Programmes for School Leavers
Courses for 16 to 18-year-olds
COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
With hundreds of unique, exciting and inspiring programmes to choose from, everything you need to create your brighter future is waiting for you at Weston College.
From the minute you walk through the door, the experience and the environment that we create is all about maximising your potential. It’s about preparing and motivating you for a fresh and focused career pathway.
Every Weston College student becomes part of one of our exciting new Career Excellence Hubs. This means you will take part in a study programme with lots of career boosting benefits, all with the aim of help you to go further, giving you the opportunity to become career ready with the skills, knowledge and expertise you need to be successful in your next step and reach your ultimate goal - whatever that may be!
Whether you are looking for the next step after school or the next step in your career, we're bound to have a programme for you. Take a look below at the different types of qualifications available for school leavers and young people between 16 and 18 years old.
Did you know we also run English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)?
Start your brighter future by selecting a subject you're interested in below, and don't forget - you can apply online and it only takes 5 minutes!
Discover our range of courses for school leavers aged 16-18 using the search options below...
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Qualifications Explained
At Weston College we know that everyone learns differently. That’s why we deliver a variety of different qualification types - to give you the chance to learn in the way that suits you the most.
A Levels
A Levels develop the knowledge, skills and study habits to excel at university, as well as the attributes recognised by employers. Your academic studies will be complemented with enrichment opportunities such as trips, mentoring and work experience, providing the perfect springboard for your future career. A Levels are assessed through exams at the end of two years of study. Most learners study three subjects - some choose four.
Apprenticeships
With an apprenticeship you’ll go straight into the workplace and be shown clear routes to progress straight into employment within a specific occupation. You can achieve nationally recognised qualifications, earn a wage, and gain skills that will see you get ahead. On average you will spend 20% of your learning time in the college and 80% within the workplace..
Professional and Technical Qualifications
Professional and technical qualifications are designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to gain employment within specific industries or occupations. They provide a balance between theory and practical skills development. They are suited to those who want to get hands-on experience within a particular vocational area. These programmes include work placements. Assessment is more varied and will include exams, coursework and practical work.
Traineeships
Traineeships are a great way for 16 to 24-year-olds who haven’t yet gained the skills and experiences necessary to apply for jobs and apprenticeships. They are taught mostly in the workplace and include a mixture of personal and social development, and employability skills. The aim of a traineeship is to train you within a company so that you are more likely to be offered an apprenticeship or a job.
T Levels give you the chance to learn what a real career is like while you continue your studies. T Levels have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need, including a minimum of 45 days on an industry placement – this means you will spend 80% of your learning time in College and 20% within the workplace.
CHOOSING WHAT TO STUDY
We are all about CAREERS NOT COURSES and pride ourselves on being able to offer a huge range of programmes to ensure you develop the skills and knowledge employers and universities are looking for. As the only education provider in North Somerset that enables you to work your way up from an entrylevel programme to a degree, we’re here to help you choose the right programme for you.
We can help you choose your study programme or apprenticeship by accessing the following support:
School Liaison Team
Working with local schools we help you find out about college life and programmes of study, and we provide you with advice and guidance about what programmes will best suit you. We will either visit your school, attend careers fairs and parents’ evenings or coordinate campus and virtual events such as our taster days, holiday workshops and tours.
Events
We put on a number of events over the year, which will be a mixture of face-to-face and virtual events. These provide you and your family with the opportunity to explore our facilities, speak to our lecturers, find out about the support on offer and choose the right programme for you. Our events also give you the opportunity to engage with a number of employers to find out about careers in their industry and why they value the calibre of candidates that come from Weston College.
CAREERS ADVICE
- On our website you can access a wealth of career guidance, such as:
- All the programmes you can study.
- What our alumni have gone on to achieve.
- Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) that will help explain what relevant careers and jobs are available, including salaries.
- NEW – Subject careers roadmaps, so you can map your journey with us and ensure it will get you into your chosen career. Also, check out Career Coach - this provides you with the opportunity to:
- Take an assessment that matches you with careers.
- Explore broad career pathways that match your strengths and interests.
- Compare careers within a pathway - including salaries, required education and more.
- Explore our programmes that will set you on the path to your desired career.
- Take a career assessment - and receive an in-depth report that can help you identify the best programme and career path for you!
We’re here and happy to help – if you would like more advice and guidance, contact our school liaison team by emailing schoolteam@weston.ac.uk. - they you can arrange a one-to-one careers appointment with our specialist staff.
