Investors in People is delighted to award Weston College, a Weston-super-Mare based FE and HE college, the “We invest in people” Platinum accreditation.

Platinum is the highest level of accreditation possible to achieve and is a category that only 2% of organisations secure nationwide.

Building on its existing Gold accreditation and Champion status, the College received Platinum as a result of a whole-College approach to prioritising the development and well-being of its employees.

The quality standard was awarded following rigorous assessment, an online survey, staff interviews and the submission of detailed evidence. The College has had a track record with Investors in People since 1997, rising up the ranks each time it is assessed.

The College has held Gold status since 2010 and secured Champion in 2016. The assessment also included the College’s Prison Education staff who teach in prisons in the South West and South East.

Due to the College’s high score it has ranked in the top 20 organisations UK-wide, meaning it has also been nominated for the Investors in People national Employer of the Year.

Lynne Richards, Investors in People Practitioner who assessed the College commented: “On behalf of Investors in People I’d like to congratulate Weston College. Platinum accreditation on “We invest in people” is a remarkable effort for any organisation, and places Weston College in fine company with a host of organisations that understand the value of people.

“I was particularly impressed with the College’s approach in lockdown, during this unprecedented time the College opted to continue with the assessment, which ensured a real authenticity of process and all interviews with staff happened virtually, whilst they were also faced with new challenges in the remote delivery of outstanding education.”

Commenting on the award, Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive at Weston College Group said: “I am delighted that we have achieved this prestigious status – I believe that the success of an organisation begins and ends with people, and this major achievement is testament to the emphasis we place on putting our staff at the heart of the business.

“Employee engagement and investment are among our highest priorities. This achievement reflects those priorities, as well as the commitment and dedication our people give us in return. "Being recognised at UK level is hugely rewarding and we will continue to work hard to support our employees both personally and professionally.”

The College’s “We invest in people”, platinum accreditation, alongside the achievement of winning Lloyds Business National Business Awards Employer of the Year in 2019 and being the highest ranked college in 2019 Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For list, confirms the College’s status as not just a leading Further Education College, but also as a top employer in the country.

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We have been in regular communication over the last two months with both our transport partners, First Bus and Bakers Dolphin, and can now confirm that services will operate with a few adjustments and certain guidelines:

• Both First and Bakers Dolphin services are currently operating at 50% capacity to meet social distancing guidelines.
• Learners must wear a mask on all services. Without a mask, learners will not be permitted to travel.

FIRST BUS - Passes can be purchased via the College shop

• First bus mTickets become active from Monday 7th September.
• Timetable information can be found via the First website or via the ‘travelling to college’ section of our website.
• Learners via the First Bus app will be able to access live data including number of seats available on a service.
• Instructions on how to use the mTicket can be found by clicking here.
• We have been able to negotiate with First additional services to support learner demand, as well as the creation of a specific service that will only be accessible for Weston College mTicket/bus pass holders.
  • The X5s will run solely for the College in the mornings only from Clevedon to Weston-super-Mare (timetable to be released in next day via First website).

BAKERS DOLPHIN - Passes can be purchased via the College shop

• The College will continue to run 5 core service routes via Bakers starting from 7th September.
  • Blagdon/Bridgwater/Clevedon/Nailsea/Portishead
• Timetables for these can be found here on our website.
• Learners must have purchased a Bakers Dolphin bus pass and collected this from a campus reception. Without a bus pass learners will not be able to access these services.
• Bakers will continue to provide a service for some of our apprenticeship learners travelling from Bristol (Rolls Royce and GKN).

TRAIN TRAVEL

A reminder that a variety of discounted railcards are available to learners including:

• 16-17 Saver (50% discount)
• 16-25 Railcard (33% discount)

Further information including purchasing these can be found here.

Train timetables can be accessed here.

Seven college students across the UK have been selected to attend the annual FA Leadership Academy (FALA).

We are extremely proud and excited to share that two of these young people are Weston Sport learners.

Katie Sharkey and Ethan Reed, studying Level 3 BTEC in Sports Coaching and Performance and Foundation Degree in Sports Studies at University Centre Weston respectively.

Supported by the College, they were chosen by the FA after a rigorous application process where they displayed their current involvement in the local sport community.

Katie’s experience involves planning and delivering all SFA youth tournaments at Weston College’s new Health and Active Living Skills Centre, plus delivering sessions at local primary schools. Outside of college Katie has set up a Wildcats programme from scratch, helps at her local u15s female football team and referees in both local and college fixtures.

Ethan has engaged in multiple volunteering opportunities, including delivering primary and secondary school football sessions across a wide range of settings. He also works at his local football club and delivers sessions in the community to children from deprived areas.

Jack Gadd, Weston Sport Academy and Enrichment Manager commented: “This is an extremely exciting opportunity for Ethan and Katie as they both have high ambitions to work in coaching in the future. They are passionate and driven students and I am pleased to see them get rewarded with this opportunity.”

Taking place virtually this year, the FALA is a nationally recognised event which provides an opportunity for young people to develop themselves and build the collective capability of youth leaders and of the network of Youth Councils and Forums.

Delivered over three days, the event will be packed with exciting opportunities to connect with and hear from special guests, take part in mind and body physical activity sessions and other engaging challenges run by the FA National Youth Council.

In addition, this is followed by a 12-month learning and development plan where youth leaders implement a community project, delivering events in our local area aimed around increasing participation and engagement within football.

Weston College Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips CBE, added: “Ethan and Katie are helping to put Weston-super-Mare on the map with this fantastic national achievement.

“I’d like to thank them for their dedication and commitment, and I look forward to hearing more about their ongoing successes within the local sporting community and the industry moving forward as potential leaders in the sporting sector”.

"Congratulations Ethan and Katie!”

Click here to read more about the FALA on the AoC Website

Click here to discover more about our courses in Sport