Courses for 16 to 18-year-olds (old)
COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
With hundreds of unique, exciting and inspiring programmes to choose from, everything you need to create your brighter future is waiting for you at Weston College.
From the minute you walk through the door, the experience and the environment that we create is all about maximising your potential. It’s about preparing and motivating you for a fresh and focused career pathway.
Every Weston College student becomes part of one of our exciting new Career Excellence Hubs. This means you will take part in a study programme with lots of career boosting benefits, all with the aim of help you to go further, giving you the opportunity to become career ready with the skills, knowledge and expertise you need to be successful in your next step and reach your ultimate goal - whatever that may be!
Whether you are looking for the next step after school or the next step in your career, we're bound to have a programme for you. Take a look below at the different types of qualifications available for school leavers and young people between 16 and 18 years old.
Did you know we also run English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)?
Start your brighter future by selecting a subject you're interested in below, and don't forget - you can apply online and it only takes 5 minutes!
Discover our range of courses for school leavers aged 16-18 using the search options below...
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Find Your Future Path
Qualifications Explained
At Weston College we know that everyone learns differently. That’s why we deliver a variety of different qualification types - to give you the chance to learn in the way that suits you the most.
A Levels
A Levels develop the knowledge, skills and study habits to excel at university, as well as the attributes recognised by employers. Your academic studies will be complemented with enrichment opportunities such as trips, mentoring and work experience, providing the perfect springboard for your future career. A Levels are assessed through exams at the end of two years of study. Most learners study three subjects - some choose four.
Apprenticeships
With an apprenticeship you’ll go straight into the workplace and be shown clear routes to progress straight into employment within a specific occupation. You can achieve nationally recognised qualifications, earn a wage, and gain skills that will see you get ahead. On average you will spend 20% of your learning time in the college and 80% within the workplace..
Professional and Technical Qualifications
Professional and technical qualifications are designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to gain employment within specific industries or occupations. They provide a balance between theory and practical skills development. They are suited to those who want to get hands-on experience within a particular vocational area. These programmes include work placements. Assessment is more varied and will include exams, coursework and practical work.
Traineeships
Traineeships are a great way for 16 to 24-year-olds who haven’t yet gained the skills and experiences necessary to apply for jobs and apprenticeships. They are taught mostly in the workplace and include a mixture of personal and social development, and employability skills. The aim of a traineeship is to train you within a company so that you are more likely to be offered an apprenticeship or a job.
T Levels give you the chance to learn what a real career is like while you continue your studies. T Levels have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need, including a minimum of 45 days on an industry placement – this means you will spend 80% of your learning time in College and 20% within the workplace.
CHOOSING WHAT TO STUDY
We are all about CAREERS NOT COURSES and pride ourselves on being able to offer a huge range of programmes to ensure you develop the skills and knowledge employers and universities are looking for. As the only education provider in North Somerset that enables you to work your way up from an entrylevel programme to a degree, we’re here to help you choose the right programme for you.
We can help you choose your study programme or apprenticeship by accessing the following support:
School Liaison Team
Working with local schools we help you find out about college life and programmes of study, and we provide you with advice and guidance about what programmes will best suit you. We will either visit your school, attend careers fairs and parents’ evenings or coordinate campus and virtual events such as our taster days, holiday workshops and tours.
Events
We put on a number of events over the year, which will be a mixture of face-to-face and virtual events. These provide you and your family with the opportunity to explore our facilities, speak to our lecturers, find out about the support on offer and choose the right programme for you. Our events also give you the opportunity to engage with a number of employers to find out about careers in their industry and why they value the calibre of candidates that come from Weston College.
CAREERS ADVICE
- On our website you can access a wealth of career guidance, such as:
- All the programmes you can study.
- What our alumni have gone on to achieve.
- Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) that will help explain what relevant careers and jobs are available, including salaries.
- NEW – Subject careers roadmaps, so you can map your journey with us and ensure it will get you into your chosen career. Also, check out Career Coach - this provides you with the opportunity to:
- Take an assessment that matches you with careers.
- Explore broad career pathways that match your strengths and interests.
- Compare careers within a pathway - including salaries, required education and more.
- Explore our programmes that will set you on the path to your desired career.
- Take a career assessment - and receive an in-depth report that can help you identify the best programme and career path for you!
We’re here and happy to help – if you would like more advice and guidance, contact our school liaison team by emailing schoolteam@weston.ac.uk. - they you can arrange a one-to-one careers appointment with our specialist staff.
