News and events

Tyntesfield National Trust has been brought to life this festive season with a stunning collaborative display that celebrates history, community, and creativity. The ‘Christmas Past’ display includes nine unique Christmas trees designed and crafted by our Level 3 Art and Fashion learners as part of the "Re-imagining Christmas" project. This initiative is a multidisciplinary effort showcasing the talents of artists and communities across North Somerset, supported by the National Trust and Super Culture. 

The ‘Christmas Past’ display at Tyntesfield reflects the estate’s historical richness, blending modern artistic interpretations with the stories of the Gibbs family and the estate’s beautiful gardens. Over 250 participants, many visiting Tyntesfield for the first time, have contributed to this creative display, making it a true community effort. 

Our students embraced the challenge, drawing inspiration from their visit to the estate where they explored the house and gardens, soaking in the intricate details of objects, artifacts, and landscapes. Once they were back in the studio, they worked collaboratively in groups to translate their inspiration into a forest of imaginative trees. Each tree reflects the estate’s natural beauty and Victorian heritage, while also addressing deeper themes of Christmas like celebration and solitude. 

Sustainability also played a key role in the project with the students using reclaimed materials to construct their trees, decorating them with thoughtful details like paper ornaments, embroidery, collages, spray-painted accents, and fake snow. This eco-conscious approach not only highlights the importance of reducing waste during the festive season but also adds a unique handcrafted charm to the display. 

This project was supported by the National Trust and Super Culture, with the students' work being part of a bigger body of artwork created by diverse community groups from Weston, including Alliance Homes, Weston Adults Affected by Addiction, Children of Weston Southward, and Friends of Grove Park. This project was also put in motion and assisted by one of our Art and Design lecturers, Ronnie Houselander-Cook, who assisted the learners with every step of this project and made it all possible.

This year’s Christmas display at Tyntesfield celebrates creativity, sustainability, and collaboration, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in a thoughtfully reimagined holiday experience. The students’ trees represent community and bring history and tradition into a modern, meaningful context. 

Thank you to Tyntesfield National Trust and Super Culture for making this event possible and giving our learners a chance, but also well done to our learners for taking this project in stride and creating a Christmas display to be proud of. 

If you are interested in applying to one of our Art and Fashion courses next September, click here. 

Last Thursday, our Protective Services lecturers, Nicola Stent and David Usher, hosted a highly impactful and collaborative event involving students from Protective Services, Performing Arts, and UCW Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics. With expert guidance from Tara O'Hare, a lecturer in Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics, this exciting simulation provided learners with real-world, practical experience in emergency response scenarios.

The event tested students' skills in handling crises, working under pressure, and collaborating across disciplines, making it a truly enriching learning opportunity.

The event featured two simultaneous intense and immersive simulations. The first involved a gas explosion in the Production Arts classroom, while the second took place in the Sports Hall, where students responded to mystery attack and attack/bike collision scenarios.  The mystery attack scenario was designed to test the crisis management and communication skills of the students. It involved four Performing Arts students, with one portraying a woman who had just broken up with her partner. Along with her three friends, she was stabbed by the ex-partner, who had followed them. A passing biker stopped to help and was also injured in the attack. The woman, knowing the attacker as her former partner, called Nicola, who was acting as 999 emergency services, via Teams to report the incident. The Protective Services students (who were unbeknownst to this planned simulation) sprang into action, immediately taking charge of the scene when the distress call was received. They engaged in a rapid and detailed assessment of the situation, asking critical questions about the number of casualties and the identity of the attacker. 

@westoncollege

Our Protective Services, Performing Arts, and UCW Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics learners collaborated to create a close-to-real-life simulation of a critical incident to test how our Protective Services learners would react. 💥💥 Here's how it went...

♬ original sound - WestonCollege

 The Protective Services students secured the scene, performed first aid, and ensured proper protocol was followed, simulating the role of police officers and emergency responders. 

The second simulation focused on a gas explosion scenario in the Production Arts classroom. The Protective Services students had been waiting outside for their lesson, only to find the room had been hit by an explosion. Inside, Drama students acted as victims, injured and in pain, with their wounds carefully painted on by the Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics students. The Protective Services team had to act swiftly, treating the victims’ injuries and preparing for the unexpected. They also had to manage the threat of a fake bomb, ensuring a swift evacuation of the casualties to a safe triage area, securing the crime scene, and following emergency procedures. 

