<div style="float:right;width:50%;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oeWk0CxblmI?si=46WOepQfs45F5Boe&quot; width="560"></iframe></div><p>It’s official, <a href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/">University Centre Weston (UCW)</a> is among the best places to study at university level in the UK, according to the results of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) published on September 28th 2023.</p><p>The TEF panel considered the overall rating for UCW to be Gold, placing it among the country’s best university and college higher education providers. This recognition by the TEF Panel reflects UCW’s unwavering dedication to providing outstanding education to a diverse student body and places it within the top 20% in the UK and one of only six colleges nationally to achieve the status.</p><p>The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national scheme run by the Office for Students (OfS) that aims to encourage higher education providers to improve and deliver excellence in the areas that students care about the most: teaching, learning and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.</p><p>The TEF does this by assessing and rating universities and colleges for excellence above a set of minimum requirements for quality and standards.</p><p>Providers that take part in the TEF receive an overall rating as well as two underpinning ratings – one for the student experience and one for student outcomes.</p><p>The ratings reflect the extent to which a provider delivers an excellent experience and outcomes for its mix of undergraduate students and across the range of its undergraduate courses and subjects.</p><p>Hundreds of higher education institutions in England, Wales and Scotland have had their teaching quality, learning environment, and student outcome data assessed by the TEF Panel and rated as either Gold, Silver, Bronze or Requires Improvement.</p><p>The TEF Panel judged that UCW delivers consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for its students, which is of the highest quality found in Britain.</p><p>Jacqui Ford, Interim Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group expressed her delight, saying,</p><p>“This achievement represents a significant milestone for our region, confirming the excellence of our institution for higher education. Furthermore, it underscores the Weston College Group’s positive impact on learners both locally and nationally. Attaining Gold status also validates UCW’s approach of seamlessly blending high-quality academic learning with practical, career-oriented education, providing our students and university partners with confidence in our offerings.”</p><p>Ford extended her gratitude to the dedicated staff at UCW, Weston College, and partner universities, recognising their instrumental role in achieving this remarkable status. She noted:</p><p>"Our journey to this point would not have been possible without the invaluable support of my predecessor Sir Paul Phillips who led the Weston College Group since 2001 until his retirement in August 2023, our partner universities, the University of the West of England, Bath Spa University, and Hartpury University, as well as UCW’s Vice Principal for Higher Education, Sadie Skellon. The dedication of our staff, and governors, and the collaborative efforts with the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and North Somerset Council have also been essential in reaching this remarkable achievement.”</p><p>UCW’s Vice Principal for Higher Education, Sadie Skellon added:</p><p>“The TEF Panel has recognised the efforts of the talented and dedicated students and staff that we have at UCW and across the Weston College Group, and the value of the outstanding support we provide.</p><p>“UCW is committed to being an inclusive institution, promoting participation from students from all backgrounds and supporting students to ensuring positive outcomes for all. We have strategic aims to articulate this and are pleased the OfS has acknowledged that UCW ‘tailors provision and succeeds in its aim of supporting underrepresented groups of students from its region to achieve in their studies’.</p><p>In addition to praise for the student experience, UCW was praised for its supportive learning environment, offering students access to a wide range of high-quality academic support tailored to their needs. The institution has also demonstrated a commitment to embedding employability and entrepreneurship into its course content, preparing students for successful futures.</p><p>UCW’s dedication to research, innovation, scholarship, professional practice, and employer engagement further enhances the academic experience, contributing to the institution’s outstanding standing in the TEF.</p><p>This Gold rating in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework solidifies UCW’s status as a leading institution committed to excellence in higher education.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Learners studying courses from the Public Services Career Excellence Hub, have taken part in some exciting adventures recently.</p><p>Adventurous training, sport and physical fitness are all at the very core of the various Armed Forces and Emergency Services that our learners aspire to build careers in, so learners get the opportunity to test their skills and build their confidence through several activities.</p><p>Some of the activities that learners have recently participated in, have included:</p><ul><li>28km hike / camp through the Brecon Beacons</li><li>Orienteering at Ashton Court</li><li>Developing personal climbing in the Sports Hall</li><li>Boxing skill sessions</li><li>‘Stairwell Challenge’ where learners completed as many ascents of the back stairwell, raising money for RAG Week.</li></ul><p>The activities have involved learners across different levels and year groups, leading to rapport building, increased physical and mental robustness and a greater awareness of the careers they are aiming for.</p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/publi… you’d like to find out more about our Public Services courses, click here.</a></p>

<p>Becoming a Police Officer can be a highly rewarding career choice if you’re interested in serving the community and upholding the law. It is a demanding and challenging job that requires dedication, skill, and a deep sense of commitment.</p><p>In this article, we will discuss why you would want to join the Police Force and how we can help you achieve it!</p><p>There are many reasons why someone may choose to become a Police Officer. For some, it is a lifelong dream that they have had since childhood. Others may be drawn to the job because of a desire to make a positive impact in their community or to help those in need. Whatever the reason, becoming a Police Officer is a noble profession that requires a high level of integrity, compassion, and bravery.&nbsp;<p.police a="" critical="" in="" officers="" play="" role="" society="">They also work closely with the community, building relationships with residents and businesses to help prevent crime and maintain a safe environment.</p.police></p><p>There are lots of job opportunities in the UK, with 45 different geographical forces.</p><p>You might now be wondering how to become a Police Officer, and how can Weston College help… we offer several courses, which can act as the starting point of your journey, or your next steps.</p><p>Our courses are part of our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs?utm_source=main-menu&am… Excellence Hubs</a>, which gives you unrivalled access to employers, whether that be for industry insight talks, work experience or trips.</p><p>Here are some of the courses we would recommend:</p><p><strong>Public Services Courses</strong></p><p>We offer several Public Services courses, across different levels, which will build your skills and knowledge, ready for a career in the Police Force.</p><p>Each course is slightly different, but they are all taught by people with industry experience and include regular talks from local Police Officers. <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/publi… courses are a great way to start your journey into the Police Force, click here to see our Public Services courses.</a></p><p><strong>A Levels</strong></p><p>A Levels are another route that you can take to join the Police Force, as once completed you can progress onto a degree. Courses such as Criminology, Law and Sociology are recommended, as they will give you a understanding of what the law is and also give you insight into the thoughts and behaviour of society.</p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level… here to see our A Level offer.</a></p><p><strong>Degrees</strong></p><p>University Centre Weston (UCW) offers a Level 6 in Uniformed and Public Services, which will give you specialised knowledge and skills in areas including organisational leadership, causes of crime and social conflict, partnership working and emergency planning, and prepare to progress to a range of roles within the uniformed and public services.</p><p><a href="https://www.ucw.ac.uk/courses/uniformed-and-public-services-ba-hons/">C… here to find out more about the course</a>.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>If you'd like to find out more about a career in the Police, <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/news-and-events/events?utm_source=main-menu&am… along to one of our open evenings</a> and chat to the team, they will be more than happy to help!</p>