The Access to Higher Education (HE) students and staff at Weston College were celebrating after gaining some fantastic GCSE results last week.

The Access programme is a Level 3 Diploma (equivalent to 3 A Levels), designed to help adults without the entry requirements who wish to progress to university to achieve their dream career. To start the course you do not necessarily need any formal qualifications, and you do not have to have been in education recently.

This year has been the first time that Access to HE learners have had to complete GCSE Maths and English as well as their Access course if they do not already have a C grade in both.

As results envelopes were opened at Knightstone Campus, there were jubilant scenes as it became clear that a high proportion of students had received grades they had been hoping for.

A total of 78% achieved A*- C in their Maths GCSE, which is 15% higher than the national average and 65% achieved an A*- C in their English GCSE.

Maxine Park, Curriculum Co-ordinator for Access to HE commented; “These results are fantastic. For most of our learners, GCSE’s were studied a long time ago and most have negative memories about studying maths and English.

“The majority of our students juggle family commitments and hold down employment, so studying Maths and English GCSE has added additional pressure to those who lack in confidence, self-esteem and already have busy lives.”

The excellent results of Weston College’s Access to HE students reinforces the acknowledged success of the College, which was named both College of the Year and Overall FE Provider of the Year at the 2015 TES FE Awards, and was awarded the top grade of ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2014.

Dr Paul Phillips OBE, Principal and Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted that our students have managed to achieve these results, it shows how the College has provided inspiring teaching and learning and how hard our students have worked.

“These results have secured 44 adults places at universities across the country for a range of degrees from health care to social work, from criminology to law to oceanography. This study programme changes lives and we are proud to be helping these individuals to create brighter futures.”

Access student, Scott Gray of Weston-super-Mare said: “The course took the fear away of adult study, I exceeded my expectations and am delighted to be progressing to a psychology degree at the University of the West of England.”

Pavlina Vasileva of Bristol is another Access student, who is progressing to an adult nursing degree at the University of the West of England, she said: "A massive thank you to the best teachers I have ever had. The support I received at Weston College has enabled me to believe in myself, and achieve brilliant results. I have exceeded my expectations and got amazing results which mean I can progress to the next step in achieving my ambition to become a nurse.”