The Education Department in HMP Eastwood Park have been nominated and awarded the Governor’s 'Value Champion' Award for teamwork. The team deliver and support education for 360 women from Entry Level 1 up to full degrees.

The internal award is part of the prison’s core values – Compassion, Respect, Ambition, Fairness and Teamwork. The new Governor has been recognising individuals and teams that embody each of these values. September 2022 was the ‘Teamwork Value’ month, and the Education Department were nominated by their prison colleagues.

The Education Department at HMP Eastwood Park won the award for working extremely hard throughout periods of uncertainty and difficulty, such as COVID restrictions, and have achieved fantastic results for their learners. Furthermore, they work closely with their prison colleagues to ensure even the most challenging women get the opportunity to achieve.

The Education Department have delivered some outstanding results especially in the Functional Skills department. In 2021 - 2022 they achieved the highest Functional Skills results in the female estate, and they were 5th out of all the prisons in the country. Furthermore, the Education Department has an excellent relationship with their wider colleagues and work in partnership with lots of other departments.

Victoria Jenkins, the Assistant Curriculum Manager of the Education Department, said: “We couldn’t have won the award without the whole team. Every member is so crucial. We are an integral part of the prison not just for the prisoners but for the staff as well, and we are a successful department because of our strong relationship with our colleagues and strong management from our Curriculum Manager, Darren Lewis.”

Find out more about Prison Education, here!

Are you interested in pursuing a qualification that not only gives you in-depth knowledge and understanding in the classroom, but also utilises the workplace to help you learn and develop? 

A T Level could be the best pathway for you! 

Weston College offers a vast range of exciting and industry-relevant T Level courses. From Accounting to Education and Childcare, you can progress towards a career in any field you choose while gaining real-world experience! 

Created with industry in mind, T Levels have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need. To find out more about the wide range of T Levels on offer at Weston College, click here. 

Recently we sat down with second year Construction: Design, Surveying and Planning learner, Josh, to find out about his experience studying a T Level at Weston College.  

Designed and developed in collaboration with key employers from the construction sector, such as Wessex Water, Galliford Try and Balfour Beatty, the T Level Construction: Design, Surveying and Planning programme is a mixture of college and work-based learning. This gives our learners the technical skills and workplace experience they need to kick-start their construction career. 

Josh, who is currently thriving in a work placement with Real Group Ltd. in Bristol, tells us how he was drawn to T Level study due to the experience you can gain.  

Real Group Ltd. Is a contractor, developer and investor company that works in partnership with local authorities, registered providers and private clients to create high-quality, vibrant communities. 

Josh explains: 

“At Real Group Ltd. I am responsible for a vast swathe of things, mainly take-offs for fire stopping, paint, skirting/architrave, and payment notices for sub-contractors. I very much enjoy it and I really feel like a valued member of the team.” 

We also asked Josh; how has your course helped equip you for the workplace? 

“I've learnt the early stages of Quantity Surveying work, which is getting utilised to its fullest here! 

My plans, after T Levels, are a degree apprenticeship with a construction firm doing Quantity Surveying. with the relationships I've made within my placement, I'm sure there will be some firms who would run at the chance to take me on.” 

Is there any advice you would like to give someone thinking about embarking on a T Level in Design Surveying and Planning? 

“My main advice would be: know what you want and be ready for a lot of tough work. You need to be passionate because that passion will flourish, letting you really excel in your field!” 

Amazing work Josh!  

If you would like to find out more about T Level Construction: Design, Surveying and Planning, click here. 

To find our more about all of the T Level opportunities available at Weston College, click here. 

We recently caught up with Caitlin, our wonderful Health and Social Care assessor, who told us about her experience in completing her Level 3 qualification, and how it resulted in a full time job here at Weston College. Here's what she told us!

My role at Weston College is as a Health and Social Care assessor for 16–19-year-olds and adult learners studying Health and Social Care qualifications. I observe and assess learners either on work placement or in their work setting.

I recently completed a Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care while continuing my previous employment as a senior care worker at a local care village, and predominantly supporting those living with dementia.

I found out about the course through Facebook and had been keen to gain the qualification for a while. I was also promoted to apply as the course was free for me as I did not already hold a Level 3 qualification.

While on the course, we had lessons on the SIM room, learning how to catheterise patients and a lesson in the lab dissecting pig lungs to learn about the respiratory system. The SIM room and lab are both fantastic spaces for learning and developing practical skills which are invaluable to 16–19-year-olds who are preparing for work placement.

Without this qualification, I would not have been able to apply for my role at Weston College. The course also helped me prepare for interviewing. Not all criteria were met though assignments, some were assessed on professional discussions which helped me develop my communication skills on a professional level. The course also helped me with my digital skills, which was fortunate as I had to create a PowerPoint presentation for interview.

I would really recommend and encourage others to study as an adult. I found I was more focussed and committed to the workload and qualification. I initially studied to further my career in the industry and to progress in my previous employment. I never thought that my knowledge and skills could support those in further education. I feel privileged to be able to support those in further education to become fantastic health care workers.

Alongside the Level 3 qualification, I was also able to compete a Level 2 in Safeguarding which was a bonus as I managed to gain another qualification while studying one. Since joining Weston college as an employee, I am being enrolled in a certificate in Vocational Assessing to further my knowledge in supporting through assessing. 

This would never have been possible if it wasn't for the completion of my Level 3 qualification and the support of Weston College - I'm so grateful to everyone who was involved in my journey!

Find out more about Courses for Adults, here!