Last month, Year 12 students from our Sixth Form’s Biomedical Pathway achieved outstanding success in the prestigious British Biology Olympiad (BBO), an international competition designed to challenge and inspire post-16 students with a passion for biology.

This year’s BBO saw a total of 18,533 students from 1,053 schools across the world take part. Within them were 23 hard-working Year 12 students from Weston College, who competed as part of their enrichment within the Biomedical pathway. Despite only having studied approximately one-third of the A Level Biology course so far, these students showcased exceptional talent and resilience.

One standout achievement came from Olivia Hayes, who earned a silver medal, placing her in the top 15% of all participants worldwide. Two other students were awarded bronze medals, ranking them in the top 25%, while four others received ‘Highly Commended’ recognition, placing them in the top 45%. A further six students earned ‘Commended’ certificates for their strong performances.

The British Biology Olympiad consists of two 45-minute online multiple-choice papers, taken under supervised exam conditions. Students are required to engage with unfamiliar topics, using their prior knowledge and problem-solving abilities to navigate complex biological concepts and scenarios.

This competition not only challenges students academically, but it also offers valuable recognition through publicly awarded certificates. All participants also gain one year of BioNet membership with the Royal Society of Biology, offering continued opportunities for growth and engagement in the field.

A huge congratulations to all students who took part in this year's competition. Their efforts and achievements reflect the hard work of our Biomedical Pathway students.

This competition forms part of the Sixth Form Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.

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 here. 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.

Weston College’s Leadership and Management Team recently benefited from a dynamic and transformative training session with internationally respected leadership consultant and business psychologist, Sarah Rozenthuler. The session, grounded in Rozenthuler’s influential work Powered by Purpose: Energise Your People to Do Great Work, aimed to equip the College’s leaders with the mindset and tools to embed purpose at the heart of their work.

Sarah Rozenthuler’s research and training focus on cultivating purpose-led organisations that drive positive societal impact while also fostering employee engagement, innovation and resilience. The session with Weston College brought together key leaders and managers to reflect on the College’s mission, explore how to energise teams through shared purpose, and deepen their leadership capacity across both strategic planning and everyday practice.

Key areas explored included:

• Creating an inclusive and energised workplace culture
• Building psychological safety to empower team innovation
• Facilitating authentic dialogue across leadership groups
• Connecting personal and organisational purpose to unlock performance

Pat Jones, Principal and CEO of Weston College, commented:

“Investing in our people is one of the most powerful ways we can invest in our learners. This training with Sarah Rozenthuler is strengthening our leadership alignment, reconnecting us with our shared purpose, and has given us practical strategies to lead with clarity, compassion and confidence. When our staff are empowered, inspired and purpose-driven, the ripple effect positively impacts every student we serve.”

This training is part of Weston College’s ongoing commitment to staff development and to ensuring that its leadership is responsive to the complex challenges of today’s education landscape. As Rozenthuler notes in her work, “Purpose-led teams pull together to deliver sustainable value”, — and Weston College embodies that ethos, preparing learners for a brighter, more inclusive future.

If you would like to work for Weston College, you can find our latest vacancies, by clicking here.

We are proud to continue our commitment to advancing social justice and social mobility through education with our Teaching, Learning & Assessment (TLA) INSET Day that happened in April 2025. This full-day professional development event brought together all staff for a series of insightful sessions and a keynote address by the esteemed Professor Lee Elliot Major.

The event built on our previous training initiatives, including the 5Cs of a Compassionate College, expertly delivered by Chloe Wilde, our Social Justice and Student Support Director, and the inspiring keynote on trauma-informed education by Polly Harrow, Head of Safeguarding and Inclusion at Kirklees College, and a nationally recognised expert in safeguarding, trauma, and inclusive education, also appointed as the first Further Education Student Support Champion by the Department for Education.

Under the theme “Every Voice, Every Future”, this next phase of staff development focused on breaking down barriers to learning and ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have the opportunity to thrive. The programme included a diverse range of sessions, covering topics such as:

• Intersectionality in Education – Addressing the impact of race, SEND, and LGBTQ+ identity on student experiences.
• Creating Inclusive Classrooms for Non-Native English Speakers – Providing practical strategies to support multilingual learners.
• Digital Accessibility & Inclusion – Leveraging technology to remove learning barriers.
• Reframing Resilience – Exploring critical hope and educator well-being.

There was also a keynote address by Professor Lee Elliot Major, Britain’s first Professor of Social Mobility, at the University of Exeter. His work focuses on breaking down educational inequalities and ensuring that every learner, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.

“We are committed to fostering an educational environment where every student and staff member can thrive,” said Weston College’s Principal and CEO, Pat Jones. “This CPD day was about equipping our staff with the knowledge and tools to drive real change in education.”

If you would like to work for Weston College, you can find our latest vacancies, by clicking here.