The event allowed students to explore the more practical side of their courses, helping them understand the importance of teamwork, communication, and quick decision-making in emergency scenarios. They also gained invaluable insights into the process of responding to 999 calls, securing crime scenes, and providing immediate care in high-stress situations. 

Without the support of the other student departments within the College, the event wouldn’t have been such a success. Our Performing Arts students excellently stayed in character throughout the simulation, acting as victims in distress, and convincingly portraying their injuries; the Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics students, expertly crafted lifelike injuries, from stab wounds to burns and abrasions, bringing the scenarios to life; and the Protective Services students, who demonstrated professionalism and composure under pressure, responding to the emergencies with precision and care.  

And a huge thank you to Nicola Stent for making what the students thought would be a normal lesson into a fast-paced simulation that we’re sure they’ll never forget! 

This partnership forms part of the Protective Services, Performance and Production arts and Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub. The College has fourteen sector-specific Career Excellence Hubs, which evidence our dedication to supporting both employers and learners in achieving their future goals. By creating a seamless connection between industry and education, we enable learners to acquire not only the essential skills and knowledge but also the professional networks necessary to excel in their chosen fields.     

To learn more about our Protective Services courses, click here. 

To find out about what courses we have to offer for Performance and Production Arts, please click here. 

To see more about our Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics courses, 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. 

In an era where employers seek creative thinkers, adaptable problem-solvers, and effective communicators, the skills honed by video gamers are becoming increasingly valuable.

While video games are often associated with entertainment, they cultivate a diverse set of competencies that translate directly into the workplace, particularly in high-demand areas like critical thinking, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.

Many employers now recognise that hiring individuals with gaming backgrounds can provide a competitive advantage.

So, what skills do gamers bring:

1. Problem-Solving and Creativity

Video games often present players with complex challenges that require innovative thinking. Gamers must experiment with strategies, adjusting their approach when faced with roadblocks, which fosters an adaptive problem-solving mindset. Creativity is crucial in many games, from building expansive virtual worlds to devising winning strategies under constraints. This creativity can significantly enhance productivity and innovation in a professional setting, where a fresh perspective can lead to new solutions and long-term success.

2. Decision-Making and Risk-Taking

A defining characteristic of video gaming is decision-making under pressure. Gamers must evaluate options quickly, anticipate future scenarios, and weigh risks—skills that are equally valuable in business, where strategic decision-making is essential. This experience builds a tolerance for calculated risk, as players frequently navigate unknown environments, a skill that prepares them well for industries that value risk-takers who can think on their feet.

3. Communication and Teamwork

Modern gaming, especially in online multiplayer environments, emphasizes clear communication and collaboration. Many gamers work in teams where they need to relay strategies, give and receive feedback, and support each other toward shared goals.

4. Adaptability, Patience, and Perseverance

The dynamic nature of gaming requires players to adjust to new environments, tools, and challenges. This adaptability fosters resilience, an asset in fast-paced or constantly evolving industries. Patience and perseverance are essential in games that require long-term goals or repeated attempts to succeed.

5. Emotional Intelligence and Remaining Calm Under Pressure

Gamers learn to maintain composure in high-stakes situations, enhancing their ability to remain calm under pressure. This ability is a key component of emotional intelligence, allowing individuals to stay focused, think clearly, and manage stress effectively in demanding work environments.

At Weston College, we offer learners the opportunity to turn their passion for video games, into a career, through our Esports course. The course isn’t just about playing games, it is about learners developing key transferable skills through aspects such as live streaming, content creation and branding. Learners are leaving full of confidence, progressing into exciting roles once they complete the course too, we also have alumni that are now at university competing in Esports, as well as degree apprenticeships.

In conclusion, video gamers bring a unique combination of soft skills that can greatly benefit today’s workplaces. As businesses look for employees who can solve complex problems, make critical decisions, and thrive in team settings, the transferable skills from gaming are more relevant than ever. By recognising and valuing these skills, employers can tap into a resourceful and resilient talent pool ready to contribute and succeed in diverse environments.

If you would like to find out more about our Esports programme, or Digital offer, please click here.

If you would like to access support from Weston College for your business, please click here.