Since leaving Weston College, Charlie Williams has earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism at the University of Essex and a Master’s in Political Communication at the University of Leeds, appeared on BBC Radio 4, reported for the Weston Mercury, and been elected as the youngest councillor on Weston Town Council. Now working in Bristol and eyeing a future in national journalism — and even a PhD — Charlie’s journey is nothing short of inspiring.

Charlie studied A Levels in History, Politics, and Law at Weston College’s Loxton Campus between 2016 and 2018. Charlie chose Weston College over other local options, realising that Weston College offered the best environment for him to study. “I also knew many people who studied there and everybody from my school was also going to the College,” he says. “So, it was a no-brainer really!”

Despite his successes, Charlie’s path wasn’t without challenges. He describes the step up from GCSEs to A Levels as the toughest academic leap he’s experienced — even harder than the transition to university. “The best skill I learnt was 100% organisational skills and time management,” he says, reflecting on the content-heavy demands of his subjects. With limited access to resources at home, including no personal laptop and unaffordable textbooks, Charlie relied on the support of his teachers to stay on track. “With the help of my amazing teachers, I ended up getting the hang of things.”

Charlie speaks fondly about his lecturers and looks back upon the positive impact of his second-year History tutor, who brought a fresh perspective, and his Law lecturer, whose unorthodox teaching style made a lasting impression.

After Weston College, Charlie studied a BA in Multimedia Journalism at the University of Essex, securing placements with the BBC and appearing on Radio 4’s The World at One. He then returned home to join the Weston Mercury, where he investigated public spending around the See Monster exhibition — a piece he proudly calls his “magnum opus.”

His involvement in the local community continued when he was elected as a councillor for Haywood Village, becoming the youngest member of Weston Town Council. In a full-circle moment, he played a key role in relocating the council offices to the former Mercury building — the very newsroom where he once worked as a journalist. “I must be one of very few people in the world to ever say that I was part of the process to change my old work office and continue to work there under a different organisation!”

Charlie then went on to complete a master's in political communication at the University of Leeds, graduating with distinction and achieving the highest grades in his programme.

Today, he works in Bristol and hopes to secure a role at a national newspaper, hoping to pursue a PhD in the future. “Since leaving Weston College, I have achieved: a BA and master’s degree, was a reporter with my local paper and have been elected a councillor,” he says.

Would he recommend Weston College? “Yes, because of the wide-ranging courses they offer. It's not just A Levels — it's everything, and I think that's a very good thing indeed.”

Charlie’s journey shows how a strong foundation, hard work, and the right support can open up a wide range of opportunities. From studying A Levels at Weston College to working in journalism and the local council, he’s made the most of each step along the way. We look forward to seeing where his path takes him next.