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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Qualification Explained
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Courses
Qualifications Explained
Not Sure What to Study?
ask a question

Select a Subject

A Levels

Animal Management

Automotive

Beauty Therapy

Business and Management

Computing and Digital Technologies

Construction

Construction Professions

Creative Arts

Education and Early Years

Engineering and Green Skills

Hair and Barbering

Health and Social Care

Hospitality and Catering

Law

Performing and Production Arts

Protective Services

SEND

Sport and Fitness

Travel and Tourism

You can progress onto degrees and higher apprenticeships with UCW...

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.

Check out A-Levels Here

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..

Check out Apprenticeships Here

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.

Check out Traineeships Here

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.

Check out T-Levels Here

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

22 Nov 2024

Peron with a VR headset on doing a simulation

In order to provide greater opportunities for our learners, we are actively seeking to increase our number of Careers Excellence Hub Partnerships with fantastic employers. Our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; target="_blank">Engineering</a> CEH are doing just that by taking our learners up to Babcock in order to promote and develop a partnership between Weston College <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; target="_blank">Engineering</a> and Babcock for T Level Industry Placements. Babcock is a globally leading engineering company which specialises in international defence, aerospace and security equipment and manufacturing. They ensure that the critical services of defence equipment are produced to be durable, affordable and available in order to create a safe and secure world. They also provide engineering support to naval, land, air, and nuclear operations, as well as frontline support, specialist training and asset management. To begin the day, our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; target="_blank">Engineering</a> learners got a tour of Babcock and its facilities to better understand how the company work and familiarise themselves with the environment. During the tour, the learners were then lucky enough to witness a simulated torpedo firing which they thoroughly enjoyed. Not only this, the students also had the opportunity to engage in a series of tasks and activities throughout the day, the highlight being a virtual welding simulator. This was a computer-based tool that allowed the students to practice welding techniques in a virtual environment, without the need for actual equipment or materials. Three learners broke the record, achieving a score of 98/100 which highly impressed the Babcock staff and were awarded medals as recognition of their outstanding achievement. Since visiting Babcock, the company have confirmed that they are keen to work out a finalised plan for hosting T Level industry placements and are fully onboard with supporting our learners achieve world leading industry skills. This future partnership will open up many amazing opportunities for our learners and is largely accredited to their hard work and the positive impression they made on Babcock during their visit. We’d like to thank Babcock for having our learners and making a lasting impact on their passion for engineering. <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/engin…; target="_blank">If you are interested in applying to one of our Engineering courses in September, click here.</a>

Engineering Learners Visit Babcock and Break The Simulation Record

21 Nov 2024

Ex-student, Charlie, discussing the benefits of a degree apprenticeship at the MOD

Deciding what to do after college is often daunting, whether you’re interested in university, an apprenticeship, or going straight into work, the best way to decide is to be fully informed of every option.  One of our ex-students, Charlie, is currently on his second year of a Degree Apprenticeship at the Ministry of Defence (MOD). After finishing Weston College 2 years ago, Charlie came back in to talk to some of our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; target="_blank">A Level</a> learners about all the benefits of a degree apprenticeship, outline the general structure, and explain the application process and entry requirements needed for a degree apprenticeship at the MOD.  At college, Charlie studied A Levels in Computer Science, Economics and Maths and is currently completing the Digital Technology Degree Apprenticeship, a 4-year course that allows him to obtain a degree but also get some great work experience at the same time.  A Degree Apprenticeship at the Ministry of Defence consists of approximately 80% work and 20% study and is normally around 4 years long. The university study aspect of Charlie’s course is completed 1 day a week and is delivered at the Weston College Winter Gardens. There are approximately six work placements across the 4 years, each lasting around 8 months and providing you with real-world skills and knowledge of a working environment.  <drupal-entity alt=""Charlie and his peer talking to a lecturer at UCW Winter Garden's during a lesson"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e2571994-2629-4c16-b488-a16ca10c63ed" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity>There are many benefits to choosing a degree apprenticeship which stretch outside of gaining more work experience than a normal university degree. For example, you also get opportunities to travel, a fully funded tuition and a competitive salary throughout your apprenticeship, a flexible work schedule with the option to work from home, the chance to work alongside amazing industry partners, and a high chance of continued employment once you have completed your apprenticeship. In order to apply for a degree apprenticeship at the MOD, you are required to have at least five GCSE’s grade C or above, and 3 A Levels or equivalent grade C or above, including Maths and a Science. If you meet these requirements or are on track to achieve them, you can apply by sending in your CV and a cover letter of why you would be a good fit for them.   <drupal-entity alt=""Charlie discussing the application process of applying for a degree apprenticeship at the MOD"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b3848d09-6c41-45b8-b363-ae9a60733890" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity>You will then be required to complete an online competency test in Maths, English and Computer Science; however, this application process can vary depending on the degree apprenticeship you apply for. High scoring candidates will be invited to the assessment centre in Weston to complete tests and, if you are successful, you will then be invited to an online interview. Provisional offers will then be made, and a formal offer will be sent out once you have achieved the required grades.  Charlie also gave tips to the learners regarding the assessment process, giving a brief outline of previous assessment examples and explaining the typical attributes that the MOD look for in candidates, for example initiative and communication between groups.He also provided advice for students considering a degree apprenticeship, saying, “you should apply to multiple degree apprenticeships but also apply to a university because that is your best chance of getting something.   I applied to 5 or 6 and I only heard back from 2 of them. You may have a bad day, so your best bet is to apply for multiple and increase your chances.”  The learners found Charlie’s talk helpful and inciteful, with their lecturer, Ana, saying “they asked questions until the very end of the lesson. I’d never seen them so engaged!”  We’d like to say a big thank you to Charlie for coming in and talking to the students about his experiences and explaining the application process for a degree apprenticeship at the Ministry of Defence.  <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; target="_blank">If you’re interested in applying for our A Levels next September, click here.</a>  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 <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&utm_medium=main-…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/jobs?utm_source=main-menu&utm_medium=main-…; target="_blank">here</a>. 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.

