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...
Select a Course Subject:
Search courses by keyword:
Search by Keyword:
Select a Career:
Scroll down to view our courses
or select a section to jump to:
Scroll down to view our courses
or select a section to jump to:
Select a Subject
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 paraeid="{aa201b82-cd57-4348-9776-6cc612222d01}{212}" paraid="1435493454">Last week, Weston College hosted the Institute of Hospitality West of England: Best of the West Conference, designed to celebrate the best of western hospitality and discuss critical issues such as recruitment, retention, and innovation. </p>
<p paraeid="{aa201b82-cd57-4348-9776-6cc612222d01}{234}" paraid="1182038488">The event was sponsored by Accelerate which is a unique initiative that will provide sector support and workshops to individuals in North Somerset that is funded by the UK Government Community Renewal Fund. The Accelerate Programme has allocated part of their funding to the Best of the West event, as Weston-super-Mare is so dependent on tourism, they want to help local hospitality businesses thrive. </p>
<p paraeid="{aa201b82-cd57-4348-9776-6cc612222d01}{248}" paraid="1386207101">The conference featured a vibrant panel session which was chaired by Sarah Peters of Commercial Development, Alex Polizzi of Polizzi Collection and The Hotel Inspector, Dean of Services at Weston College Sandra Bull, Dan Flanagan - Recruitment Manager from Liberation Group and Butcombe Brewery and Front of House Manager Chris Bancroft at The Newt. </p>
<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{5ebffa10-3e19-45b8-823f-efa25dcbb4e2}{22}" paraid="1713279703" xml:lang="EN-GB">Key skills sessions on communication on hospitality for the deaf community were delivered as part of the conference and attendees had the chance to meet suppliers, meet industry professionals and learn more about the training and employment support that Weston College can offer. </p>
<p lang="EN-GB" paraeid="{e9ea90c1-53c3-4881-a577-3ae4f05f04ca}{107}" paraid="1126686173" xml:lang="EN-GB">Lynsey Mckinstry from the Business Growth team at Weston College comments “Working with the Institute of Hospitality, who expressed their interest in bringing their annual conference to Weston-super-Mare, we felt that this was the perfect opportunity to offer businesses and individuals the chance to network and be part of the conversation about the industry and the challenges it faces.” </p>
<p paraeid="{aa201b82-cd57-4348-9776-6cc612222d01}{254}" paraid="1645491000">“We hope all attendees from the world of hospitality found this event useful and that it cemented our promise and commitment to assist with supporting their business growth. We aim to help the industry move forward positively within a sector so hard hit over the past two years and see it flourish!” </p>
<p>As the heart-breaking situation in Ukraine continues to dominate everyone’s thoughts, the learners on the Preparation for Life course have shown their support to all the people in Ukraine by making badges which are being sold for £1. All the money they raise they are donating to the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC).</p>
<p><br />
The learners have really enjoyed selling them around the College, it has been a great opportunity for them to practice their communication and money skills. They are very proud of the small enterprise they have set up from scratch.</p>
<p><br />
Learners have visited staff offices at The Knightstone Campus and have started selling them at the “Pop Up Shop” at the Sovereign Centre.</p>
<p><br />
They have exceeded their goal of £100 and have raised £115.75 so far! A HUGE well done to everyone involved!</p>
<p>Bray and Slaughter, a leading regional contractor, welcomed 31<a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/const…; Construction Learners</a> from Weston College onto their site as part of a fantastic day looking at the work being carried out at the Sovereign Centre.</p><p>The day involved many ‘hands-on’ activities, including an induction and tour to start with, followed by interactive discussions with the Operations Manager, Site Manager and the Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality Manager.</p><p>The visitors were then split into two groups and enthusiastically partook in tasks that showed them what a real day on the site would consist of. This involved many challenging problem-solving tasks to show the reality of daily tasks working in construction.</p><p>Dave LeFeuvre, TLA Coach commented, “I was blown away by the thought they’d put into the visit to ensure suitable activities for the learners to get involved with.”</p><p>“We often talk about ‘what might happen’, but to consider problems on a live site was really engaging, and I know the learners will have got a lot out of it.”</p><p>At Weston College, it is highly important that learners are able to have an insight into the everyday successes and challenges of their chosen career path, and when working in conjunction with a company with over 100 years’ experience, the students really are learning from the experts through the Career Excellence Hub!</p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/const… you are interested in a career in the construction field, click here to find out what we offer.</a></p><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/construction.png" data-entity-uuid="4e92ede2-5ad5-4f59-a5fa-cede5cfd76bb" data-entity-type="file" alt="Construction learners experiencing a day on site with Bray and Slaughter" width="640" height="480"></p>