LATEST NEWS
<p>Special guests and pupils from the nine schools who are Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN) trust, gathered for the very first Opening Worlds Curriculum Symposium at Weston College on Tuesday 21st May 2024.</p><p>In 2023 ELAN adopted the Opening Worlds curriculum for humanities: geography, history and religious education written and designed by Steve Mastin and Christine Counsell.</p><p>To open the evening, thanks to our tech team at Weston College and IT whizz Emma Parkins, Opening World’s writer Steve Mastin beamed in live via video call from Kazakhstan to talk directly with the children.</p><p>Following on, children and special guests enjoyed a lovely two-course dinner, catered for by our incredible catering and hospitality learners, providing the learners with an additional opportunity to support their own studies and show off what they can do.</p><p>Over dinner, children entertained their table with amazing stories, facts and knowledge about some of their favourite subjects.</p><p>The second half of the evening saw an interactive and rather competitive quiz pitting schools and their wisdom against each other – no adult input allowed and absolutely not required.</p><p>It was edge-of-the-seat action and very tightly fought with the overall winners Oldmixon Primary School taking the trophy!</p><p>Marie Berry, Headteacher at Bourneville Primary School, said: “What an amazing night! To have witnessed the pure joy in the room was an absolute privilege. Definitely a top ELAN moment.</p><p>“Thank you to everyone who put so much into making it the great success it was. The children were fantastic, and I think we can certainly say quality teaching is paying off.</p><p>“Councillor Gibbons was absolutely blown away by the children’s knowledge and looking around the room I could see similar responses from many of the guests. It’ll be an event I remember always.”</p><p>Matthew, a Year 3 student from Locking Primary School, added: “This is the most special evening of my entire life. I liked the quiz. There were so many questions, and we really did try our best! The dessert was delicious too!”</p><p>The CEO of ELAN, Adam Matthews, said: “The children’s knowledge, enthusiasm, love of learning and desire to discuss the subjects they had studied (and beyond) made a special evening extraordinary. It will go down as one of my standout moments in education.”</p><p>Extend Learning Academies Network is a group of North Somerset primary schools and nurseries situated at Banwell, Bournville, Locking, Oldmixon, Mead Vale, Mendip Green, Milton Park, Walliscote and Windwhistle.</p>
<p>Weston College Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub (CEH) and the<a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome/"> Bristol Hippodrome</a>, renowned ATG Entertainment Venue, are thrilled to announce a groundbreaking partnership to nurture the next generation of creative talent. This innovative collaboration marks an important moment for our students in the arts education landscape, offering opportunities for our aspiring performers and creatives. </p><p>The first initiative of this partnership saw Weston College students embarking on a visit to the Bristol Hippodrome to see the celebrated EduHam/Hamilton Education Performance, where students watched the full show, got to view a full demonstration of roles from numerous departments including cast, musicians, stage management and technical teams as well as a Q+A. </p><p>The College’s Performing Arts team was amazed at how immersive and useful this first experience was for our students and are excited about all the other opportunities that are on the horizon due to this partnership with the Hippodrome, these will include:</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>Access to theatre careers</strong>: our students will benefit from access to theatre careers guidance, along with robust support to explore and seize diverse placement opportunities. </li><li><strong>Guest lectures:</strong> renowned industry professionals will impart invaluable knowledge and insights through engaging guest lectures, enriching the learning experience of our students. </li><li><strong>Hippodrome visits:</strong> all students across Weston College will have the privilege of visiting the Hippodrome, immersing themselves in the vibrant world of theatre and gaining firsthand exposure to its inner workings. </li><li><strong>Collaboration with touring companies</strong>: students will have exclusive opportunities to collaborate with touring companies, providing them with a platform to showcase their talents on a larger stage. </li><li><strong>Access to touring shows and workshops</strong>: our students will have access to a myriad of touring shows and immersive workshops, allowing them to delve deeper into the craft and hone their skills under expert guidance. </li><li><strong>Community engagement:</strong> the partnership extends beyond the confines of the College, with visits and interactions at key community events aimed at inspiring and inclusively involving the wider community in the creative process. </li></ul><p> </p><p>Jade Hicks, Creative Arts Dean of Faculty, commented: </p><p><em>“The ability to watch professional shows has significant benefit to all of our students, for us, it opened doors to the Creative Industries sector and the versatility of job roles needed on such a production. The afternoon was invaluable, re-igniting our love for the arts and providing a welcome break as learners go through their final assessment period.”</em> </p><p>This collaboration between Weston College<a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/creative-arts-and-design-cour…; Creative Arts Careers Excellence Hub</a> and the Hippodrome underscores a shared commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and excellence in the arts. Through a cooperative blend of education, industry partnerships, and community engagement, this partnership is poised to support the landscape of arts education and embed workplace skills that will empower aspiring creatives to realise their full potential and shape the future of the creative industries. </p><p>Interested in our Performing and Production Arts courses? <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo… here.</a></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><em>Image - Shaq Taylor as Hamilton and Company credit Danny Kaan</em></p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"> </p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(97, 97, 97);font-family:"Hco Gotham", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;" dir="ltr"><strong style="background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:18px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">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 </strong></span><a class="fui-Link ___1rxvrpe f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1hu3pq6 f11qmguv f19f4twv f1tyq0we f1g0x7ka fhxju0i f1qch9an f1cnd47f fqv5qza f1vmzxwi f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(16, 108, 177);font-family:"Hco Gotham", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration:none;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&utm_medium=main-…; aria-label="Link here" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&utm_medium=main-… class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" style="background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:18px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;" dir="ltr"><strong style="background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:18px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">here</strong></span></a><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(97, 97, 97);font-family:"Hco Gotham", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:18px;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:normal;margin:0px;orphans:2;outline:0px;padding:0px;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;" dir="ltr"><strong style="background-color:transparent;border-width:0px;box-sizing:border-box;font-size:18px;margin:0px;outline:0px;padding:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">. 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.</strong></span></p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Last week we hosted a successful Fast Track Engineering Interview Event at our South West Skills Campus. The event provided an excellent platform for students to directly engage with leading employers in the engineering industry actively seeking new talent. </p><p>From Level 2 to degree apprenticeships, the event offered a variety of opportunities, providing students a gateway to prestigious positions within the region's most impressive companies. Learners were given exclusive access to renowned employers, without the need for a formal CV, only required to have a passion for engineering. </p><p>The event offered face-to-face interactions between students and key decision-makers, creating meaningful connections and opening doors to promising career paths within the engineering sector. Notable participating employers included Bristol Airport, Rotamec, Bristol Port Company, among others, highlighting the number of opportunities available to attendees. </p><p>If you missed out on this fantastic event, you can still browse our Apprenticeships page <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/apprenticeships/vacancies ">here</a> to find your dream career.</p><p data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong>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 </strong><a class="ProsemirrorEditor-link" href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&utm_medium=main-…;. 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.</strong> </p>
