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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
Weston College is one of just 14 providers in the UK to be recognised as a Microsoft Showcase College.
As a ‘Microsoft Showcase College’, the College will benefit from the IT giant’s support in the personalised learning of students. This includes the use of one-to-one devices and Office 365 Education, Microsoft Teams, OneNote, Skype, Minecraft and more.
Microsoft will also share ideas to enhance staff development, student employability and innovation, and provide the College with opportunities to host Microsoft-branded educational events.
The status is awarded to Colleges that demonstrate “a commitment to education transformation and empowering educators and students to innovate and exercise a growth mindset”.
This new global education programme is an extension of Microsoft’s global network of institutions that use technology to improve teaching and learning.
Tina Jones, UK Education Engagement Manager at Microsoft, said: “We recently held a two-day session for our Showcase Schools and Colleges, which was a tremendous success.
“It was an amazing opportunity for our team to share updates on Accessibility, STEM, Apprenticeships, Azure and plan together for the future as well as learning from these amazing institutions on how they have achieved such inspirational digital transformation in their school or college.”
Jon Hofgartner, Weston College Assistant Director for Technology, Learning Resources and Skills for Progression, said: “It’s exciting to be working with one of the world’s leading technology corporations.
“Weston College is dedicated to using innovation in technology for learning and business, and this commitment will be enhanced by the partnership with Microsoft and its family of pioneering institutions across the globe.
“As a Microsoft Showcase College, we will benefit from billions of pounds of research and knowledge that we would never usually have access to.
“Microsoft technologies empower people and businesses around the world, and many jobs that young people apply for will require them to use digital working environments such as Office 365, so embedding this technology as well as digital skills and capabilities into our teaching and learning is vital for all our students.”
Weston College’s results this year exceeded all expectations at every level. This included a 99% A Level pass rate, vocational results at a similar level plus over 30% of its degree provision achieving First Class Honours.
Alongside this the College are experiencing a demand for A Level places, which has grown exponentially with the realisation of the value of post-16 study. As a result the college has decided to expand its provision.
These developments will include new facilities and a significant investment at Loxton Campus in Weston-super-Mare.
In addition Weston College has been awarded a Career College status which will mean it can expand the range of provision to include technical qualifications in engineering and digital subjects alongside existing courses.
As a result the College will be able to offer up to 1000 new places for the 2019 academic year with many new buildings completed in early 2019. The intention is not to change the highly successful delivery models but actually to enhance resources available to all learners.
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College Group Principal and Chief Executive, said “The new resources will create a ground breaking educational centre for Weston-super-Mare and the wider area.
“Our learners will benefit from a unique education that takes advantage of the latest technology, and receive unrivalled opportunities to succeed.
“We will continue to develop links with local and national employers, providing learners with employability skills in a range of technical areas, fully equipping them for university or the world of work.
“Loxton Campus will therefore provide major opportunity for training post-16 learners in A Levels, vocational creative subjects and the whole health and wellbeing agenda with major involvement from Weston Area Health Trust and other bodies.”
The above investment has been made possible by the College match-funding a successful bid for funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority. This will create bespoke science labs, a health and well-being centre, sports pitches and gymnasiums.
Chair of the West of England LEP, Prof Steve West, said: “It’s great to see Weston College going from strength-to-strength. We’re pleased to help build on that success by supporting the improvements at Loxton Campus, which will give young people the skills they need to progress further in their education and secure better career prospects with the great selection of businesses right here in the West of England.”
The Minister for Local Growth, Jake Berry, said: “This Government is committed to boosting economic growth across the whole of the UK and building a Britain fit for the future.
“Enhancing learning and career opportunities is central to our plan for a stronger, more resilient West of England economy. These improvements at Weston College made possible by the Local Growth Fund will make a huge difference – both for students and local employers looking for home-grown talent.”
James Rimmer, Chief Executive of Weston Area Health Trust, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for partnership working between Weston College and Weston General Hospital. “This demonstrates the investment we are both making to support the learning and development of students. We hope it will also help the recruitment and retention of staff as well as supporting the increased demand on healthcare locally”.
If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Weston College student, call 01934 411 411 or email enquiries@weston.ac.uk
Selected from thousands of nominations, Weston College’s Charmaine Hale-Lynch and the Welfare and Pastoral Support Services Team are two of just 65 winners who will be celebrated today on 22nd June - ‘Thank A Teacher Day’, as the national Teaching Awards marks its 20th year of celebrating excellence in education. Celebrations will take place in schools and colleges across England, Wales and Northern Ireland as the prestigious Silver Pearson Teaching Awards trophies are presented to outstanding teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers.
The Pearson Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they teach.
Charmaine and the Welfare and Pastoral Support Services Team will now join fellow Silver Award winners, along with 3 Scottish Education Award winners and 3 winners of the Professional Teaching Awards Cymru, at the 20th UK Ceremony of the Pearson Teaching Awards, a glittering ceremony held in central London on 21st October. There they will find out which of them has won one of just 12 Gold Plato Awards, the UK’s “Oscars for Teachers”.
Charmaine Hale-Lynch, winner of the Silver ‘FE Lecturer of the Year’ Teaching Award said: “I feel very honoured to receive such an award and overwhelmed by the support from the staff and everyone who took part in the process and helped in this achievement”.
Also collecting their award for Silver ‘FE Team of the Year’ Teaching Award, Benjamin Cocks and Mandy Lee of the Student Welfare and Pastoral Support Services Team said this of their award: “We’re incredibly proud to receive this award which recognises the hard work and dedication of our team. We’re extremely grateful to have such wonderful learners, who provide the inspiration for everything that we do”.
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College Principal and Chief Executive of the Weston College Group, has commended the consistently high standard of teaching and support staff at Weston College.
He said: “This award shows Weston College staff always go above and beyond for the wellbeing of our learners. They work incredibly hard to support every learner across the College and make sure they are achieving the very best they can.
“We are proud to be one of the top performing colleges in the country, and our continued successes are a promise that all existing and future learners will get the very best standard of education at Weston College.”
The October ceremony, titled “Britain’s Classroom Heroes”, will be filmed and broadcast by the BBC as a showcase of excellence in education. Previous award presenters have included former prime ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair, acting legends Jenny Agutter, Alison Steadman and Sheila Hancock and sports and TV personalities including Shirley Ballas, Helen Glover, Brendan Cole and Nadiya Hussain.
On this special, celebratory day, the Teaching Awards is encouraging members of the public to say “thank you” to a teacher who has made a difference in their lives. Simply go to http://www.teachingawards.com/card, fill in a form online including a personal message and the teacher will receive a Thank You card in the post for free.
Michael Morpurgo, celebrated author and former Children’s laureate, and President of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “The best we can do is to pass on to children all that we know and love and mean every word. I think above all else, a teacher should be a friend, and that’s not an easy thing to do when there are 35 children out there. With these awards we are shining a light on these inspirational individuals whose efforts and commitment so often go uncelebrated.”
Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said: "A huge congratulations to all those receiving a silver trophy today. They should feel extremely proud of their achievements and join an inspirational group of Teaching Award winners from the past two decades. It’s an honour for Pearson to support these Awards each year - it’s so vital to recognise and celebrate those in the teaching profession, for their commitment to education and for the impact they have on young people's lives.“
The list of winners will be published on the Teaching Awards website at 5pm on Friday 22nd June.
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