This week, Weston College celebrated the fantastic achievements of our learners by hosting a Student Conference, bringing together our Student Reps, Student Leadership Team and nominated students to recognise their hard work and commitment so far this academic year.

The day was introduced by Deputy Principal, Ben Knocks, who welcomed the students and outlined the activities for the day before handing over to the Head of Student Engagement, Luke Penberthy, who introduced the first activity: building their dream college. This task allowed our students to consider what makes a great college and the aspects they deem as the most important to improve their student experience, giving them the opportunity to develop their ideas through constructive conversations and teamwork, whilst thinking logistically and thoughtfully about their decisions.

Our Students’ Union President, Niya Thomas, then introduced the guest speaker and former Sixth Form student, Dave Trevaskus from the LEGO Group, where he shared his journey and the challenges he faced throughout his progression, having worked at over 20 companies before landing in his current role as the Retail Training Lead at the LEGO Group.

He taught valuable lessons to the students in a fun and engaging way, creating an interactive quiz with LEGO sets as prizes, giving everyone a duck to build to test their adaptability, and leading an engaging memory test to prove how we learn through play effectively. Dave created a safe environment for the students to get involved in activities, reassuring them by chatting informally and creating a casual and comfortable environment that made a lasting impression on the room.

Following an engaging Q&A session with Dave and the students, a delicious lunch was provided by our catering staff for attendees to enjoy with their peers.

After lunch, Ben Knocks discussed the core values within Weston College and the importance of these in creating an inclusive and safe environment for everyone. Students then had the opportunity to share their thoughts and feedback on the values most important to them. This feedback is invaluable to ensure the quality and standards at Weston College continues to progress and grow, with student feedback at the forefront of our approach.

Finally, the Student Awards were announced, recognising students for their resilience, outstanding progress, community engagement, and inclusion throughout this academic year. Lecturers and staff nominated students they felt had gone above and beyond and deserved to be celebrated for their achievements. Winners and highly commended students were then chosen from the nominations and given a certificate to commemorate their efforts.

Tia Beard, Student Engagement Officer and organiser of the event, said, “It was fantastic to see such a great turnout to celebrate the hard work of the students so far this year and for so many amazing nominations to celebrate students’ achievements. I’d also like to say a huge thank you for the hard work of the Student Representatives and the Student Leadership Team for all the hard work you’ve done this year to help improve our college and make it an inclusive and enjoyable environment for everyone. Your involvement is imperative to the work we do!”

Well done to all the students who were nominated for each category. It is this commitment that reflects the standard of students and dedication of our lecturers. We also want to say a huge thank you to the Student Engagement Team, Tia Beard, Luke Penberthy, Morgan Jenkins, and Liv Haly, for all their hard work to make this event possible.

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.