News and events

Weston College was delighted to welcome renowned Sudanese diaspora writer, broadcaster, and award-winning social advocate, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, as the keynote speaker at this year’s Academic Conference, themed ‘New Beginnings’.

The Conference is an annual event that kicks off the academic year for all college staff, ahead of the start of term for students in September. The ‘New Beginnings’ conference marks a significant moment in the College’s journey, as it embraces a new era of leadership and renewed commitment to fostering a diverse, ambitious, and inclusive educational environment.
 

Yassmin Abdel-Magied, a former mechanical engineer turned influential voice in global discourse, has made significant contributions across multiple fields. She has authored four critically acclaimed books, written two plays, and is currently developing several projects for screen. 

Her work, which spans both fiction and non-fiction, delves into the complexities of human and power dynamics in politics, culture, and technology. Through her insightful analysis of systemic challenges, Yassmin has become a powerful advocate for transformative justice and a fairer, safer world for all. 

The ‘New Beginnings’ Academic Conference aligns with a pivotal time for Weston College, as the institution welcomes its new Principal and CEO, Pat Jones alongside a new Deputy Principal Alex Warner and Chief Finance Officer Janet Stephens. 

The Conference explored how these new beginnings will influence staff behaviours, ambitions, and expectations—particularly in how they inspire and shape the ambitions of our learners. Additionally, Weston College is proud to be on a journey towards achieving Investors in Diversity status, reinforcing our commitment to cultivating an inclusive culture that values and celebrates diversity at every level. 

Yassmin’s participation emphasised this commitment, offering staff an opportunity to engage with her unique perspectives on creating equitable and inclusive environments. 

Pat Jones, reflecting on the significance of the event, stated: “We were honoured to have Yassmin Abdel-Magied join us as our keynote speaker. Her insights on systemic change, justice, and the power of narrative were incredibly relevant as we embark on this new chapter for Weston College. Her work exemplifies the values we strive to instil in our community, and we look forward to continuing to support our staff and learners to create their brighter futures this academic year and beyond.”

Our HGV Bootcamp has had a profoundly inspiring impact on Andy, who has successfully transitioned into his dream career, showcasing the effectiveness of our training program.

Andy secured a position with Towens, a company he had strategically targeted during the career planning segment of our employability course.

Andy has shared his enthusiasm for his new career, crediting the HGV Bootcamp for his success:

“I excelled throughout the entire bootcamp and can't thank Weston College enough for the hard work you put in for all the students. The HGV Bootcamp provided a calm and clear learning environment. The day after I passed my test, I went straight to Towens. The following day, I spoke with the managers, and I started my training the day after that. I’m now fully employed as a Class 2 tipper driver for Towens, just as I set out to be. I absolutely love my new career. Many thanks again to the team at Weston College - you've helped change my life."

If you’re ready to kickstart your own career, click here.

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.

Students studying A Levels, Vocational Subjects and T Levels at Weston College celebrated their outstanding grades on Results Day 2024! The results were once again excellent for learners across the various campuses of the College Group.

This year, the T Levels included disciplines such as Health, Engineering, Education & Early Years. Impressively, the Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction and Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing & Control courses achieved a 100% pass rate, with 60% of students earning the highest grades.

T Levels are qualifications for 16- to 19-year-olds, undertaken after GCSEs. Equivalent in size to three A Levels, they emphasise technical and vocational skills, providing pathways into skilled employment, higher education, or apprenticeships.

Similarly, for A Levels, Weston College students outperformed last year’s students with 100% pass rates realised in Art, Computer Science, Economics, French, Further Maths, Media, Photography, Textiles, BTEC IT and BTEC Sport.

The College also saw hundreds of students successfully earning their vocational qualifications in a variety of fields, including Animal Management, Business, Construction, Creative Arts, Education, Hair and Beauty, Health and Social Care, Hospitality and Catering, Motor Vehicle, Public Services, and Sport. Our learners on creative courses excelled yet again, with 100% achievement and the majority with higher grades.

A Level student Megan Ford, who picked up their results today commented:

"I'm very happy with my results! I got an A*, B, B! It's been really rewarding seeing all the hard work payoff and getting the grades to get into University. I have a place at Cardiff University but I'm deciding between Bio-Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science! My advice to anyone studying A Levels next year would be always persist and the hard work will pay off!"

T Level student in Business Management, Thomas Hibbard picked up their results today and said:

“I got a Distinction today, which is better than I was expecting. This grade allows me to go on to a Degree Apprenticeship with Airbus in supply chain management – something I’m really excited about. My overall highlight of the course was taking part in the Enterprise Challenge, where I created a business and raised money for Weston Hospicecare.”

T Levels are backed by employers and contain 315 hours of an Industry Placement; this year students had placement opportunities with employers such as Mercedes-Benz, Suez, Bristol Port Company, Sirona and Lloyds Banking Group; the Banking Group provided the opportunity for 17 Weston College T Level learners, studying Digital and Business-related T Levels, to join them to carry out their placements. Fred Thomas, Senior Manager at Lloyds Banking Group* said:

"We view T Levels and their associated student placements as an excellent pathway to apprenticeships. In the long term, they will have an even greater impact by allowing us to identify talent at an early stage. During his placement, T Level student, Tom (one of the T Level learners who worked with Fred) worked on several projects and added value to our team. His performance was highly praised by all, leading us to offer him a degree apprenticeship."

The College’s Vocational qualifications were also outstanding this year. Health student, Chloe Johnson received triple distinction today and commented:

"I’m feeling fantastic after receiving my results. I have felt fully supported throughout my time at Weston College, which enabled me to apply for an apprenticeship. I’m thrilled to have been offered a place with the NHS on the RNDA programme, where I hope to qualify as a Registered Nurse within the next four years. I’m excited to start my university course and begin my new role as a nursing apprentice in September."

Weston College’s Principal and Chief Executive Pat Jones said:

"These results highlight the dedication and hard work of our students, demonstrating once again the excellent progress our students make toward Higher Education or employment.

At Weston College, our focus extends beyond helping students pass exams—we are committed to equipping them for their future careers. Our study programmes are designed to inspire and collaborate with industry partners, ensuring students are fully prepared for their next steps, whether that be a degree, a higher apprenticeship, or entering the workforce.

I would also like to commend our curriculum and support staff for their pivotal role in supporting these students to achieve such fantastic results.

A huge congratulations to the Class of 2024. I wish every learner great success in their future endeavours."

Overall, college results were exceptional with an improvement over last year's results by over 2%.

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career.