It’s an exciting time for Weston College Sport.

As well as developing the new Health and Active Living Skills Centre, the College has joined forces with Coachmakers – a Bristol-based organisation that delivers training for the sport, active leisure, health and well-being sectors.

Coachmakers was formed in 2009 in response to a growing interest in sports coaching education. There was demand for an education-based provision that catered, through the power of sport, for young people who could not otherwise engage with traditional education.

Ten years later, the organisation continues to thrive, winning prestigious awards such as the Bristol Apprenticeship Training Provider of the year (2013). Their aim, to train 1,000 coaches between 2017 and 2022, has also been given a boost after joining with Weston College in November 2018.

Liz Barker, Coachmakers Director, said: “We have worked closely with Weston College over the last few years, sub-contracting in various areas. I had always found the College to be professional, knowledgeable and open to supporting new and exciting ventures.

“Therefore, the move to be part of the College was a welcome one for myself and my team – to not only continue the great work to date, but to explore new avenues and see how the platform of sport can support and complement the existing College provision.

“Coachmakers offers far more than just an apprenticeship or a full-time programme. You can expect the utmost standards from experienced and qualified working coaches. Our ability to create sustainable progression is what sets us apart from our competitors.”

Jess, who studied the Level 2 Coaching NVQ, added: “I decided to join Coachmakers as I have a passion for sport and love working with children.

“This was the perfect course for me – learning to be a sports coach and delivering fun and engaging sports sessions to children. I also loved the mix of theory and practical delivery. The support I received led me to gaining a Level 3 apprenticeship in a school for my second year.”

Coachmakers offers two full-time programmes of study as well as two apprenticeships related to sports coaching and activity leadership. Their programmes are delivered in South Bristol, Portishead/Weston and Truro (Cornwall). Their apprenticeships take place in the workplace.

Click here to read more about the courses on offer and how to contact Liz and the rest of the team.

Last year, four Media Production students were given an exciting brief from Aerospace Bristol – to create a short video to be played in the museum’s exhibition.

This live project brief saw four students gain valuable experience, as they put their theory to the test and ran a project from start to finish.

As part of this project, students carried out research on the engineering industry, planned video content and organised interviews. They also worked closely with Weston College engineering students, to get a taste of what the industry entails.

One student that worked on the project is Chloe Bailey. She said: “I believe that every single member of the team worked to their strengths, which is what pulled us through to the screening day and finishing off the project. We were proud of the final outcome and look forward to seeing it at the exhibition.”

Chloe was joined on the project by her classmates Kate Busby, John Davies and Kraig Taylor-Bryant.

Amy Seadon, Learning and Community Engagement Manager at Aerospace Bristol, said: “The team did a fantastic job.

“They listened carefully to the brief and produced a wonderful short film which truly brought out and showcased the enthusiasm of the engineering students. We hope that seeing it will inspire more young people to explore a career in engineering.”

The video, which showcased the world of engineering – including what it is like to study engineering in the 21st century – premiered last December and is now on display for Aerospace Bristol visitors to see.

The project was carried out as part of the Media Production Level 3 ‘Client Brief’ unit, which is designed to give our students real-life experience of working with a client.

You can find out more information on our Media Production courses, here.

A Weston College Apprentice brewer saw his own bottled bitter served at Weston College ‘Oscars’ glittering awards evening attended by 300 people to honour apprentices and businesses. 

Dean Masters, 19, scooped Entrepreneur of the Year at the College's Excellence in Business Training Awards 2013 event on Thursday (June 13th) at the Winter Gardens. 

Dean, who works for Masters Brewery in Wellington, was also Highly Commended in the Hospitality Learner of the Year both for his creative skills and the way he has overhauled the independent brewery’s website.  
He said: “It’s fantastic to win the awards and see my specially brewed 4.3 per cent bitter served up. I’ve also made a Hawaiian Dwarf 7.5 per cent beer brewed with fresh mangoes plus a locally sourced mint and chocolate Imperial Stout.” 
The UK Apprentice of the Year, Emma Rogers, of Cheddar, also took Outstanding Achievement of the Year Award. 
The 20-year-old mum-of-one won Gold for Great Britain at WorldSkills competitions and recently opened her own beauty business in Wedmore.
She said: “I wasn’t expecting this and I really believe in the power of education. My aim is to become a role model and inspire other young people to go for their dreams.”
Employer of the Year was awarded to Broad Street Hair who also took Hair and Beauty Employer of the Year.

Director Wayne Hill who set up the company with sister, Tracy Taylor, has six branches in North Somerset and is set to expand.

Wayne said: “It’s fantastic to win the awards and I want to thank Academy Manager, Charlotte Leach, who deals with the Apprentices. Charlotte has a degree in physics and biology but decided to work for Broad Street because she loves teaching and hairdressing.

