If you’re struggling to park in the designated student car park at your campus, please remember to park respectfully and legally - we know the last thing you want is to get a parking ticket, get clamped or even have your car towed. 

Here’s some simple advice for parking offsite… 

Look out for road markings and signs 

Let’s start with the obvious – don’t park on double yellows! This is the most common reason for parking fines around Weston, and you could get a pretty hefty fine.  

If there is a single yellow line on the road, this means that restrictions apply. Look for a nearby signpost that will tell you when you can park or who can park on the lines. 

Don’t park on crossings or the zigzag lines that are near crossings, as this makes it dangerous for people crossing the road and could lead to points on your licence. 

If there are parking bays, make sure that you’ve read the appropriate restrictions – they could be reserved for residents, disabled people, or charges could apply. 

Remember: even if the lines are worn, parking restrictions still apply.  

Check your parking position 

Even if there are no road markings, you can still get a fine for parking badly.

Parking with your wheels on the pavement could lead to a fine, and often restricts access for people in wheelchairs or with mobility problems, and could also lead to your car being damaged as pedestrians brush past it. 

Similarly, parking too far away from the curb (over 48cm or 19”) could lead to a fine. Parking too close to road junctions or on bends could lead to your car being driven into, so it is best to avoid these places. 

Remember that if any part of your car overhangs a restricted zone (e.g. a double yellow line) you can technically be given a ticket. 

Respect dropped curbs 

Dropped curbs often appear at the ends of driveways or at road junctions to allow people to cross the road. Even if you can’t think of an obvious reason for the curb to drop, you can still be fined for parking on one, or even have your car clamped or towed. 

If in doubt… 

If you’re not sure that you’ve parked correctly find somewhere else to park! It’s not worth risking a parking fine (which can be as much as £70) just to avoid paying a couple of pounds to park in a registered car park… 

Alternatively, you could always travel into College with an alternative method of transport – each campus has plenty of cycle racks and we offer a great value bus pass. 

As part of your learning experience at Weston College you'll have access to the full Microsoft Office 365 online dashboard.

Simply use your College login (given to you during enrolment) to access a range of features...

Help and advice for using Microsoft Office 365 apps and software is available through the LibraryPlus service at each of our main campuses.

You can book a one-to-one session with a LibraryPlus learning technologist to help you get the most from Office 365.

Weston College has become the first college to sign up to the national Ban the Box campaign.

Candidates with a criminal record can now apply for jobs at the College with the knowledge that they will be assessed on their ability to do the job before any convictions are fairly considered.

However, the same rules surrounding who can legally do certain jobs will still apply, and DBS checks will still take place before any member of staff is appointed. Anyone teaching learners or working alongside College staff will have been through the same rigorous legal checks as usual.

Applicants will however, be asked to declare any such record at the point of job offering, and will undergo DBS/legal checks as all with all other applicants. Only once they are successful in passing those will they be able to accept a position.

The campaign is spearheaded by Business in the Community, and currently more than 90 UK-wide employers are signed up, with the College being the latest. Other organisations include Boots, Barclays, Bristol City Council and Virgin Trains.

The initiative will mean that the College no longer asks about criminal convictions on job application forms, instead committing to considering an applicant’s skills, experience and ability first and foremost.

Having a job can reduce a person’s chance of reoffending by up to 50%, and by signing up to Ban the Box Weston College is creating a fair chance for ex-offenders to compete for jobs and helping to keep the community safer.  

Grace Mehanna, Business in the Community’s campaign director for employment and skills, said: “Two thirds of employers admit to discriminating against people with criminal records, but the employers we work with recognise the skills and loyalty this diverse group of people can bring to their roles. Removing the barrier of a tick box can make all the difference to someone deciding to apply to your company.”

The Ofsted “Outstanding” organisation has confirmed that “Weston College is committed to recruiting an inclusive workforce, reducing barriers to employment and offering opportunities to applicants with the talent, motivation and potential to succeed. The College is already proud to be changing lives by the delivery of high quality Offender Learning and we are delighted to have signed up to this new policy. We know from experience how important it is for people with a criminal record to know that they have a fair chance of gaining legitimate employment to support them and their families and contribute positively to society. As an employer, we pride ourselves on equal opportunities for everyone and this is another step we have taken to show people that it is their skills and ability to do the job that matters.”

For more information about the work the College undertakes with ex-offenders visit www.offenderlearning.co.uk or to find out about current job vacancies across the Weston College Group, visit www.weston.ac.uk/jobs

If you'd like to know more about the 'Ban the Box' initiative visit http://www.bitc.org.uk/banthebox