.

“It was fantastic to celebrate the many successes of our work-based learners, who show outstanding commitment to their programmes. They are truly a credit to the College and their employers.

“This year’s event is also notable as it fell between the opening of two significant new training facilities – the Construction Training Centre and Health and Active Living Centre. These state-of-the-art resources will provide huge benefits for learners, businesses and the community as a whole.”

It was an evening to remember for Thatchers Cider apprentice Molly O’Flaherty, 17 who was named Overall Learner of the Year and Professional Services Apprentice of the Year. Molly, who is completing a Customer Services Apprenticeship, was singled out for her maturity, work-ethic and passion to learn.

Molly said: “I am delighted to have won this award, as it shows how far I have come over such a short period of time with Thatchers.

“The support I have received from Weston College and Thatchers has been excellent, and I can’t wait to continue my development with such a great employer.”

Thatchers Cider made it a ‘quadruple’ celebration by picking up the Overall Employer and New Apprentice Employer of the Year awards.

Emma Cox, Training and Development Manager at Thatchers Cider, said: “At Thatchers we are committed to supporting young people and providing them with an opportunity to develop their skills.

“Being recognised for this award is testament to the hard work that we have put in, the dedication of the learners and the support we have received from Weston College in creating a bespoke programme to suit our business needs.”

The National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain (NCO) was recognised as Industry Placement Employer of the year. Sophie Lewis, Managing Director at NCO, commented: “The Industry Placement programme has had a really positive impact on NCO. As a charity we have benefitted from additional capacity and fresh perspectives through our placement who immediately became a fantastic addition to our team.

“We are thrilled to win this award and look forward to engaging with the programme further in the future.”

Business Award winners list:

Employer awards

• Small Employer of the Year – Ridgeway House
• Medium Employer of the Year – YMCA Barley Wood Day Nursery
• Large Employer of the Year – SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK
• New Apprentice Employer of the Year – Thatchers Cider
• Industry Placement Employer of the Year – National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain
• Work Experience Employer of the Year – Visit Somerset
• Traineeship Employer of the Year – University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
• Pre-employment Employer of the Year – OCS Group
• Disability Confident Employer of the Year – Weston Museum
• Inspiring Future Talent Employer of the Year – OnPoint Barbers
• Commercial Training Employer of the Year – Kings Heavy Haulage of Bristol)
• Overall Employer of the Year – Thatchers Cider

Learners awards

• Construction Apprentice of the Year – Patrick Hollritt, of John Mansfield Electrical
• Digital Apprentice of the Year – Sean Haberfield, of Osborne Clarke
• Early Years and Education Apprentice of the Year – Charlotte Redstone, of King Alfred School
• Engineering and Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year – Matthew Vicarage, of Ipeco Composites
• Hair and Beauty Apprentice of the Year – George Sheppard, of OnPoint Barbers
• Hospitality and Food Industry Apprentice of the Year – Chris Barry, of St Monica Trust
• Industry Placement Learner of the Year – Olivia Farley of Green Pastures Veterinary Centre
• Leadership Apprentice of the Year – Mark Cordy, of Bradbury House
• Professional Services Apprentice of the Year – Molly O'Flaherty, of Thatchers Cider
• SEND Learner into Employment Student of the Year – Jack Tiley, of Lasseter's restaurant
• Sport, Health, Lab Tech and Social Care Apprentice of the Year – Rebecca Twinney of Royal United Hospital, Bath
• Traineeship Learner of the Year – Holly Griffiths, of Ready Steady Go Nursery
• Transport and Logistics Learner of the Year – Harrison King, of Kings Heavy Haulage
• Overall Learner of the Year – Molly O'Flaherty, of Thatchers Cider

Last year, four Media Production students were given an exciting brief from Aerospace Bristol – to create a short video to be played in the museum’s exhibition.

This live project brief saw four students gain valuable experience, as they put their theory to the test and ran a project from start to finish.

As part of this project, students carried out research on the engineering industry, planned video content and organised interviews. They also worked closely with Weston College engineering students, to get a taste of what the industry entails.

One student that worked on the project is Chloe Bailey. She said: “I believe that every single member of the team worked to their strengths, which is what pulled us through to the screening day and finishing off the project. We were proud of the final outcome and look forward to seeing it at the exhibition.”

Chloe was joined on the project by her classmates Kate Busby, John Davies and Kraig Taylor-Bryant.

Amy Seadon, Learning and Community Engagement Manager at Aerospace Bristol, said: “The team did a fantastic job.

“They listened carefully to the brief and produced a wonderful short film which truly brought out and showcased the enthusiasm of the engineering students. We hope that seeing it will inspire more young people to explore a career in engineering.”

The video, which showcased the world of engineering – including what it is like to study engineering in the 21st century – premiered last December and is now on display for Aerospace Bristol visitors to see.