“We have 24 Apprentices and we work very closely with Weston College so it’s great to be recognised by them. “

John Kennedy took Achieving Above All the Odds Award.

The 45-year-old was addicted to drugs and alcohol since he was 14 and only learned to read and write when he was 29.

He has now been clean for eight years and supports people with addiction at Weston’s Broadway Lodge centre.

He said: “I am very happy with my life now. For so many years I just took, now I spend my time giving and it’s very rewarding.”

Alliance Homes took Construction Employer of the Year and Compliance Manager, Ian Carpenter said: “We have 12 Apprentices and I love to see young people gain the skills they need to be successful for the rest of their lives.”

Apprentice Amie Johnson won Sale of Residential Property Learner of the Year working for Heritage Estate Agents.

The 20-year-old has excelled in her job by selling more homes in Yatton and Clevedon than any of the other qualified employees.

She said: “I love my job and one day I’d like to run my own business, it’s fantastic to win this award.”

The evening was sponsored by Honeyfield Property Services and n-ergy. Judges included Department for Work and Pensions Partnership Manager, Tim Cowley and N-ergy Executive Director Tracy Jones. Students from the Wessex Academy of Performing Arts entertained guests before a three-course dinner.

Keynote speaker, Director of Skills for South West England Local Enterprise Partnership, Jane Middleton who said: “I am delighted to work with Weston College and this is one of the most successful Local Enterprise Partnerships in the UK.”

Weston College Principal and Chief Executive, Dr Paul Phillips OBE thanked everyone attending and said: “The last 12 months have proved exceptional for us despite the challenging economic climate.

“We place great emphasis on partnerships with businesses, funding agencies, North Somerset Council and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, partner schools and universities.”

A Level students at Weston College achieved a 99.8 per cent pass and 20 per cent of Higher Education students achieved a first class honours degree – way above the national average of 14 per cent.

There has been a 113 per cent growth in Apprentices as the College’s Business Enterprise Centre works with more than 1000 employers from Gloucestershire to Cornwall.

There are more than 50 apprenticeship programmes and over 90 per cent go on to become permanent employees.

Dr Phillips added: “Our motto is ‘Creating Brighter Futures. At Weston College the learner comes first. This is assisted by the tremendous partnerships we've made with business, and efforts of learners themselves.”

List of Business Awards 2013

Students:

Accountancy Learner of the Year: Yannis Aravadinos

Beauty Learner of the Year: Rebecca Morley

Business Learner of the Year: Cara Hiscox

Care Learner of the Year: Sarah Porter

Childcare Learner of the Year: Elizabeth Williams

Customer Service Learner of the Year: Nicola Durkin

Hair Learner of the Year: Bethany Miller

Hospitality and Catering Learner of the Year: Steven Newman

Sale of Residential Property Learner of the Year: Amie Johnston

Principal’s Awards:

Entrepreneur of the Year Dean Masters

Student who has made the biggest impact Chris Dixon

Achieving above all odds John Kennedy

Outstanding achievement of the Year to Emma Rogers

Opportunity North Somerset Award: Delyth Meredith-Jones

Business Awards:

Small Business Employer of the Year: Meiji Techno

Large Business Employer of the Year: Logistics company DHL

Care and Childcare Employer of the Year: Little Bears Day Nursery

Construction Employer of the Year: Alliance Homes

Hair and Beauty Employer of the Year: Broad Street Hair

Sales of Residential Property Employer of the Year: Michael Gould Property Agent

Hospitality Employer of the Year: The Golden Lion

Teaching Assistant Employer of the Year: Mead Vale Primary School

Principal’s Awards:

Individual’s Commitment to Training: Jenny Evans, Shared Lives, North Somerset Council

Business’ Commitment to Training: North Somerset Council

Employer of the Year: Broad Street Hair

If you would like to view the pictures from this evening's event, please view them here. 

Whether you’re dreading the thought of staying in education for another two years, or have thrived at school, choosing to come to college could be the perfect decision for you.

Weston College offers a much larger choice of courses than any school is able to. As well as a wide range of A levels, we offer vocational qualifications which are focused on preparing you for work; you may even spend your time learning practical skills in our Hair and Beauty Centre, training kitchen and restaurant or Automotive Technology Centre. On top of this, Weston College is the only place in North Somerset where you can start with an entry-level course and leave with a degree. But the difference between school and college doesn’t stop there!

Although the idea of leaving the familiar surroundings of your school might seem daunting, coming to college is a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and expand your social circle. Lots of other people will be new to college at the same time as you, so your new surroundings will be the perfect place to create friendships.

We provide our students with a fantastic level of support; as well as having a Personal Tutor, you will have access to our Welfare and Student Support Services team, who can help with non-academic concerns such as: health, housing, alcohol, drugs and bullying. We also have excellent provisions for students with disabilities and/or learning difficulties.