LATEST NEWS
<p>Last month, Weston College was lucky enough to gain funding from the Turing Scheme to take our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo… Arts</a> students on a 15-day trip to New York City, where students not only got to experience all the sights of a big city, but also got to take part in many activities and attractions that have furthered their skills and knowledge of the industry. <o:p></o:p></p><p>The Turing Scheme is a fantastic programme which offers funding to education providers to support students to pursue study and work placements worldwide. This provides learners with career-building opportunities and international experiences that will enhance their education and enrich them in different cultures. <o:p></o:p></p><p>This trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of the students who may not have had the chance to leave the UK, let alone travel across the world. Thanks to the Turing Scheme, this trip was extremely affordable, with some students getting to go completely free of charge!<o:p></o:p></p><p>During this 15-day trip, the students’ itineraries were jam-packed! Not only did they take part in a range of Broadway classes with the Broadway Dance Centre, but they also got to watch three Broadway shows which were tailored to each pathway! They saw ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ for the students on the Acting pathway, ‘Death Becomes Her’ for the Musical Theatre pathway, and ‘The Great Gatsby’ for the Dance pathway. This was a fantastic experience that allowed all students to see live performances at a professional level which many of them aspire for.</p><drupal-entity alt=""Students posing in front of the 'The Play That Goes Wrong' sign"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d3a0da20-d99f-4c14-b9e2-c101470346f2" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><drupal-entity alt=""Students posing in front of 'The Great Gatsby' sign"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d443e8b-a8c6-42e2-9e93-942c57d08e87" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p><o:p></o:p></p><p>To further enrich themselves in the history of performing arts and experience all the city has to offer, the students took part in a range of activities: from a backstage tour of Radio City Music Hall, a guided tour of the Lincoln Centre, and visiting the Museum of Broadway, to attractions like ‘The Ride’ where they experienced flash mobs and pop-up shows, Summit One Vanderbilt observatory, and the powerful 9/11 Memorial Museum.</p><drupal-entity alt=""Students standing in front of 'The Ride' bus"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="98abbea4-1f4e-42f0-9ed1-a1c46a8c8bc9" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><p><o:p></o:p></p><p>Outside of these amazing activities, students also got the chance to see the tourist sights of New York and indulge in the different foods. However, according to the group, majority would agree that the Cheesecake Factory was ultimately the best they tried!</p><drupal-entity alt=""Students standing in front of The Cheesecake Factory"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0da2cc7f-7955-4d0a-b3f2-74b76b58672a" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><p><o:p></o:p></p><p>Joe Miller, one of our Performing Arts lecturers at Weston College who attended the trip with the students, was astounded by their progression over the duration of the trip, adding, “it was so amazing to see how the students progressed in not only their techniques and their performance, but also seeing their independence and confidence grow with everyday tasks. <o:p></o:p></p><p>We wanted to encourage independence for the students in a big city by getting them to chat to workers and people themselves, as well as independently navigate groups to places we’d been to give them a sense of accomplishment and confidence–it was amazing to see the personal growth in such a short space of time!”<o:p></o:p></p><p>This trip was not only important for personal growth, but also professional growth. Getting the chance to witness and work with many other performers and professionals throughout the trip gave the learners a better understanding of how competitive and tough the industry is and how much hard work and resilience is required to make it.<o:p></o:p></p><p>According to Joe, the impact of this trip has already been reflected in their hard work since arriving back home. He has noticed more rigorous training and a focus on techniques in order to improve their skills and pursue their careers.<o:p></o:p></p><p>This fantastic trip would not have been possible without Joe Miller, Jade Hicks and Annette Milburn who all supervised and helped to organise the trip to make it the most fulfilling and memorable experience for the students as possible.<o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/perfo… you’re interested in applying to one of our Performing Arts courses in September, click here.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p>This week, Emma Pattinson and Abi Steven from North Somerset Council Parenting Team visited our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/educa… 2 Early Years T Level</a> learners to discuss the impact that a child’s environment can have on their development.<o:p></o:p></p><p>This workshop focused on Parental Conflict and the impact on children, adolescent brain development, and trauma informed approaches. These are all very important topics for the future generation of early years educators to understand and be aware of.</p><drupal-entity alt=""Abi talking to the students"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89a37e0c-4840-4bdb-aebb-104c8b78d05e" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p><o:p></o:p></p><p>During an <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/educa… Years</a> course, students are taught how to approach and talk to students, however they are less likely to be taught about how to interact with parents and families. Abi and Emma helped to build the students confidence with this by answering questions and discussing different home environments.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The session began by looking at the types of childhood trauma and the impact this trauma can have on a child’s development, not just mentally but holistically. Not only this, Abi and Emma also explained how children’s brains develop throughout their adolescence.