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>Meet Ryan, a young and ambitious footballer who’s already making waves.</p><p>At just 16, he scored his first goal for <a href="https://www.westonsmareafc.co.uk/">Weston-super-Mare AFC</a>, in their recent pre-season friendly against Tiverton Town.</p><p>Ryan's journey is a testament to his passion for football and his commitment to growing as both an athlete and a student.</p><p><strong>Ryan’s Football Journey</strong></p><p>Ryan's love for football started early—he's been playing "since I could walk," he says. His talent and drive saw him train twice a week and play up to two matches regularly. Before joining the Seagulls, Ryan played for the Bristol Rovers Academy, where he was offered an early scholarship. However, he made a bold decision to turn it down and join us at Weston College, saying, "I had a lot of Premier League interest but I left to develop in a men’s environment and study sports coaching."</p><p><strong>Making His Mark</strong></p><p>Ryan’s first goal in pre-season for the Seagulls was a moment of pride: "It felt really good to get off the mark for Weston." His early success is just a glimpse of what’s to come as he continues to develop his skills with the team.</p><p><strong>Balancing Football and Education</strong></p><p>While pursuing his football career, Ryan is also preparing for his future off the field. He's enrolled in a Sports Coaching course, which perfectly complements his athletic ambitions. "Studying sports coaching will keep me around football and within the sport," he says.</p><p><strong>World-Class Sports Facilities at Weston College</strong></p><p>Weston College offers exceptional sports facilities, giving students like Ryan the resources they need to excel in their studies and training. Ryan speaks highly of the facilities: "The facilities are good at the college and give loads of options for when to use them."</p><p>Ryan’s story is an inspiration for young athletes looking to take their skills to the next level while maintaining a strong academic foundation. Weston College provides the perfect environment for balancing education with sporting aspirations, offering a range of courses, support, and top-notch facilities for students keen on a career in sports.</p><p>If you're passionate about sport and want to take your game to the next level, you can study one of our sport courses. <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/sport… here to find out more. </a></p><p>Our Sport courses are part of the Sports Careers Excellence Hub; Weston College is committed to preparing learners for success in a rapidly evolving job market which is reflected in our offer via our bespoke Career Excellence Hubs, which form an integral part of all college programmes. In a world where professional networks and industry-specific skills are integral to landing employment, these hubs provide a unique solution to bridge the gap between education and industry demands.</p><p><em>Photo credit Mark Stainer/WsMAFC </em></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">We recently caught up with Ashana, who passed her English GCSE after moving to the UK from Guyana in 2022 at just 18 years old. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Ashana put in a lot of effort to complete her English GCSE at Weston College. While she’s always been good at English, she mentioned that learning it in the UK was ‘different’ from what she was used to, as the teaching style in Guyana wasn’t the same. Despite these differences, she was able to adapt and learn the new methods and overcome any discrepancies. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">At Weston College, she found that English was easier to grasp because the lessons weren’t rushed or crammed, allowing her to break things down and understand the material more easily. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Ashana’s English lecturer, Tania, found that she was ‘motivated’ and ‘keen to try her best’ throughout her studies, even though she missed her family and Guyana terribly since moving. However, Ashana had a ‘talented way with words’ and infused her creative writing with her rich cultural background which was reflected in her work from the beginning. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Ashana was given written and verbal feedback from her lecturers to support her and develop her confidence but also help her feel connected and not alone at Weston College. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">It was also appreciated by Ashana how ‘supportive’ and ‘friendly’ the staff were as they were always ready to help with any questions she had. Not only did she value the Weston College team, but she also found her favourite facility on Knightstone campus to be the library, thanks to its many resources and study spaces. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">As a department, Tania and her colleagues were ‘proud of her achievement in English’. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Now, Ashana plans to stay at Weston College to complete an Early Years course, with hopes of becoming a teacher in the future. She wants to make learning ‘fun for children’ and inspire them to enjoy school. </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">We wish you all the best, Ashana, and can’t wait to see you back in September! </span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">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 </span><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><span style="font-size:inherit;">. 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. </span></p>
<p>Hi, my name is Kitty and I have recently completed the <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d… 3 Fashion, Business & Retail UAL Extended Diploma</a>! </p><p>Throughout my childhood I was always interested in fashion design and loved dressing up. My mum taught me how to sew at a young age which sparked my interest as I loved to create new and unique things that I could show my family. I then discovered the fashion course at Weston College online and was excited to be able to pursue a course which I had genuine interest in!</p><p>The best part of this course is the support I have had from my teachers as well as the huge array of facilities. Anything that I have wanted to experiment with, whether that is fashion based or pottery/print etc, there is always a helpful tutor ready to support me.</p><p>Learning how to make my own patterns has been fascinating, it has taken a lot of resilience but when you get the pattern right the feeling of accomplishment is amazing.</p><p>The facilities are incredible, we have access to so many amazing tools that we are free to use from industrial sewing machines to an incredible print room. These facilities really helped me to boost my work and create interesting outcomes.</p><p>The amount of support we have at the college is fantastic and is something which took me by surprise! The summer show at the end of each year is an incredible way to showcase what we have created. It’s really lovely to be able to show your friends and family what you have been working on throughout the year.</p><p>I would highly recommend the fashion course! A lot of hard work and dedication needs to go into your work to get good results, however it is all worth it in the end.</p><p>Below is some of the work I created during my time on the course. Thank you for reading!</p><p> </p><drupal-entity data-align="right" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97985451-4ff5-496b-872d-28df4623faa2" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_400x400","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><drupal-entity data-align="left" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8eff3eaa-c4d1-412e-9789-d745273581b2" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_400x400","image_link":"file","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><drupal-entity data-align="right" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="488104c0-cb74-49b7-ad12-0809e5b2a3e4" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_400x400","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><drupal-entity alt="Clothes" data-align="left" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="67096eac-b26a-442b-8ea1-2ed5e6008cec" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_400x400","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity>
