Learners from Weston College picked up their GCSE Maths and English results this morning.

Each year Weston College welcomes a combination of new learners to the College and returning learners, to obtain the grade C/4 required to progress further in their education.

Learners demonstrated remarkable dedication and perseverance, proving that it is never too late to pursue academic excellence and unlock new opportunities.

These results are a huge cause for celebration, and go to show how Weston College supports its learners to achieve.

One of the tremendous success stories from the day, is Baylee, who moved to Weston to go to Weston College and gained her English GCSE:

“I am very happy with my results – and delighted to pass! I wouldn’t have been able to go to college, if it wasn’t for Weston College.

“Now that I have my GCSE in English, I am going on to study counselling, because I really want to help people, like people have helped me.”

Good luck to Baylee on her next step!

Reuben achieved a grade 9 in his English GCSE: “I am very shocked at my GCSE English result – I really didn’t think I would get this result, so I am extremely happy.

“This qualification will help me to achieve my long-term dream of being a music teacher or a music therapist.

“The staff at Weston College were really helpful. I have dyspraxia, so they supported me with getting a laptop, and using coloured paper which has made a big difference to me. I am so glad and thankful for the support I received.”

Good luck Reuben!

If you would like to find out more about our math and English courses, you can do so by clicking here.

In a resounding testament to educational excellence, Weston College's T Level learners have achieved an extraordinary 100% pass rate this year – outshining the national pass rate of 90.5%.

T Levels, introduced as a new technical qualification pathway, emphasise a blend of classroom learning and practical experience, making Weston College's achievement even more noteworthy.

The achievement of a flawless pass rate is a reflection of the dedication put forth by students and the unwavering support provided by staff at Weston College.

Sandra Bull, Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Cross College T Level Lead, at Weston College, said: “We are so proud of our T Level learners, and the amazing results that they have achieved – bucking the national trend!

“The results demonstrate the hard work and commitment of our students, staff and also the employer partners who play such an important role in the T Level journey for our learners.

“Our learners are now progressing onto their next stage, which looks different for each learner, with some progressing to university, some going on to complete degree apprenticeships and others going straight into their chosen industry.

“These results, and the feedback we are receiving, demonstrate the impact that T Levels can have and is having on creating the next generation of skilled employees for the evolving demands of the modern workforce.”

One of the driving forces behind this remarkable success is the college's emphasis on putting the learner first. Weston College is renowned for its student-centred approach, ensuring that each individual's unique strengths are harnessed and that support is on hand to support learners in any way that is needed. The dedicated teaching staff, equipped with a wealth of expertise, have played a pivotal role in shaping students into confident, knowledgeable professionals ready to make a meaningful impact.

Hear from some of the learners, and the impact T Levels has had on them, below.

The terms “neurodiversity” or “neurodivergent” is often a topic of conversation for those with a responsibility to build a diverse workforce in businesses, but what does it mean? 

The reality is that everyone is different... and there is no single way in which we should think, learn and behave.

Neurodiversity, as a concept, describes these differences and their challenges, but also strengths. Neurodivergence is a term originally attributed to sociologist Judy Singer from the 1990s, and it’s a term used to described people with neurodiverse conditions such as autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD amongst others.

• In the UK, around 15-20% of the population are thought to be neurodivergent
• In the UK, 29% of autistic adults are employed, according to 2021 data from the Office for National Statistics
• The British Dyslexia Association estimates that around 10% of the UK population is dyslexic.

65% of neurodivergent employees don’t disclose their conditions to employers out of fear of discrimination (Birkbeck’s Research Centre for Neurodiversity at Work, 2023).

This tells me that too many neurodivergent people in the workforce do not tell their employer that they need support, so managers in businesses need to be given the training and confidence to make reasonable adjustments. Furthermore, a shockingly low percentage of people with autism are in employment.

The team at Weston College and I sat down a year ago and just felt something needed to change. So what did we decide to do?

As a national SEND Centre of Excellence, the College supports over 1,000 neurodivergent students each academic year. We’re experts in this field. We spoke to local employers and asked them what they wanted us to do, and they told us.

We created a series of 1 day, informal but informative workshops a year ago, delivered by highly skilled and experienced neurodivergent and inclusion specialists working at Weston College, alongside some online 'Lunch and Learn' sessions. 7 workshops and 2 lunch and learns later, we have trained 200+ managers for local businesses to be neurodiversity confident. We’ve had law firms, construction, theatres, engineering and media businesses. The impact has seen employers make reasonable adjustments in their businesses for their staff and customers.

Puxton Park was one of the employers who attended the training, and following the workshop, introduced an access card scheme for neurodiverse and disabled visitors to aid communication of a person’s needs and act as proof of access requirements. They also now provide Ear Defenders, free of charge to visitors.

Georgina Francis, Operations Manager of Puxton Park, says: “Being an inclusive attraction has always been extremely important to us. We have worked closely with Weston College and have had the privilege of taking part in their neurodiversity training workshops. This training was enlightening and informative and opened our eyes to the opportunities and initiatives we can take part in to best support the disabled and neurodiverse communities.”

We’re not stopping there. We aim to double number of workplace managers we train in the 23/24 academic year.

We're also offering Conscious Inclusion training which will explore Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) delivered by highly experienced and specialist staff with lived experience. The one-day training supports employers to listen to voices lesser-known, as well as suggesting ways to create an improved culture of inclusion for marginalised groups in the workplace. This workshop is a must attend for anyone looking to celebrate diversity in their organisation. The workshop will deliver impactful sessions around LGBTQ+ Inclusive Language & Issues, Anti-Racism, Trauma-Informed Approaches and how to welcome Sensory Differences.

I’ll finish where I started... everyone is different.

By working together, we can raise awareness and train people to make reasonable changes and maximise the talent that we have in our region.

Employers interested in the training can contact me at lynsey.mckinstry@weston.ac.uk or visit our website here.

- Lynsey McKinstry – Business Partnership Manager & SEND Employment Co-ordinator