The project was carried out as part of the Media Production Level 3 ‘Client Brief’ unit, which is designed to give our students real-life experience of working with a client.

You can find out more information on our Media Production courses, here.

Weston College was celebrating today (Wednesday May 22) as the Government announced that its partnership bid for a new 14-19 education establishment has been successful. 

The North Somerset Enterprise and Technology College (NSETC) was given the green light by the Department for Education (DfE). It is one of more than 100 successful new free school applications announced today (Weds). 

The application process was extremely competitive and the NSETC was in the top 10 of applications. 
The good news comes after months of planning. The bid was led by Weston College with a significant range of partners including the NHS, Clarks, University of West of England and North Somerset Council. 

The Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, Dr Paul Phillips said: “This heralds a real change in teaching and learning for the whole of North Somerset. The new institution will deliver to 14 to 19 year olds, with phase one starting in 2014 for 16-19 year olds. Our focus will be on superb teaching and learning complemented by state-of-the-art resources with a commercial and industrial focus. 

“The Enterprise and Technology College represents a new model of learning for North Somerset and I'm sure that prospective parents will be as pleased as we are to know that this initiative, which will be ground-breaking in terms of curriculum and concept, has been whole-heartedly supported by the Government.” 

The 700-pupil college will have a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) combined with a strong business ethos. Young people will wear business attire and will be expected to attend from 9am-5pm rather than traditional school hours in order to start to prepare them for the world of work. Its ethos is that young people need more than just excellent academic qualifications to succeed in the 21st century; they also need the transferable employability skills and breadth of experience that will make them highly attractive to future employers and universities.

The partners for this project are committed to providing:

• Advice, information and design of the curriculum
• Industry and academic expertise
• Mentoring opportunities for the students
• Access to specialist technical facilities
• Staff development opportunities
• Degree modules for the gifted and talented students
• Opportunity for quality work experience.

On progression from the NSETC, students will be confident, enthusiastic, highly skilled and qualified to enter higher education, further specialist training, apprenticeships, or to move effectively into the workforce.

Already applications are being received from young people across North Somerset. There is clearly going to be a massive demand for places at this new and vibrant institution and we will be organising a parent and student forum in June, further details to follow. Considerable interest has already been received from the NHS in terms of the NSETC being able to provide a future workforce with appropriate skills and training.

The Enterprise College will be based in bespoke premises at a site in the new Enterprise Zone in Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. The new buildings will open in totality by August 2015 although the first students will be able to start from September 2014. Work will now commence to recruit the Principal and staff teams for this new model of learning.

Announcing the new schools, Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “There are many innovators in local communities set on raising standards of education for their children. I am delighted to approve so many of their high-quality plans to open a free school. “Free schools are extremely popular with parents and are delivering strong discipline and teaching excellence across the country.”

For more information call us on 01934 411411.

Weston College has launched a new three-year law programme for apprentices and top regional legal firm Foot Anstey has already taken on six.

The Business Administration Level 2 with Legal Pathway Apprenticeship can progress to an Advanced Apprenticeship in Legal Services with careers leading to a variety of legal careers.

Weston College Business Administration Coordinator Liz Painter said: “We set up this Apprenticeship in response to requests from legal firms.

“The traditional approach to a legal career via A Levels and university is being challenged by apprentices wanting to earn while they learn.”

The Government recently announced funding for three million new Apprenticeships, and the number of UK apprentices has soared by 73 per cent from 491,300 in 2009 to 851,500 (in 2014?).

Ninety per cent of Weston College apprentices were offered permanent jobs – a 46 per cent increase in filled jobs compared to last year.

The College currently supports 1,200 apprentices and works with 1,400 employers and is the biggest facilitator of Apprenticeship programmes in the region.

With five offices across the South West Foot Anstey is among the UK’s leading law firms with 50 partners and 500 staff and advises regional, national and international clients.

Susie Halliday, Head of Learning and Development at Foot Anstey: “We are delighted to be at the heart of this exciting new initiative which gives young people the opportunity to grow and have long-term careers with our business.  For Foot Anstey it is a great opportunity to develop valuable lawyers of the future.”

The College’s new Training Solutions, based at the South West Skills Campus, Locking Road provides businesses with relevant and flexible training programmes.

The College offers a wide programme of Apprenticeships to people aged 16 and over looking for a new career via training or alternative to A-Levels.

Its Apprenticeship programme can be studied at Levels 2, 3 and 4 and learners progress while continuing to work alongside experienced and skilled staff.

The 50-strong team of work-based learning Assessors work with more than 1400 organisations in the South West.

The College was the first in the South West to launch the Higher Apprenticeship Scheme enabling employees to gain university-level qualifications in accountancy, care and business.

While apprentices receive workplace training they enjoy College benefits including bus passes, gym sessions, discounted driving lessons, hair and beauty treatments.