News and events

Weston College’s highly anticipated Creative Arts Summer Showcase opened in spectacular fashion on Tuesday 11th June at Loxton Campus.

Family, friends and members of the public attended an evening of celebration at Loxton Campus as learners from Weston College and University Centre Weston (UCW) showcased their incredible art forms.

The exhibition included diverse pieces of work by learners studying art and design, photography and graphic design courses; degrees and the College’s pre-degree UAL Foundation Diploma.

The opening night was electric. Every room hosted a variety of work which inspired conversations surrounding the themes and the learners’ abilities. Performances by music learners and an interactive photo booth also added to ambience.

Many of the displays were comprised of learners’ final course projects, which involved months of effort and contributed to their final grade. A section of the exhibition was also filled with impressive works of art created by learners who are studying College art courses whilst serving sentences in prison. Click here to read more about our Prison Education programme. 

Chair of the College Corporation, Andrew Leighton-Price, attended the opening night. He said: “The Summer Showcase was absolutely amazing. There were so many innovative works of art, with so many mediums used, from paint, sculpting, to digital, to on line film and gaming.

“The learners I met at the show gave me a fantastic insight and it was clear that there is a huge wealth of talent and passion that goes into the work here at Loxton Campus.

“It was clear that the learners and staff had collaborated to make this a truly memorable event, using the extensive resources available. I’d like to congratulate everyone that contributed to this impressive showcase”

John O’Connell, the College’s Head of Creative Arts, said: “It was a wonderful evening. It was very well attended and such a joy to see all the hard work of both our students and staff come together to produce a body of work with conceptual depth and visual appeal across a diverse range of subjects.”

The Summer Showcase is open to the public at our Loxton Campus on weekdays (10am – 4pm) and Saturday 15th June (10am – 2pm), until Thursday 20th June.

Summer Showcase forms part of the Creative Arts Summer Festival which provides our students with a fantastic opportunity to showcase their talents each year. As well as the recent production arts runway and film screening showcase, there is still a variety of shows still to come as part of the festival. Click here to see details of the other events taking place throughout June.

Wednesday 12 June, 14:00-17:00

Today the College’s Hospitality and Hair and Beauty sectors had an end-of-year celebration and competition in the theme - The Mad Hatters Tea Party.

The day ran from 14.00-17:00, with competitions starting at 11 in the kitchens and 14.00 on the main floor, and the awards presentation took place at 16.00.

The competition was open to all learners from the areas who are studying full programmes and apprenticeships. Two learners from each group progress from the heat to the final on the day.

Those not taking part in the competitions arrived at 3pm for mocktails.

After the competitions, the Mad Hatters Tea Party took place, and high tea was served. Prizes were then be awarded:

• Hair and Beauty Learner of the Year - Natasha Bryant
• Hospitality and Catering Learner of the Year - Georgia Perry-Wilkinson
• Apprentice learner of the year - Hannah Handsford, Beautylicious in Taunton

The competitions that took place today included (all one hour):

• Level 1 Hair and Beauty (open to entry level also) – Cheshire Cat-themed face paint. Model to be in costume. Judged by Lyndsey Fiddler, Inspire
• Level 1 Hair (open to entry level also) – Mad Hatter-themed plaiting and twisting. Accessories should be used and model in costume. Judged by Lyndsey Fiddler, Inspire
• Level 1 Hospitality (open to Entry level also) – A selection of Queen of Hearts Tarts. Judged by Alex Parsons, The Old Down Estate
• Level 2 Hair and Media Make-up – Mad Hatter-themed hair and make-up. Accessories and costume are compulsory. Hair preparation can begin before but must be dressed during the hour. Make-up preparation base can also be applied. All models must have costume. Judged by Adam Thomas, Weston Hair Studios
• Level 2/3 Barbering – Create an image to a Mad Hatters theme. Hair can be pre-coloured and model dressed for the tea party. Judged by Lyndsey Fiddler, Inspire
• Level 2 Hairdressing – Mad Hatter-themed fantasy hair (to include a pre- colour). Hair preparation can be started prior but is required to be dressed in the time. Model must be in full costume. Judged by Adam Thomas, Weston Hair Studios
• Level 2 Beauty – A manicure and finish suitable for a party. Model dressed for a tea party. Glitter and jazz encouraged. Judged by Carol Goodhind, Beauty Retreat
• Level 2 Food and Beverages – A mocktail fit for Alice, with decoration. Judged by Nikon Baker, The Winter Gardens
• Level 2 Professional Cookery – A selection of 20 party-ready cakes with decoration. Judged by Alex Parsons, The Old Down Estate
• Level 3 Hairdressing – Create an image to a Mad Hatters Tea Party theme. Colour can be applied prior to the day. Model must have a full costume. Judged by Adam Thomas, Weston Hair Studios
• Level 3 Massage Therapy – Busy Rabbit relax with a hot stone back, neck and shoulder treatment. Judged by Carol Goodhind, Beauty Retreat
• Level 3 Theatrical Make-Up – Body stencilling (face and shoulders). Accessories and costume are desired. Judged by Adam Thomas, Weston Hair Studios
• Level 3 Sports Massage – Ankle or knee rehabilitation after a fall down the rabbit hole. Judged by Carol Goodhind, Beauty Retreat
• Level 3 Food and Beverage – A Mad Hatter-themed table decoration. Judged by Nikon Baker, The Winter Gardens
• Level 3 Advanced Professional Cookery – An Alice in Wonderland edible three-tier cake stand with selection of delights. Judged by Alex Parsons, The Old Down Estate

See all our courses and apprenticeships for more details.

Weston College students will get the chance to work with an exciting new range of animals thanks to a partnership with one of the region’s top visitor attractions.

The College has joined forces with Puxton Park, which will enable students to develop industry-specific skills working with the park’s specialist facilities and animals.

Puxton’s range of domestic, farm and exotic animals include tortoises, parrots, reindeer, owls, meerkats, donkeys, goats, ponies, rare pigs, alpacas, cattle, emus and stick insects.

The link will also allow students to gain broader experience on their customer service skills, by engaging with tourists, families and school parties; all helping to prepare them for the world of work.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College, said: “Puxton Park is an outstanding and well-known venue, boasting a huge range of facilities, resources and animals.

“This innovative and exciting partnership provides a wealth of opportunities for students, to develop practical skills with species to suit everyone’s interests from reptiles to large farm animals through to birds of prey.”

“With future skills gaps identified and the excellent access of Puxton Park on the A370, this partnership will allow us to develop our animal management provision and provide students from throughout the region with the skills they need to succeed in this exciting industry.”

Alistair Mead, Managing Director of Puxton Park, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with Weston College.

“Puxton Park was originally built with the intention of being an educational working farm park. Over the past 12 years, the park has grown in many ways; however, our roots as a place of learning and growth are deeply ingrained in everything we offer which is why we feel so passionate about supporting and working with future veterinary nurses, animal keepers, animal scientists, farmers and vets.”

Puxton Park is an award-winning family adventure park based near Weston-super-Mare. It provides animal talks, workshops and feedings, as well as indoor and outdoor adventure areas, water activities, rides and games.