Millie studies on the Pathways to Adulthood course at the College. As part of our celebration of Supporting the Power of Specialist Further Education (1st–5th December), we asked Millie and her Dad, to reflect on their time at college so far.

Millie has made continual steps towards achieving her aspirations and Education, Health and Care Plan outcomes. Millie benefited from joining the Weston College transition link programme, attending one day a week, two years before enrolling on her course. This gave Weston College staff the opportunity to work closely with Millie and her familiar team from Baytree School. Through this link programme, Millie was able to explore and familiarise herself with the Weston team, new peers, specialist areas of the college, including the sensory learning base, and access other learner spaces.

Millie’s dad explained that, at first, they had never really considered further education for Millie, particularly not locally, as they were unsure it would be accessible for her. However, when Millie started attending the college link programme with her school, she really enjoyed it and felt confident this was the right step for their daughter.

Millie joined Weston College in 2023, starting the Pathways to Supported Adulthood course. She has made progress in all areas of her life, most notably in her engagement, anticipation, and interactions. Millie loves using assistive technology in a variety of ways, particularly to manipulate sensory-enriching resources. Through her communication achievements, she has been able to advocate her preferences by exploring a range of activities. Millie loves being out and about, busy places, music, sensory exploration, and particularly enjoyed the Preparation for Life student show.

Millie has gained confidence and resilience, ready to start her move to adulthood and life after college. She and her family have started exploring her next steps with the ongoing encouragement of the team, and the College will continue to support her through this next transition.

Congratulations to Millie - her journey so far reflects the confidence she has built and the progress she has made across every aspect of her life, and the positive impact of specialist further education.

Last month, our Education and Early Years students packed up six shoeboxes filled with toys and activities for children less fortunate this Christmas with the Samaritan's Shoebox Appeal. 

The Samaritan's Christmas Shoebox Appeal, also known as Samaritan’s Purse International Relief, is a fantastic initiative where the public is encouraged to pack up shoeboxes with gifts for children across the world whose families cannot generally afford Christmas presents. This year, the shoeboxes are being delivered to countries such as Ukraine, Moldova, Albania, Malawi, Ghana, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, West Africa, and the Middle East. These shoeboxes will bring joy to children and let them know they are cared for. 

This initiative was introduced to the students after one of our Early Years Educator T Level learners, Sophie, announced that she had been taking part in the Christmas Shoebox Appeal for the last seven years. During this time, she has sent off a total of 9 shoeboxes to help bring joy to children at Christmas time, and an extra six if you include the shoeboxes sent by her peers. 

Sophie said, “Seeing how fortunate I am on Christmas to have a few presents compared to other children, I wanted to go out and make it so other children can feel special too. Seeing the smiles on the children's faces will be priceless for their parents and I just know that the parents will be grateful to the person who gave their child a gift. I also just believe that each child deserves a present on Christmas as it keeps their magic alive.” 

“I think it’s important to get involved because it gives back to the community and helps others when in need. I often imagine how I would feel in that situation, and I would want to be helped during the festive time of year. Even donating to the charity, it allows children to get a gift at Christmas which means so much to them.” 

In these boxes, the Early Years students packed up a range of items for both boys and girls, as well as babies. They had a brief to follow to ensure a wide range of gifts were bought to fit into each category and ensure every child had an appropriate present, including pens, colouring books, fluffy socks, toys, hairbrushes, and teddies, as well as more practical gifts such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary products, dummies, shower gel, and much more. 

Students got stuck in, bringing in shoeboxes and wrapping them up as well as organising the presents to ensure each box contained suitable gifts for the recipient with a fair amount in each box. Students even included a group picture so the receiver could see who gifted them the shoebox as well as a signed note from the Education and Early Years students at Weston College. 

By getting the students involved, it teaches them valuable lessons of generosity and the importance of donating to charity. They experienced the positive impact they could have on someone’s life, and for students who aim to work with children in the future, it gives them an idea of the different circumstances and backgrounds children can come from. 

A big well done to all the students involved for making this possible, in particular Sophie who has been independently taking part in this tradition for years and for encouraging the other students to get involved, it is an amazing initiative to get involved with! 

@westoncollege

Early Years students packed up a range of toys and necessities for the Samaritan's Shoebox Appeal! 🎄🎁

♬ original sound - WestonCollege

This initiative forms part of the Education and Early Years Careers Excellence Hub. Weston College's Career Excellence Hubs are designed to be the launching pad for our learners' careers. In a world where connections and relevant skills matter more than ever, these hubs offer a holistic approach that prepares learners to thrive in their chosen industries. With the support of these hubs, our learners are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their professional journeys.  

Progress to the next level in Education and Early Years! At University Centre Weston (UCW) our students give us impressive feedback, with our latest National Student Survey results putting us above average in all nine areas! Find out more about our exceptional teaching, wellbeing services and learning resources by visiting our website. Click here! 

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. 

Brandon studies Pathways to Supported Adulthood at the college and has been with us since 2024. As part of our celebration of Supporting the Power of Specialist Further Education (1st–5th December), we asked Brandon to reflect on his time at college so far.

Brandon has developed a strong sense of enjoyment and belonging at college. He particularly values spending time with his friends and is enthusiastic about subjects such as Maths, shopping and cooking. He has also developed a love of music through learning to play the keyboard.

Educational trips are a highlight for Brandon, with Wake the Tiger standing out as his favourite experience. Brandon also shared how much he values his teachers, describing them as “great and always supportive.”

Over his time at college, Brandon has learnt to use sensory massage techniques to help him focus, an important skill that supports both his learning and wellbeing. He is particularly proud of the progress he has made in his community skills, explaining that he can now keep himself safe in the community far more independently.

Coming to college makes Brandon feel happy. He enjoys being part of the college community, seeing his friends, and taking part in daily routines. One of the things he loves most is buying his lunch and eating in the bistro, where he feels welcomed and supported by the staff.

Congratulations to Brandon - his journey so far reflects his enthusiasm, growing independence, and the positive impact of specialist further education.