News and events

Following the South West Regional heats of the Association of Hairdressers and Therapists (AHT) Competition hosted at Weston College, some of our HE and FE students progressed to the AHT Final in Blackpool that took place over 2 days. 

Throughout the competitions, our FE and HE learners showcased exceptional skill, determination, and passion across the two days in each category, and this was truly reflected in the fantastic results of our students.  

Weston College Further Education (FE) students from Hairdressing, Hair and Media, and Beauty attended, as well as UCW Higher Education (HE) students from Makeup and Prosthetics.

For the competition, the students and staff travelled up on the Saturday to explore Blackpool and settle in before the competition ahead. On the Sunday, learners competed in the direct entry competitions which included Spa Body Massage, Prosthetics, Nails, and Catwalk Hair. Within these categories, the learners managed to secure 1st place in Spa Body Massages and Prosthetics, a 3rd place in Prosthetics, and 4th place in Nails. 

The National Finals took place on the Monday where both HE and FE students competed in a range of categories, including Body Painting, Create an Injury, Face Painting, Fantasy Make up, Cut and Blow dry, Fantasy Hair, and Hair styling. Similar to the direct entry competitions, the results for these competitions were amazing, with the Face Painting securing 1st place, Create an Injury achieving 3rd place, and Fantasy Makeup gaining 4th place out of 27 participants! 

Throughout the competition, students were required to adhere to very strict guidelines and themes. This created a real-life, client-customer simulation for some students as it required learners to think creatively whilst remaining within the rules, regulations and requirements set by the competition. 

This was a fantastic opportunity for learners to apply their skills and follow instructions whilst adding their own creative freedom to their work. Not only this, they also got the chance to meet like-minded individuals with a passion for hairdressing, makeup and beauty, as well as network with industry professionals and gain constructive criticism to further enhance their skills. 

These types of competitions are great for building confidence in the next generation of professionals, whilst also giving them credited awards that they can include in their portfolio in order to show off their talent and ability to future employers.  

Jenna Ratcliffe, Head of Service Sectors at Weston College and AHT Chair for the South West, expressed the pride she felt for the students, saying, “to step onto the competition floor takes courage, but to medal among such outstanding talent is even more impressive! Many of our learners pushed well beyond the limits of their qualifications, proving just how committed and capable they are. 

Competitions such as this allow students to gain hands-on experience of working with specifications in a pressured environment which only improves and develops their time-management, professionalism, and their general abilities. We couldn’t be prouder of how our students did and how they represented Weston College. It was a true testament to their hard work!” 

Well done to all the students who participated in this competition! 

If you are interested in applying to one of our Makeup & Prosthetics or Hairdressing & Barbering courses, click here.  

If you are interested in applying to the UCW Hair, Makeup and Prosthetics Degree course, click here. 

If you are passionate about education and are looking for an opportunity to join the staff team at a leading college, then look at the latest job vacancies available at Weston College here. You can find all the latest job opportunities that Weston College has to offer, with a commitment to providing quality education for learners and a focus on continuous professional development for staff, Weston College is an excellent place to work and grow in your career. 

Two teams from Weston College’s Protective Services department recently took on one of the UK’s most demanding endurance challenges: the Ten Tors competition on Dartmoor. Taking part in the 45-mile and 55-mile events respectively, both teams demonstrated exceptional determination and commitment, making their college proud in their first-ever appearance at the event.

The Ten Tors Challenge brings together approximately 2,400 teenagers in 400 teams of six, each navigating a course of 35, 45, or 55 miles, depending on their age, across Dartmoor. Over two days, teams are required to be completely self-sufficient, carrying all the equipment and supplies necessary to safely complete their route and camp overnight. Along the way, they must reach ten nominated tors or checkpoints, testing not only their physical endurance but also their navigation and survival skills.

David Usher, one of our Protective Services lecturers, praised the students’ performance, saying, “We are really proud of the teams' achievements in this tough event. This was our first time participating in the event and we have learnt a lot for future involvement. Training will start in earnest in September for next year’s event, where we are looking to set the standard for the quickest times possible.”

Participation in the Ten Tors is a great example of the Protective Services curriculum at Weston College, where students are encouraged to build confidence, resilience, and leadership through real-world challenges. Events like this prepare students for future service careers by pushing them beyond their perceived limits and reinforcing the value of teamwork, strategy, and mental strength.

