<p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Within our </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; target="_blank">Sixth Form</a><span style="font-size:inherit;">, our learners can choose a career-enhancing pathway alongside their core </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; target="_blank">A Level</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> subjects which will not only bolster their CV’s and UCAS applications, but will also provide them with more transferrable skills and preparation for the future. These can range from Business Enterprise and Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), to Bio-Medical and many more.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Some also choose the Social Action pathway where they get the chance to organise community events to raise money and awareness for charities of their choosing. Two of our learners, Aleks and Aleks, recently organised a 7-mile charity walk to raise money for the Rainbow Trust Charity.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Rainbow Trust is a charity for supporting families with seriously ill children to provide emotional and practical support. They provide each family with an expert Family Support Worker to help them with the possibility of loss and cope with daily struggles, giving them the chance to discuss fears and anxieties, diagnoses and treatments, and even organise memorable activities for not only the sick children but also their families.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Aleks and Aleks saw this charity as important as it focuses not only on the seriously ill children, but also their suffering families which people don’t often consider, saying “they make families more confident with the fact that their children are going through a terminal illness which is just as important”.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">In order to raise awareness and money towards this fantastic cause, they created posters with links and QR codes to their JustGiving page, putting them all over the Sixth Form and social media to gain as much traction as possible. So far, Aleks and Aleks have raised around £80 with a goal of £120.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The walk proved to be an achievable event to raise money and get people involved and consisted of both </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; target="_blank">Sixth Form</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> and </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/prote…; target="_blank">Protective Services</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> learners. Aleks said, “we do loads of different campaigns and tasks to help our community and to give back, and we thought a walk would help us get as much recognition as possible”. Our </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/creat…; target="_blank">Media and Communications</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> learners also interviewed them to provide more publicity of the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Thank you to Nicola Stent and Anne Draper, the Social Action Pathway lecturers, for assisting Aleks and Aleks in making this event possible and promoting it to other students around the college.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Well done to Aleks and Aleks for your fantastic efforts in organising this 7-mile walk for the Rainbow Trust, you should be proud.&nbsp;</span></p><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><a href="https://www.justgiving.com/page/aleksandra-aleksandrajl1732023519814&qu…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.justgiving.com/page/aleksandra-aleksandrajl1732023519814&qu…; target="_blank">If you wish to check out Aleks and Aleks JustGiving page, click here.</a><span style="font-size:inherit;">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/level…; target="_blank">If you’re interested in applying to join our Sixth Form in September, click here.</a></p><blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width:605px;min-width:325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@westoncollege/video/7463068386054917409&quot; data-video-id="7463068386054917409"><section><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@westoncollege?refer=embed&quot; target="_blank" title="@westoncollege">@westoncollege</a></p><p>Our Social Action students, Aleks and Aleks, have been working hard to organise a 7 mile charity walk for the Rainbow Trust Charity 🌈🌈 This is an amazing event that they've independently organised, getting many other students across the college involved to raise money and awareness for this amazing charity ⭐ To find out more, visit our website!</p><p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-WestonCollege-7463068457718…; target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - WestonCollege">♬ original sound - WestonCollege</a></p></section></blockquote>

<p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Recently, our </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults/art-design-gra… style="font-size:inherit;">UAL Foundation Diploma in Art &amp; Design Pre-Degree</span></a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> students took a trip to London, immersing themselves in the city’s rich artistic history. The visit was designed to broaden their understanding of art and design, offering them a chance to experience first-hand the diversity and creativity displayed in some of London’s museums and galleries.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The trip consisted of students from both the </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults/art-design-gra…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-adults/art-design-gra…; target="_blank">UAL Foundation Diploma</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> and the </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; target="_blank">Year 1 and Year 2 Extended Diploma</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> programs. During their overnight stay, the learners explored museums and galleries such as the Design Museum, the Tate Modern, and the Tate Britain, which displayed a variety of art forms and mediums, allowing the students to appreciate the subjective nature of art and its many interpretations.