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 data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Thanks to industry connections, Ethan Shi (lecturer in A Level Media) invited Kenny Tran and Nour Abida to visit the first year Sixth Form class at Loxton Campus and give some valuable advice straight form their experiences in the world of work.</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Kenny is currently a Director & Producer at national shopping channel <a href="https://www.qvcuk.com/">QVC</a> where he is in charge of the production team as well as managing budgets, freelancers and post-production ready for live TV output.</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Freelancing for 3 years after graduating from University, Nour joined the BBC as an assistant producer before their permanent role as BBC World Service Journalist/Producer, producing a live radio programme.</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The two special guests shared their past projects, gave insight into their portfolio of works, and spoke to the class about their experiences working in several roles in the creative industries.</p>
<p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The session enabled students to acknowledge functional skills gained whilst doing <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level… Level Media</a> such as learning pre-production scriptwriting, post-production editing and different directions needed for future industry placements, employment, or further study. The speakers emphasised the importance of grabbing every opportunity or production roles and learning to work your way up from the bottom. </p>
<p>Learners were also tasked with pitching their unique ideas on emerging digital platforms. They then worked in groups to go out there to produce innovative content.</p>
<p>Guest lecture sessions such as these are examples of one of the many career-boosting benefits as part of the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-01/84501_Weston%20Col… Form</a><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-01/84501_Weston%20Col…; rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"> Career Excellence Hub</a>. These innovative subject specific hubs allow for students at Weston College to have access to exclusive opportunities. Endorsed by employers from within the industry, this enables for better integration with the sector to make sure class content is relative and opens doors for learners, so they leave college with more than just a qualification. </p>
<p>Ethan added: "Overall the interactive session raised their confidence and their ability to adapt to new challenges by sharing their strengths and weakness with each other. The students really valued the functioning skills needed for key industry practice and gained a lot from the session which could benefit their upcoming coursework component."</p>
<p>Many thanks to Kenny and Nour for sharing your knowledge and experiences to bring learning to life!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Click here to:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level… more about the Media A Level course</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level… Sixth Form and the 20+ A Levels available</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/career-excellence-hubs">Read more about Career Excellence Hubs</a> </li>
</ul>
<p>On Thursday 24th March, the AHT (Association of Hairdressers and Therapists) Southwest regional heats took place at Weston College.</p>
<p>AHT is a national competition that enhances learner technical and employability skills, as well as testing them under pressure to prepare them for the trade.</p>
<p>The Southwest heat welcomed learners from across the region, with many learners taking part.</p>
<p>14 Weston College learners competed, bridal hair, fantasy hair, barbering, ladies evening style, 1920’s Editorial make up, Halloween face paint, Carnival create an image and Higher-Level Body Paint, and impressed with their skills during the competitions.</p>
<p>Poppy said: “This has been an incredible experience. Getting the opportunity to compete against other likeminded students has really put my skills to the test and has helped me to become a better a hairdresser.</p>
<p>“I really enjoyed the task, especially getting the opportunity to bring my bridal creation to life whilst working under pressure. If you get the opportunity to compete in the AHT competition, I’d recommend it, it has been fantastic.”</p>
<p>Jenna Ratcliffe, FE Curriculum Co-ordinator for Hair and Beauty at Weston College said: “It has been a pleasure to host the AHT regional heats, and the standard of work produced has blown us away. Competitions like this one, enhance creativity and contribute to the wider development of students and enhance the development of higher technical skills – something we are really passionate about at Weston College.</p>
<p>“We are really proud of our learners and their achievements, a huge congratulations to Daniel Green, Natasha Thomas, Kaci Moger, Olivia Layfield, Poppy Dowle, Ashleigh Hughes, Megan Hustcroft, Bel Gardner, Jasmine Haines, Julia Kmiecik, Claire Cox (UCW) who have won regional heats in their competitions, and good luck in the finals.”</p>
<p>Find out more about our Hair and Beauty Career Excellence Hub, by <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/hair-… here</a>.</p>
<p>Weston College’s Foundation Learning Football Academy is going from strength to strength, as they sit top of the league.</p>
<p>This is the first year that the team have entered the league format, and with impressive wins against colleges such as Truro, Plymouth and Petroc under their belt, the team are on track to win the league.</p>
<p>It isn’t just their football skills on the pitch that are impressing either, with their coach, Joe Radcliffe, saying: “The learners have developed fantastically this season, and it is clear to see that they have grown in confidence, built new friendships, and show terrific resilience.”</p>
<p>Joe went on to share about the sportsmanship shown by one of his players: “Last week, one of our more accomplished footballers subbed himself off so that a learner that wasn’t as confident could take a penalty, and not only did he score the resulting spot kick, but he was absolutely made up – a fantastic testament to the camaraderie and selflessness of this team."</p>
<p>The team are competing on other fronts as well as the league, as they have qualified to represent the South West at the AOC National Finals in Nottingham, and also to represent the South West at St. Georges Park (World Class training environment, home of the Football Association).</p>
<p>Joe added: “I am so proud of this team, they continue to impress us every week, and we look forward to seeing how the rest of the season pans out.”</p>
<p>Nick Chadwick, one of the other coaches for the Academy, said: “It is inspiring to coach this group of players, who work hard for each other in order to be the best that they can. I’m so proud to be involved with this team, and they deserve every success that they are achieving.”</p>
<p>A huge well done to the team, and good luck for the rest of the season.</p>
