To celebrate this International Women's Day, we spoke with some of our inspiring staff to learn more about their journeys and discover which women have inspired them the most!

Libby

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you do at Weston College/UCW?

I have been at Weston College since 2015; in that time, I have been an English Lecturer, Progress Coach, Quality Manager and now I am the Head of English. I have a degree in English and am currently completing my Doctorate in Education, as well as being a qualified executive coach. My proudest moments working at the college were speaking at the World Education Summit in 2022 on behalf of the College, and then founding the College’s first LGBTQ Prom which will run for the 5th time this year.

I would describe myself as a working (dog) Mum to a gorgeous Cavapoo and I spend most of my time out of work either following the women’s football, reading or writing and travelling in my self-built campervan. 

Who are the women who inspire you the most, and why? 

The England Lionesses have been a source of pride and inspiration for a couple of decades for me. They give everything playing football for their country, inspiring people (especially girls and women) and also campaigning for real change with issues such as periods, women’s health and sports for girls. They do all of this without the salary and recognition that their male counterparts receive. Malala Yousafzai is my educational hero. Most people know her as the woman who was shot by the Taliban for going to school when she was just fifteen, but her activism for the educational rights of young girls and women began at a much younger age with her and her father defying regimes and running classes and schools for girls in the face of great danger.

What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self at the start of your career? 

Feedback is the most powerful thing that someone can give you: seek it.

Chloe

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you do at Weston College/UCW? 

I have worked in education for almost a decade, though my own educational journey wasn’t always straight forward. I found school tricky as I have ADHD and dyslexia which meant I often had to work twice as hard as everyone else just to get the same results but I realised early on that the only person who could secure my success was me, and it just made me more determined to reach my goals. I achieved a degree in Drama and Theatre and began my career in education later returning to study again in 2018 to complete a postgraduate masters (while still working full time!) in the Psychology of Education from a Russell Group University.

I am Direct of Social Justice and Student Support at Weston College. I lead incredible teams with responsibility for Welfare, Counselling, Children in Care, Libraries, Behaviour and Social Justice. I am the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children and I’m incredibly proud to be the colleges Designated Mental Health Lead.

Who are the women who inspire you the most, and why? 

I am incredibly lucky as I am surrounded by inspirational women every day in my personal and professional life, including my mum, granny, sister in law, nieces, friends and colleagues. I draw inspiration from a range of women, though if I had to choose my top 3 they would be:

Princess Dianna who, despite personal challenges, was a trailblazer in demonstrating compassion for all and advocacy for vulnerable and marginalised people. She inspires me to operate with kindness above anything else for no other reason than because it is always the right thing to do.

Anna Fraud was a pioneer who reframed the way that psychology considered children and young people, evidencing that the care of children and young people should be rooted in emotional wellbeing. By courageously challenging pre-existing models, huge advances were made in the field of developmental psychology. She inspires me to strive for continual development and improvement, thinking critically through a lens of “it’s good but how can it be great?”.

Miranda Hart is an incredibly intelligent political science graduate turned comedian who is unapologetically herself. She inspires me to enjoy life, without taking the trivial things too seriously, by having fun and laughing at the silly things along the way!

What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self at the start of your career? 

Your opinions and ideas are valid. Believe in yourself. You have earned your place and you are good enough to be here!

Hannah

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you do at Weston College/UCW? 

I have been working as a lecturer in Business and Travel and Tourism for just over 5 years now. I teach learners on our BTEC and T-Level programmes and they are 16-19 years old. Within my role I am a tutor, I provide 1:1 support to learners and help them achieve their qualifications. I am currently tutoring Level 2 Travel and Tourism and Level 3 Year 1 Travel and Tourism.

The majority of my teaching hours are in Travel and Tourism and I teach subjects such as the Cruise Industry, Marketing within Travel and Tourism and The World of Travel and Tourism. I am personally very passionate about travel. I work with employers such as Bristol Airport, British Airways Training Academy and Border Force at Bristol Airport to provide our learners with experiences and trips.

I have recently organised and led a trip to New York for 35 of our learners. I also teach business subjects such as International Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Branding and Behaviours and Communication.

In 2014-2016 I completed a Business BTEC here at Weston College, so I now deliver on the same qualification in which I gained, this experience has massively helped me within m y role as I understand the position our learners are in. I am passionate to deliver a fantastic experience to our learners.