You will learn in an adult environment, helping you to prepare for university or work; you will be able to work independently and take responsibility for your own studies, while receiving support from teachers who are well-qualified, experienced and passionate about their subjects. It’s likely you’ll be on a first name basis with your teachers. Because there’s a high ratio of tutors to students, you’ll receive all the support you need from your Personal Tutor.

At school, it is likely that you would be expected to be there all day, every day. At college, your timetable probably won’t be so full and you will have the flexibility to study at home, or elsewhere, when you don’t have class. Our LibraryPlus facilities provide a great environment for studying outside of class time. Along with books, DVDs and eBooks, you can borrow computers and iPads for use in the library.

We run a wide variety of enrichment activities, so there’s something for everyone. You could choose to get involved in film club, LAN gaming, volunteering, dance and music lessons. There are also groups for young carers and LGBTA. If you enjoy sports then there are opportunities to play football (for both men and women), rugby, netball and golf with our Sports Academy. Other sporting opportunities include classes on mixed martial arts, ultimate frisbee, table tennis and archery amongst others. For an affordable termly fee, you can join our industry-standard gym at the Knightstone Campus.

You may also choose to become a student ambassador, volunteering your time to support College events such as open evenings, collegiate interviews and marketing events. Being a student ambassador will help you develop a number of key skills including: teamwork, public speaking, interpersonal skills and self-confidence. This makes a fantastic addition to your CV and/or UCAS application.

Finally, Weston College is officially Ofsted outstanding and can boast excellent pass rates, so you can rest assured that we’re good at what we do! Our pass rates speak for themselves – 98% for both A levels and vocational courses.

The College can also help you get an apprenticeship or traineeship, both of which enable to get practical experience in a number of different industries. 90% of our apprentices are offered permanent positions by their employers at the end of their training.

Browse our website to see the full range of courses Weston College offers or request a prospectus.  If you have any questions, give us a call on 01934 411 411.

As Weston College’s popular Creative Art’s Summer Show opens to the public today (Wednesday 15th June), students have revealed their inspiration behind this year’s theme.

Laura Martins (19) and Lauren Poole (20), who are both studying Graphic Design Foundation Degrees in partnership with Bath Spa University at Weston College’s Loxton Campus, were tasked with creating the show’s branding and its overall theme.

Their concept ‘Infinity’ was chosen as it depicted the many different possibilities that students studying creative arts courses could pursue in the future.

Lauren said: “This is a showcase of hundreds of students’ work, each one with their own journey behind and ahead of them, with an infinite number of possibilities.

“We decided to create a brand around the idea that the artists on show here are infinitely expanding and growing as artists, exploring an infinite number of possibilities and artistic routes.

“Despite the huge scope of the event, we decided to keep the brand itself simple and approachable as it has to relate to everyone who sees it.”

The Weston College Summer Show allows the College’s Creative Arts students the opportunity to display their work to the public and forms a part of their assessment.

The show sees the campus, in Loxton Road, transformed into an art gallery with students on courses such art, graphic design and film exhibiting their work inside the building, while students studying music perform outside the venue.

The show is free to enter and open to the public until Thursday 23rd June between 10am - 4pm, and on Saturday 18th June from 10am - 2pm.

For part two of our hair and beauty special, Sandra Bull, Weston College’s Hair and Beauty Curriculum Manager (who has over 25 years’ experience in the hairdressing industry), answers some of the most frequently asked hairdressing questions…

Click here to read part one of our hair and beauty special!

How often should I shampoo my hair?

This depends on your hair type and personal preferences. Your hair can actually clean itself, however your hair naturally dehydrates during the day from wind, pollution and sunlight, so washing it regularly is important to maintain its health.

It’s important to make sure you wash your hair with a shampoo made for your hair type, and always double wash.

Oily hair should be washed daily and dry hair should be washed a maximum of three times per week using a smaller amount of shampoo. If you’re a brunette or have curly hair you can wash it every two to three days.

How can I make my hair feel soft?

First of all, brush your hair before and after showering to get rid of any knots or tangles. Brushing before helps you to shampoo and condition your hair. When you’re in the shower, use shampoo and conditioner that matches your hair type. When shampooing, soak your hair and use lukewarm water. A good tip is to use half the amount of shampoo you usually use but wash your hair twice.

Turn the water’s heat down when conditioning and comb the conditioner evenly through your hair. To ensure the conditioner isn’t washed out, turn the shower off while doing this. Rinse the conditioner out of your hair with cold water as this seals the cuticle and gives your hair a good shine.

Don’t blow dry as this can damage and dry out your hair. Instead, use a towel to pat it dry.

How can I find out more about hairdressing?

Weston College offers a range of hair and barbering courses from introductory level right up to salon management at Level 4. These courses can give you practical experience with real clients and enable you to learn from industry professionals.

