News and events

Weston College has been awarded a prestigious accreditation after a comprehensive evaluation of staff satisfaction.

‘Best Companies’, who compile ‘The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For’ lists gave the College a two-star accreditation after carrying out an exhaustive survey of staff.

The survey is a set of 70 academically designed questions based on eight ‘factors of workplace engagement’. The questions are confidential, so respondents are free to be completely honest.

When the survey’s complete, organisations receive a Best Companies Index (BCI) score – which is Best Companies’ unique measure of workplace engagement.

To earn its rating, the College had to show evidence of ‘outstanding’ commitment to workplace engagement. The accreditation tells clients, partners, investors and employees that the organisation understands the importance of workplace engagement and genuinely values its people.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and CEO, said: “Best Companies are the experts in gauging the multitude of factors that separate good employers from the rest.

“To achieve the two-star accreditation is a significant achievement and speaks volumes of what our staff think about working for the College. We are one of the top-performing colleges in the UK and my staff are key to that success.

“It’s no secret that FE providers across the country are feeling the pinch from repeated and prolonged budget cuts. But, nonetheless, we're continually investing in our staff.

"We understand the importance of remunerating staff who perform well, and making them feel valued – or you run the risk of losing them, to the detriment of your learners.”

Alongside this accolade the College has also been awarded the Investors in People (IIP) Gold Standard, which is held by less than 2% of UK businesses and demonstrates commitment to invest in staff to improve performance. The College is also an Investors in People ‘Champion’ – a prestigious award given to IIP role models.

Weston College has finished joint-second in a table of every further education college in the UK.

The FE Week NICDEX rankings gives each college a mark out of ten in four categories – learner satisfaction, employer satisfaction, 16-to-18 positive progression and adults into employment. These are then added together to give an overall score.

Weston College was awarded 34 out of 40 – level with Newcastle and Stafford, and two behind PETROC.

The rankings were devised in 2016 by Nick Linford FE Week’s editor and a former director of performance at Lewisham College. They are based on satisfaction and progression criteria published by the Department for Education.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College’s Principal and Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted with this fantastic achievement, we always put our learners first.

“We work extremely hard to make sure our learners enjoy their time with us, developing themselves holistically and progressing to further/higher education or employment. We are continually building strong relationships with all of our employer partners and stakeholders to ensure we are creating relevant training and qualifications that lead to meaningful employment for our learners.

“To be ranked second in the country show we’re definitely doing something right!”

To find out what it’s like to work in the early years sector, we asked an industry professional to share some opinions and experiences from their career. Jay Sparkle has been working in the early years industry for over 12 years. He’s currently area manager for Storal Learning Ltd and works closely with nurseries all over the south west, including Honeytree Nursery at Weston General Hospital.

What made you want to work with young people?

Well I grew up with a large family. I had lots of younger siblings so I always naturally felt this responsibility to look after them. When I was a bit older my nephew would often come round and play. I enjoyed playing along and found the way in which he was learning really interesting. I wanted to learn more about behaviours and what causes them which, in turn, sparked my interest in working with children.

What are the top three qualities or skills you need to work with young people?

Patience, imagination and confidence. You really have to be yourself around children and not worry about what others might think. For example, I know I’m not a great singer, but when I’m singing with the children I don’t worry about others judging me and just go for it. People forget that children don’t judge and ensuring they are engaged and having fun is the most important thing.

A lot of people might be worried about not advancing in this industry. Are there many opportunities for progression?

There are so many opportunities for progression. Starting as a student at a day nursery, you can then progress to become a manager, area manager and then perhaps open your own nursery. And that’s just one possible career path working with children. The industry is always changing and evolving so it’s quite exciting to be a part of. It’s very much ‘the more you put in, the more you get out’ so you’re more likely to enjoy your job more if you’re invested and want to succeed.

Are there currently any skills gaps in the industry?

Knowledge surrounding safeguarding practices and policies will always be relevant and in high demand. More people need to understand that the job isn’t just playing with children. Practitioners have a massive responsibility to keep the children in their care safe and happy. There can be lots of paperwork at times so understanding the core values and safeguarding procedures is of the upmost importance in this industry.

Is a qualification in early years necessary?

It’s clear when an applicant has a qualification in early years. Their underpinning knowledge and skills are already there and ready to be applied in the workplace. However, experience is equally important. I’ve seen people with the top grades struggle because they’re not comfortable with the children. That’s why the work experience programme at Weston College is so beneficial. It allows students to experience the work environment, put their lessons into practice and find out if this career is for them.

What impresses you most about Honey Tree Nursery?

As I said before, the industry is forever evolving. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ and the staff at Honeytree are excellent at responding to changes and adapting their practices accordingly. Every child is different so no two days are the same. The reliable staff always work hard to improve, and their ‘good enough isn’t good enough’ attitude really makes the nursery stand out.

Find out more about our Early Years courses and how you can start your journey to a rewarding and challenging career!