<o:p></o:p></p><p>It is important for our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/educa… Years</a> students to understand that children need a supported environment, and their brain development can be impacted and have long term effects if they are exposed to an environment with regular conflict and trauma. It is also important to recognise children as individuals and that they are all different, therefore signs of trauma will not be universal and could appear differently depending on the child.<o:p></o:p></p><p>When discussing Parental Conflict, Abi organised her discussion in an engaging True or False format to get the students involved and thinking hard about the questions. The students seemed nervous and apprehensive to begin with but gained confidence in their answers as the session progressed.<o:p></o:p></p><p>They discussed the signs to look for when identifying a child suffering with family conflict as well as the distress and trauma that could accompany this. Abi also brought up statistics regarding parental relationships and the impact this could have on children which surprised some students.<o:p></o:p></p><p>As a final interactive task, Abi and Emma handed out large posters to the students, with the titles Social and Emotional Development, Physical Development, Academic/Cognitive, and Behaviour. The students were asked to fill out these sheets of paper with everything they knew regarding the impact that conflict and trauma could have on these topics. This was a great way to test their knowledge and encourage them to work together to fill in any blanks.<o:p></o:p></p><p>This was a very informative guest lecture as it made the students consider external factors that may explain certain child behaviour. This is a key part of being an early year’s educator as it is important to have a holistic approach to teaching and provide additional support to any children who may be experiencing family conflict or trauma.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Thank you to Emma and Abi from the North Somerset Council Parenting Team for taking the time to visit our students and deliver this impactful guest lecture.<o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/educa… you are interested in joining one of our Early Years courses in September, click here.</a></p>
<p>Last month, members of the public had the opportunity to book their dogs onto a free pet photoshoot in the photography studios at Loxton Campus. These sessions were run by Year 1 and Year 2 <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat… 3 Photography</a> students, offering them a valuable hands-on learning experience.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The students had the chance to photograph a wide variety of dog breeds, including Dachshunds, Huskies, French Bulldogs, Pomeranians, and many others. This annual event is always in high demand and sells out quickly. Not only does it provide an exciting real-world opportunity for students to enhance their photography skills, but it also allows the public to receive stunning, high-quality portraits of their beloved pets—completely free of charge.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The experience proved to be an excellent challenge for the students, helping them adapt to the needs of each dog. Not only this, capturing the perfect shot developed the students’ patience, quick thinking, and the ability to work with energetic subjects that were not always keen to sit still! These kinds of challenges are typical in professional photography due to the dynamic nature of the job, making this the perfect way for learners to gain industry experience in a controlled environment and prepare them for their future careers.<o:p></o:p></p><p>As well as gaining invaluable experience in a fast-paced, client-focused setting, the students also got to develop their personal portfolios that they can use after college.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Paul French, one of our <a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…; lecturers who organises the event each year, ensures it runs smoothly for the public, the students, and the dogs. "This event provides invaluable experience for our learners, giving them a glimpse into their future as photographers and insight into the industry. The students stepped up to the challenge and portrayed a fantastic level of maturity and professionalism—a great reflection of Weston College and the well-rounded students we produce", Paul added.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The annual dog photoshoot continues to be a highlight for both students and the community, encouraging skill development, creativity, and the joy of capturing unforgettable moments with your precious pups.</p><p>Check out a few of this year's amazing pet portraits:</p><drupal-entity alt=""Black and brown dog quizzically looking into the camera"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="407a8c3b-5108-4231-b49e-536f9efaae03" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><drupal-entity alt=""Grey and white dog crouched towards the camera"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a106a66-2cf8-4270-84e0-792159c50063" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><drupal-entity alt=""French bulldog looking at the camera with her tongue out"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="88dfd4f4-829f-4910-8ed8-806789f438e2" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><drupal-entity alt=""Pomeranian looking at the camera with her tongue out"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b388addb-90de-49c8-8944-8c66c1e9157f" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><drupal-entity alt=""Light brown dachshund looking up into the camera"" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="313c0b4c-6463-4560-845f-5a8e74ab17fe" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{"image_style":"max_500x500","image_link":"","image_loading":{"attribute":"lazy"}}"> </drupal-entity><p> </p><p><o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat… you’re interested in applying to one of our Photography courses in September, click here.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
