COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
Your Future Starts Here
With hundreds of exciting courses, this is where your journey begins. From day one, you'll be supported, inspired, and on track to a rewarding career.
See SubjectsJoin a Career Excellence Hub and gain real-world skills, experience, and confidence to reach your goals.
Whether you're finishing school, changing direction, or learning English with our ESOL courses – we’ve got you covered.
Get started today – pick a subject and apply online in just 5 minutes!
Find Your Future Path
QUALIFICATIONS EXPLAINED
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.
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 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.
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.
LATEST NEWS
The Island Gallery in Bristol was home to a fantastic week of artistic innovation and exploration as Art Foundation and Extended Diploma students unveiled their creations in the Aleatory24 exhibition. Showcasing an array of diverse and dynamic art, this event marked the culmination of two weeks of intensive artistic endeavour, serving as a catalyst for the students' Final Major Study.
Challenged to channel their creativity within the confines of a 1ft cube, the students embraced this limitation with fervour, pushing the boundaries of their imagination to new heights. Despite the constraint, the students used ingenuity as they employed a variety of mediums to bring their visions to life.
From captivating 2D compositions to intricate 3D sculptures, from digital marvels to analogue wonders, the exhibition was a testament to the students' versatility and resourcefulness. Visitors were treated to a sensory feast, with some students using both visual and auditory elements making for interactive and thought-provoking displays.
Aleatory24 not only showcased the students' artistic talents but also underscored the importance of creative freedom and experimentation in the artistic process. As these young artists continue their journey towards the Summer Show at Loxton Campus in June, their experience at The Island gallery serves as a springboard for further exploration and innovation.
A big congratulations to all of the students who took part in the exhibition. Find out more about Art, Design, Graphics and Fashion at Weston College by clicking here.
Weston College proudly announces its outstanding performance in the recently released national apprenticeship success rates, positioning itself as a leading provider in the education sector. According to the latest data, Weston College has achieved a remarkable success rate of 68.1%, marking a significant increase of 3.5% compared to the previous year.
Barney Willis, Assistant Principal - Apprenticeship and Traineeship Operations, expressed his delight, stating, "The national success rates for apprenticeships were released yesterday, and Weston College performed excellently again this year compared to other apprenticeship providers. Our apprenticeship success this year has risen by 3.5% to 68.1%. National benchmarks are at 54.3%. We are now officially the best College in the south-west and the only one that has met the government’s minimum target of 67%!"
This achievement reaffirms Weston College's commitment to delivering high-quality apprenticeship programs that not only meet but exceed national standards. The College has garnered attention on multiple fronts:
- Weston College ranks in the top 5 nationally when excluding smaller further education (FE) colleges with relatively low numbers of apprentices.
- In a comparison against all provider types, including colleges and other institutions, Weston College secures a spot in the top 10 nationally. Notably, among colleges of similar or larger size, Weston College is unmatched in its success rate.
- Within the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) area, Weston College stands out with a success rate of more than 10% higher than its closest competitors.
Weston College's consistent excellence in apprenticeship provision highlights its position as a beacon of educational excellence, supporting employers and empowering learners to thrive in their chosen fields and contributing to the region's economic growth.
Every year, University Centre Weston holds a photography competition, open to entries both in an international ‘open call’ and to entries from Weston College students. This year’s theme for photos to follow was around ‘Embrace’. This photography award is produced and organised by the BA Hons Photography & Visual Cultures students from UCW, with support from Royal Photographic Society. The awards were presented alongside the Dirigo International Student Film Festival at the Cube Microplex.
Our student winner for this year was the very talented Lucy Kenchington, who is currently studying the UAL Level 3 Photography course. You can see her impressive work below.
The runners up for the students category are below:
Runner up - Tanya Fairall
Runner up - Viktorija Chvirago
We caught up with Lucy to get her reaction to her impressive win. Lucy said: "I was a little surprised when I discovered I had won the Embrace competition, especially when I found out how many other photographers had entered.
“It was a very nice shock. I hope to have a career in photography one day and this feels like a positive first step. Not only did I gain some valuable work experience during the actual shoot, but I am also lucky enough that my photo has been published and displayed in galleries in Bristol and Weston which is great for publicity.”
The award was also open to an international open call for submissions. The winner in this category was Farid Barari from Tehran, Iran for the incredible piece; Shoemaker!
The runners up for the open category are as follows:
Runner up - Amir Farhoud, Modernity Against Modernism, London, UK
Runner up - Elaine Cristina Melo, The Miracle of innocence, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Commended - Tony Jordan, Stroud, UK
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.
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?