News and events
We aim to keep you up-to-date with the very latest Weston College news and events. Take a look below at what's going on at the College!
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Latest events at Weston College
Latest news and developments at Weston College
Weston College has been recognised for its outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision by becoming the first College in the UK to be awarded the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools ‘Further Education Mental Health Award’ – Gold Status.
The award was established in 2017 by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools – part of Leeds Beckett University – and social enterprise Minds Ahead. The Award aims to strengthen students’ mental health by supporting schools and colleges to make a positive change at all levels of the UK's education system, improving students’ outcomes and life chances.
The Department for Education recognises a direct link between positive mental health and successful outcomes; the Further Education Mental Health Award builds on this link and provides a framework for educational institutions to evidence policies and initiatives that work towards improving emotional health and wellbeing for both staff and students.
The award ensures the institutions are using evidence-based approaches that align to professional and government guidelines. Utilising a developmental framework, which allows schools, colleges and sixth forms to evaluate current mental health practices, identify gaps, develop and strengthen these and work towards building an emotionally healthier environment. Through this process, the institution commits to making mental health a strategic priority and developing a positive culture that promotes mental well-being for everyone.
Weston College is led by Principal and Chief Executive Sir Paul Phillips CBE, who has been committed to creating an ethos which puts mental health, wellbeing and welfare at the forefront of college investment to help achieve the College’s mission of creating brighter futures for all its staff and students regardless of their starting point in life.
The Award assessor commented that Weston College presented a detailed profile of evidence that demonstrated they are excelling across all eight competencies of the Further Education Mental Health Award. The College has used the framework to further develop their excellence in the national arena.
Weston College has been a beacon of best practice for a number of years in mental health and wellbeing and is one of three SEND Centres for Excellence around the theme of “people and work”. In this capacity the College has worked with more than 100 colleges in the UK and also trained regional specialists for the Association of Colleges sharing best practice on topics such as authentic inclusion, psychological safety, autism, and trauma. They have also become the first college in the country to support staff to achieve the MHFA Suicide First Aid certification following a successful trial of this new qualification.
Sir Phillips commented; “This is a fantastic achievement for the College in such an important policy area, where we are delivering real impact for our students and staff. Credit should also be given to Dr Georgie Ford our Mental Health and Wellbeing Excellence Lead who led on the award coordination and our talented Mental Health and Welfare team who have also done an exceptional job in raising awareness and delivering a fantastic service that is making a real difference to student and staff’s mental health and wellbeing.”
Professor Damien Page, Dean of Leeds Beckett’s Carnegie School of Education, said: “Achieving this award is not just recognition of a whole-college approach to mental health, it’s a recognition of the college’s commitment to improving the life chances of its students.”
Dean Johnstone, founder and CEO of Minds Ahead said: “This award shines a light on the excellent work schools and colleges are doing to promote mental health for their community of children and adults.”
Here at Weston College, we want to ensure that our students are completely ready to progress onto higher levels – both in terms of having the knowledge and skills, but also having the confidence and self-belief that they can succeed when progressing. Therefore, the Progression programmes we offer are the ideal way to give a little extra support, in a variety of modules.
As well as providing extra support, the Progression programme is also designed to allow learners to have a preview of the course before dedicating themselves to the full T Level course. Maria said: “after doing my GCSEs, I had 2 options: either I wanted to go into a job involving computers or become a beautician. I know they are completely different industries, but I couldn’t decide which one to choose”. After applying for both and having interviews, Maria decided to start on the Digital T Level progression journey.
Since starting the full T Level course, Maria has had the opportunity to work with a local company as part of the industry placement on the T Level course. With this involving learning new skills such as PHP programming and website design. Within the course, Maria was able to learn areas such as “programming, web development, cyber security and emerging technology and also take part in an employer set project. In my programming lessons I’m learning python library’s NumPy, Pandas, Tkinter.”
Megan, another learner who has transitioned onto the Digital T Level from the Computing Transition Programme, said that she was “incredibly excited to be progressing to study a T Level course." She continued, "I have thoroughly enjoyed the last year of my T level program course, and the opportunities and skills which I have developed in the programme. The course has really reinforced my passion for working in data analysis. Before this course I was not sure what sector I wanted to work in. I'm looking forward to my next steps where I will be studying a T Level in Digital, Production, Design and Development where I can improve my knowledge within computing subjects.”
We are so proud that Weston College has been one of the first providers in the country to offer both the T Level and Transition programmes, and that they’ve both already seen such success in the learner’s journey towards their respective industries, particularly the computing industry in Maria and Megan’s case.
If you are interested in learning more about T Levels, click here!
Weston College proudly announces the nomination of Paige Crocker, a trailblazing student, for the prestigious AoC Student Awards in the category of Student Green Commitment. Paige's exceptional journey, dedication to sustainability, and invaluable contribution to the community have earned her this well-deserved recognition.
Paige, enrolled in the SEND Foundation Learning - Extension Studies, has demonstrated unparalleled determination, becoming a beacon of inspiration in environmental advocacy. Overcoming significant learning barriers, Paige emerged as an ambassador for sustainability, challenging stereotypes as she championed neurodiversity. Her passion for environmental causes has inspired others, proving that the pursuit of sustainability is a universal concern accessible to all.
Commencing her journey at Weston College in 2019, Paige underwent a transformative process, blossoming from a vulnerable individual into a confident advocate for positive change. She embarked on community action projects, participating in local council 'litter picks,' which sparked her deep-rooted commitment to sustainability.
Paige's pivotal role in the college's 'Green Space' sustainable shop underscores her dedication. Not only does she help in a customer-facing capacity, but she also actively creates products, showcasing an unwavering commitment that extends beyond duty. Her leadership skills within the shop and mentoring of peers facing similar challenges highlight her character and unwavering determination.
Her impact extends far beyond the college walls. Paige has represented the institution at various events, including the Sustainable Business Breakfast and local festivals, spreading awareness about sustainability and inspiring the wider community.
