News and events
We aim to keep you up-to-date with the very latest Weston College news and events. Take a look below at what's going on at the College!
Got news you want to share with us? Email marketing@weston.ac.uk
Latest events at Weston College
Latest news and developments at Weston College
Dear Parents/Guardians
As Christmas draws near and we look back on a year of challenges and opportunities it is good to see the phenomenal developments post the covid closure era!
At the various sites of the College, we have continued to invest in state-of-the-at learning and support facilities for our learners ensuring at all times we have been focussed on supportive learning environments with inclusivity at the heart of all we do. I am pleased to report that we opened our new premises in Bristol recently where the city centre location is specialising in facilities that enable rapid progression in gaining new skills with bespoke support. Our world continues to change but at the same time we continue to deliver outstanding resources and commitment to everyone we are responsible for. When it comes to the topic of student support and care, in November we were thrilled to be able to celebrate being the first college to be awarded Gold for the Further Education Mental Health award, along with being the first college to achieve the People, Culture and Wellbeing Award. The wellbeing and safety of our community remains our number one priority.
This newsletter will bring you up to date on our resources and services that maintain outstanding teaching and learning but also how we can support learners over the holiday period.
A reminder that the College will close for the festive period on Friday 23rd December 2022 and will re-open on Tuesday January 3rd 2023 for the start of the spring term.
From all the Weston College staff and governors, we wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.
Sir Paul Phillips CBE
Principal & Chief Executive
Learners from the T Level Digital and BTEC Computing courses recently took part in the Bebras Challenge. Bebras is a computational thinking challenge that is organised over 50 countries, in partnership with Oxford University and The Raspberry Pi Foundation. Learners answer questions that look at challenging their logical thinking and problem-solving abilities, both of which are vital skills required in computer science. This takes place in the 2nd week of November, with all that compete earning either a certificate of participation, merit, distinction or best in school.
Tom, one of the learners who had placed in the top 10% of achievers, told us about his experience.
“Our whole class entered the challenge together. Ben Hobbs, our teacher, put in the application for us all. It was great that we all entered as it meant we were able to revise together; we were given practice papers for the lead-up to make sure we were prepared for the challenge.
“I’d only found out about being in the top 10% of competitors when I was given the certificate the following week; it was definitely the highlight of the challenge!”
Those that achieve within the top 10% nationally, are eligible to take part within the Oxford University Computing Challenge (OUCC) in January, which looks to challenge them on their programming abilities within their choice of coding language, including C#, Java or Python.
Tom commented: “I intend on taking part in the OUCC; I think it will be much more difficult as it is focused on problem solving with coding, but I’m excited to face the challenge.”
Tom’s advice to anyone thinking of entering the Bebras challenge was to “try and manage your time and answer as many questions as you can – practice questions were the best and most effective way to improve on this.”
Ben Hobbs, the computing teacher who entered the learners into the challenge, said: “I am so proud of everyone who competed in the Bebras Challenge, particularly those who were in the top 10%; what an incredible achievement! Opportunities like these are the perfect way for the learners to put what they learn into practise, and the development in their confidence afterwards is astounding! Congratulations to everybody involved!”
Weston College have launched their new ‘Become an Inclusive Employer’ workshops, where employers are provided with the knowledge and skills to support neurodiverse employees and customers. This allows employers to access untapped talent in the workplace, and create an inclusive environment for customers.
Puxton Park are one of the many employers who have undertaken the workshop, and the impact it has already had on their business is incredible. The park, which attracts over 450,000 visitors every year, has made it their mission to ensure that new play equipment, infrastructure and daily operations are as inclusive and accessible as possible. Investments such as an accessible roundabout, which can be used by children of mixed abilities, as well as a state-of-the-art wheelchair accessible trampoline have already been made, alongside wide paved paths throughout the park for wheelchair access.
Since attending the inclusive employer workshop, new ideas and initiatives have been developed to best support the neurodiverse community. The concept of neurodiversity aims to reduce stigma around learning and thinking difficulties, and encourages viewing differences in the brain as differences rather than defects. One of the new additions to the park to support neurodiverse customers is an investment in Ear Defenders which can be rented out free of charge.
Georgina Francis, Operations Manager of Puxton Park, says: “Being an inclusive attraction has always been extremely important to us. We have worked closely with Weston College and have had the privilege of taking part in their neurodiversity training workshops. This training was enlightening and informative and opened our eyes to the opportunities and initiatives we can take part in to best support the disabled and neurodiverse communities. We continue to grow our business partnership with Weston College and thank them for their continued support.” Read their full story, here!
We are so thrilled at the impact of these workshops on the businesses who are taking part; sign up for the Inclusive Employer workshops, here.
Nicola Lace, the SEND Operations Manager, commented: “We are so thrilled at the long lasting impact this is having on the employers who attend our sessions, and how this is contributing to the inclusivity in their businesses. In 2023 we will be hosting 5 sessions, with the potential to add more with demand, as we seek to support businesses across the region to adopt best practice and create a more inclusive environment for their colleagues and customers.”