&nbsp;</span></p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;The back of lecturers, Ronnie and Kelly&apos;s heads looking at artwork&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="870fdadd-f1ea-434f-a5c1-68c1a9ecc868" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The students also visited Southbank and Westminster to make the most out of their trip and experience the busy city atmosphere and unmissable sights and landmarks. This trip also gave our learners the chance to bond further outside the classroom and provided them with invaluable life skills like navigating through cities, both on foot and using public transport like the tube.&nbsp;</span></p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Lecturers Ronnie and Kelly smiling in front of Southbank yellow building&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="373bfab4-c84a-4acc-9eb7-2a88b0282b93" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p>&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Rachel Clayton, one of our Art, Graphics, and Fashion lecturers, highlighted the significance of the trip, saying “We run this trip to nourish the cultural elements of the course and to provide inspiration from artists and designers that will inform their creative output.”&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The trip was organised by tutors Rachel Clayton, Kelly Metcalfe, and Ronnie Houselander-Cook, who accompanied the students and ensured a memorable and enriching experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">By engaging with art in such a prestigious and dynamic environment, the learners deepened their artistic knowledge and built connections between their work and the art on display which will enhance their creativity and collaboration throughout their studies.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:8px;margin-left:0;margin-top:0px;"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; target="_blank">If you’re interested in applying to one of our Arts, Design, Graphics and Fashion courses, click here.</a><span style="font-size:inherit;">&nbsp;</span></p>

<p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Tyntesfield National Trust has been brought to life this festive season with a stunning collaborative display that celebrates history, community, and creativity. The ‘Christmas Past’ display includes nine unique Christmas trees designed and crafted by our </span><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; target="_blank">Level 3 Art and Fashion</a><span style="font-size:inherit;"> learners as part of the "Re-imagining Christmas" project. This initiative is a multidisciplinary effort showcasing the talents of artists and communities across North Somerset, supported by the National Trust and Super Culture.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">The ‘Christmas Past’ display at Tyntesfield reflects the estate’s historical richness, blending modern artistic interpretations with the stories of the Gibbs family and the estate’s beautiful gardens. Over 250 participants, many visiting Tyntesfield for the first time, have contributed to this creative display, making it a true community effort.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Our students embraced the challenge, drawing inspiration from their visit to the estate where they explored the house and gardens, soaking in the intricate details of objects, artifacts, and landscapes. Once they were back in the studio, they worked collaboratively in groups to translate their inspiration into a forest of imaginative trees. Each tree reflects the estate’s natural beauty and Victorian heritage, while also addressing deeper themes of Christmas like celebration and solitude.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Sustainability also played a key role in the project with the students using reclaimed materials to construct their trees, decorating them with thoughtful details like paper ornaments, embroidery, collages, spray-painted accents, and fake snow. This eco-conscious approach not only highlights the importance of reducing waste during the festive season but also adds a unique handcrafted charm to the display.&nbsp;</span></p><drupal-entity alt="&quot;Christmas trees made by the learners on display outside Loxton campus&quot;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="194ab497-7aae-4b1c-9d9f-ea467c025eaf" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{&quot;image_style&quot;:&quot;max_500x500&quot;,&quot;image_link&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;image_loading&quot;:{&quot;attribute&quot;:&quot;lazy&quot;}}">&nbsp;</drupal-entity><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">This project was supported by the National Trust and Super Culture, with the students' work being part of a bigger body of artwork created by diverse community groups from Weston, including Alliance Homes, Weston Adults Affected by Addiction, Children of Weston Southward, and Friends of Grove Park. This project was also put in motion and assisted by one of our Art and Design lecturers, Ronnie Houselander-Cook, who assisted the learners with every step of this project and made it all possible.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">This year’s Christmas display at Tyntesfield celebrates creativity, sustainability, and collaboration, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in a thoughtfully reimagined holiday experience. The students’ trees represent community and bring history and tradition into a modern, meaningful context.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><span style="font-size:inherit;">Thank you to Tyntesfield National Trust and Super Culture for making this event possible and giving our learners a chance, but also well done to our learners for taking this project in stride and creating a Christmas display to be proud of.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="margin-bottom:16px;margin-left:0;margin-top:16px;"><a href="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.weston.ac.uk/what-can-i-study/courses-16-18-year-olds/art-d…; target="_blank">If you are interested in applying to one of our Art and Fashion courses next September, click here.</a><span style="font-size:inherit;">&nbsp;</span></p>