This year’s competition offered invaluable lessons. Beyond navigating Dartmoor’s terrain and tackling its varying inclines, students were also responsible for carrying all essential gear needed for the two-day expedition.

We’d like to congratulate all those who took part! The physical and mental endurance displayed by all participants, including students from other schools, was inspiring.

If you’re interested in joining the adventure with one of our Uniformed Protective Services courses, click here.

We’re proud to share this powerful and personal article written by Claire Chandler, who is now studying for a Level 6 Chartered Legal Executive Apprenticeship with Weston College and working at North Devon Council. Originally published by LawCare, Legally Autistic is Claire’s honest and moving account of her journey through education, diagnosis, and self-discovery as an autistic woman pursuing a career in law.

Claire’s story sheds light on the hidden challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals and highlights the strength it takes not just to succeed, but to persevere. Her openness and advocacy are a true inspiration.

We’re human. We’re made to move through the ups and down of life, the tragedies and the painful challenges. Being an autistic human makes the world that bit harder to navigate and sometimes we find ourselves stuck. Stuck in world where we feel we don’t belong, searching for ways to try and fit in. It’s like being left-handed in a world that’s made for right-handed people, think using cutlery, scissors, shaking hands, using a mouse on a computer. All of these things are possible for left-handers, but adjustments need to be made in order to make it work. I was 15 when I first realised that something was different. In weekly assemblies I’d sit on my own at the back, right next to the door as if I were to suddenly throw up, I’d have an easy escape route. Throwing up was the start of how my anxiety would manifest itself. It wasn’t just nerves, but an actual, physical response to danger – except there wasn’t any danger. During the six hours I was at school, I would easily be throwing up 10 times throughout the day, enough to put you off your lunch…literally. By some miracle I managed to fly through my exams. I was off to college.

It took so much energy out of me to get up and go to college. I had few friends but found it very difficult to make more and struggled a lot with socialising. The throwing up had eased but never completely stopped. I wound myself up about speaking aloud in classes, to the point I’d just not turn up. This compounded and resulted in failing my A Levels, including Law. After experiencing these symptoms for a while, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression and given medication. This helped for a while. I passed year one of a BTEC in Business Studies with a distinction. I got the top grades and was looking forward to my second year. The second year approaches begins and I drop out, having convinced myself that I’ll just fail again, so what’s the point? It’s interesting, in hindsight, how I focused on the failure, rather than the more recent and very positive grades.

I was no longer at college and not employed. I didn’t understand the world or how I could ever move forwards. Just the thought of working made me feel sick again, despite really wanting, needing, to be ‘normal’. This was the point where I started a distance-learning degree in Business and Law, really just as something to do. In an attempt to improve myself, I finally felt confident enough to try counselling. I tried CBT and hypnotherapy, none of which helped. In the end I found a private counsellor and haven’t looked back. Fast forward 2 years and I finally have a job that I love, I’ve graduated with an honours degree and I was studying towards qualification as a Solicitor. However, the Solicitors Qualifying Exam was tough. I failed again. I wondered how I can ever be a solicitor if I couldn’t even pass the exams. Why should I retake when I would just convince myself that I’d fail again? I had always been academic so why can’t I do this?

After a short break, I started counselling again and it was suggested that I could be autistic. It had never crossed my mind. The inability to let go of the past, the difficulties in friendships and relationships, the discomfort in eye contact and conversation, the need for routine, the need for perfection, the terrifying fear of failure and not being good enough, the difficulties with transitions…needless to say, I was diagnosed in January 2025.

This opened up a new world for me. I’m learning more about myself and now realise I wasn’t failing because I wasn’t good enough, but because I couldn’t cope with a 5 hour exam and the sheer amount of information I was expected to easily recall. The structure of the exam wasn’t right for me, and that’s ok. There are different ways, and you can succeed.

Just because you see the world differently, it doesn’t mean that you’re less of a person, less capable, or just, less. Since being diagnosed, I feel very strongly about advocating not just for myself, but for others too.

I am now studying to qualify as a Chartered Legal Executive in Local Government, and I’m looking forward to a successful career in the legal sector. Being autistic in a very neurotypical world is not easy, but that most definitely does not mean that it’s not possible.