Ex-Student Discusses Ministry of Defence Degree Apprenticeship

21 Nov 2024

UWE Fashion Lecturer, Tracy, outlining the UWE fashion courses to learners

The progression from college is often daunting, whether you’re interested in university, an apprenticeship, or going straight into work, the best way to decide is to be fully informed of every option. That’s why the Art and Design Careers Excellence Hub (CEH) organised a Fashion and Textiles lecturer from the University of the West of England (UWE) to discuss the available courses to some of our Art and Design students. The Fashion and Textiles guest lecturer from UWE, Tracy Fitzgerald, discussed everything from the variety of modules each year, to the different work placement opportunities and career pathways available.  According to Tracy, there are three main areas of a Fashion and Textiles course at UWE: Fashion design, Textile design, and Fashion Textile futures. These three areas provide a range of different opportunities, roles and pathways for students. To get an idea of each of these areas, Tracy provided our students with portfolios from previous years that they could browse in order to experience the kinds of projects they’d get the chance to complete on the course. During this guest lecture, Tracy thoroughly outlined each year of the courses so the learners were well informed of what a university course may entail. This included explaining project briefs, the amazing employers that students have previously worked with on placement, the opportunities to study abroad, as well as outlining how the course is delivered by breaking down each year. A Fashion course at UWE not only develops a student's knowledge and skills in fashion, but it also allows them to develop more transferrable skills which can be useful in upskilling any role. This includes getting the chance to use different software such as CAD Design, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and more! The learners also learnt a bit about the exams and coursework, the hours they’d spend on campus, and the advanced workshops they would get the chance to partake in. This helped the learners gain a better understanding of how a university course is delivered and provides a better picture of whether this is the right route for them. Tracy also reassures the students by informing them that the base of the course is creativity. You are not expected to know everything before you begin, you’re simply expected to have ideas and be enthusiastic in what you are studying. Overall, the guest lecture from Tracy Fitzgerald proved to be very insightful and provided our students with a lot of information regarding what to expect from a university course so they can choose the right path for them once they progress after college. A big thank you to Tracy from UWE for taking the time to come in and give an amazing talk to our learners, it benefited them greatly.  <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; target="_blank">If you are interested in applying to one of our Art and Design courses in September, click here.</a>

Styling Your Future: UWE Fashion Guest Lecture

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Programmes for School Leavers

Courses for 16 to 18-year-olds

COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS

Discover our range of courses for school leavers aged 16-18 using the search options below...

Select a Course Subject:

Search courses by keyword:

Search by Keyword:

Select a Career:

A Levels

Animal Management

Automotive

Beauty Therapy

Business and Management

Computing and Digital Technologies

Construction

Construction Professions

Creative Arts

Education and Early Years

Engineering and Green Skills

Hair and Barbering

Health and Social Care

Hospitality and Catering

Law

Performing and Production Arts

Protective Services

SEND

Sport and Fitness

Travel and Tourism

Qualifications Explained

A Levels

Apprenticeships

Professional and Technical Qualifications

Traineeships

CHOOSING WHAT TO STUDY

School Liaison Team

Events

CAREERS ADVICE

Apply or find out more

Important Notice