Mind Matters is a weekly informal session highlighting the importance of looking after your mental health.

We are providing advice on anything from low mood to anxiety. They are run by the specialist mental health team here at the College and are for any students looking for support about an issue either inside or outside of the College, ask for advice or questions, or just to pick up some information.

You can also self-refer for support here as well as sign up for or forthcoming sessions on self esteem and anxiety, or to be a Time to Change Ambassador.

Mondays 9.30am to 11.30am

Knightstone Campus LibraryPlus

Loxton Campus Bistro

For anyone over the age of 19 and looking to return to education, financing your course can seem like a huge hurdle. However, there are a variety of options when it comes to helping you pay for your course – some people may even find that they are eligible to take a course for free.

We’ve broken down how to pay for your course, along with which icons and symbols to look out for on the course pages.

Full fees and supported fees

On the left of our course pages there is a box labelled ‘financial information’ which is where you will see the course fees and any relevant icons and symbols. The fee listed here, whether supported or full, is the absolute maximum fee anyone will pay for that course.

‘Full’ fees are exactly what they sound like – the full fee for the course. If something is listed as a ‘supported’ fee, this means that funding is available to the College to discount the course’s ‘full’ fee. Therefore, if a course says it has a ‘supported’ fee, this means that the full fee has been discounted for all people taking the course and you will only have to pay the final supported fee.

Although not all of our courses have a supported fee, the amount you see is the maximum you will have to pay.

Free* courses

Some courses have the above symbol in their financial information, which means some people qualify for free tuition and won’t have to pay anything for that particular course.

In order to get courses with this symbol for free, you will need to meet certain conditions. Although these conditions may differ depending on the course, if you click on the symbol a screen will pop-up that will tell you which specific conditions you have to meet.

When you click the symbol, it might say this:

“The qualification you have chosen to study is part of the Legal Entitlements list and you are aged 19-23 at the start of your course and you do not already have a qualification at Level 3 or higher.”

This condition means that if you don’t already have a Level 3 qualification (such as AS/A Levels, NVQ Level 3, BTEC Extended Diploma, Advanced Apprenticeship etc.) and are aged 19-23 when you start the course, you will not have to pay any fees. However, if you do have a Level 3 qualification or are aged 24+, you will have to pay the full or supported fee displayed.

When you click the symbol, it might say something a bit different, such as:

“This course is Free* if you are:

Receiving Universal Credit, earn less than 16 times the national minimum wage a week or less than £330 a month and are determined by JCP as being in one of the following groups:  All Work Related Requirement Group, Work Preparation Group, Work Focused Interview Group

Unemployed and receiving JSA/ESA or wider benefits.

Or

Aged 19-23 at the start of your course and you do not already have any qualifications at Level 2 or higher and you intend to study at this level in the future.”

When you this message, it is clearly stating the conditions that must be met in order to complete the course for free.  In the first part, you must meet all of the listed conditions in order to qualify for free tuition.

However, if you don’t meet the conditions listed in the first part, you may still qualify for free tuition in the next condition which again clearly lists all the conditions you must meet to be eligible.

Remember, you must meet everything listed in the first condition, or everythinglisted in the second condition. Otherwise, you must pay the full or supported fee listed.

24+

If you see this symbol and you do not qualify for free tuition/there is no Free* symbol, then you might be able to apply for an advanced learner loan to finance the course.

Advanced Learner Loans are available to anyone aged 19 or over (this used to be 24, however was reduced to 19), and is not means tested or based on your income or current financial situation. Also, your current qualifications will not stop you from taking out a loan regardless of the level.

These loans can be used to pay for qualifications at Level 3 or above.

For more information on Advanced Learner Loans, see our information page here.

ELC

Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) are available to serving members of the British Armed Forces, or those who have recently left. To be eligible, you must meet certain criteria according to the ELC scheme, and there are two tiers of funding available depending on length of service.

For more information about the ELC scheme, visit www.enhancedlearningcredits.com.

A Level Law students at Weston College’s Sixth Form were recently visited by a top law firm to learn about how to get into a legal career. 

Representatives from Womble Bond Dickison, who have offices across the UK and US, came to the College’s Loxton Campus to give an informative session to year one and two law students. 

28 students attended, and were given practical advice about the different aspects of law, including information about the support service roles that law firms also need, such as IT, HR, finance and management. 

They discussed related career options, including being a barrister, solicitor, legal executive and paralegal. They also told students how, when a firm such as themselves recruit, personal statements were key along with their grades at A Level. 

Liz Painter, Development Manager for the Law and Professional Service Academy at Weston College, said: “The students were really engaged and interest to hear directly from an international law firm how they recruit and the different routes that are now available in the legal profession. This impartial advice and guidance is vital for students to be able to make informed career choices.”