Who are the women who inspire you the most, and why?

I am inspired by many women in my life, including family, friends and colleagues. There are many famous women who have inspired me including Michelle Obama who has consistently been an advocate for health, wellbeing and education.

What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self at the start of your career? 

I would tell myself to have confidence in my own ability and to try new things to push boundaries.

Abbi

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what you do at Weston College/UCW? 

I have the pleasure of overseeing the innovative curriculum of Pathways to Supported Adulthood. The team and I work with learners who experience a range of complex support needs including Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities, complex communication needs, etc.

Who are the women who inspire you the most, and why?

The woman I have always admired seems silly but Dolly Parton. She has a fantastic work ethic, tells great stories and has a consistently positive outlook on life. 'Better get to Livin'.

What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self at the start of your career? 

The one piece of advice I would give myself is stand up for what you believe in and don't feel pressured to follow the status quo, Don't accept, because someone said so, you can't do it - break the mould and blow preconceived expectations out of the water.

By Pat Jones, Principal and CEO, Weston College Group 

I am honoured to share my reflections on the journey of women in leadership, particularly within education. Stepping into this role is both a personal milestone and a testament to the progress made by women in leadership across our sector. 

Reflections on Women in Leadership & Education 

The landscape of leadership has undergone significant transformation over the years. Historically, leadership roles were the domain of our male colleagues, but more and more women are smashing glass ceilings, testament to their dedication, resilience, and exceptional talent, women have steadily reshaped this narrative. Today, more women than ever have taken up senior leadership roles in education, driving change and fostering inclusive environments. This shift has not only enhanced the diversity of leadership but also brought a broader range of perspectives to decision-making processes, ultimately enriching the experience for all. Recently I came across an example that demonstrates the effectiveness of female leaders, research conducted into Swedish politics by the London School of Economics in 2017:  In 1993, Sweden’s Social Democratic party introduced a strict gender quota for its candidates. Researchers found that by increasing the female representation by 10 percentage points, the proportion of competent men raised by 3 percentage points (researchers developed a model which looked at a number of social variables to measure competence). Ultimately, they found that gender quotas increase the competence of the political class in general, and among men in particular. 

Insights on Barriers Faced & Progress Made 

While significant strides have been made, it is important to acknowledge the barriers that persist, barriers that prevent meritocracy from thriving. Women in leadership often contend with challenges such as unconscious bias, lack of mentorship opportunities, and the delicate balance between professional and personal responsibilities. The journey to leadership can be demanding, requiring determination, self-belief and support from allies (both men and women). However, the increasing visibility of women in leadership roles, along with initiatives promoting gender equality, has begun to dismantle these obstacles. The growing recognition of the value that diverse leadership brings to organisations is a sign of the positive momentum we must continue to build upon. 

Encouragement for Women Pursuing Leadership Roles 

Many women have shaped who I am today. One woman in a previous team who was 10 years my junior and who came from a family culturally diverse to my own brought great wisdom when times were difficult, cutting through the noise and bringing clarity to actions. Another colleague was always a person you could turn to, not just for advice, but to share success too, a woman genuinely happy for the progress that you and others made. I will be forever grateful for the allyship shared by these women and hope that I continue to pay this forward with this in mind our Executive team will be introducing a mentoring programme for colleagues who wish to become leaders, further develop their skills, or who are leaders wishing to progress further in at the Weston College Group. 

To women aspiring to leadership roles, I offer this encouragement: your voice matters, your perspective is invaluable, and your potential is limitless. Embrace opportunities for growth, seek out mentors who inspire and support you, and never underestimate the power of your own resilience. Leadership is not solely about occupying a position — it is about making a difference, shaping the future, and paving the way for others to follow. As we continue to champion gender equality in leadership, let us empower one another to break barriers and build a more inclusive and diverse future. 

Together, we can create a world where leadership knows no gender, only potential and purpose. 

Happy International Women’s Day! 

Last month, Weston College was lucky enough to gain funding from the Turing Scheme to take our Performing Arts 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. 

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. 

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!

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.

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.

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!

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. 

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!”

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.

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.

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.

If you’re interested in applying to one of our Performing Arts courses in September, click here.