COURSES FOR SCHOOL LEAVERS
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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
Creative Arts and Design (CAD) is an area that has given us some of the most successful alumni over the years. With its vast range of subjects, our CAD department offers the perfect balance of the practical hands on learning combined with theory, to ensure you leave us a master of your craft.
Here are some of our best CAD success stories to date…
Keith Kilpin - Digital Designer
Keith's journey began on a BTEC National Diploma in Graphic Design. He then undertook the Graphic Design Foundation Degree before completing the BA (Hons) top up. Keith is now part of the creative team in the digital department, designing games, apps and websites.
He said: “Working at Aardman Animations is a dream come true! It’s simple; without Weston College I would not be where I am today.”
“Weston College has helped me transform myself enabling me to achieve a First Class Honours Degree! The patience and support that I received from my tutors really helped me get the best out of myself.
Holly Quinn - Graphic Designer
This former Weston College student has been named as one of the ‘brightest young stars’ in the UK computer games industry. Holly Quinn, who studied a Diploma in Graphic Design, went on to become the creative director of PQube, where she handled the firm’s Japanese releases.
Holly now works as a Product Designer at Tomato Sauce Limited.
She said: “Weston College has a really great teaching environment and brilliant staff, which helped me to flourish and develop my skills. “I had a really good time at Weston and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an inspirational college.”
Lydia Richards - Fashion Designer
After completing her Art and Design UAL Diploma at Weston College, Lydia went on to study at London College of Fashion and gained an internship with Alexander Wang. She moved to Paris to begin a six-month paid placement at international fashion brand Louis Vuitton.
Following this, she earned a Leather Seller's Emerging Talent award. She now is a Senior Accessories Designer at Cushnie et Ochs, based in New York.
“I loved my time at Weston College,” she said. “The tutors at the College were amazing. It was about so much more than your final grade – they were really interested in progressing your creativity and discovering what you really wanted to do.”
Weston College welcomed a top Bristol chef into its Grove Training Restaurant to teach Level 3 students all about what it takes to cook good food.
Istvan Ulmann, Head Chef at Berwick Lodge in Bristol, lead the Professional Cookery students in an advanced session focusing on meat and offal.
Using topside beef, the students were challenged with creating the classic dish of beef olives with a modern twist, keeping up with the rosette standards at Berwick Lodge.
The students learnt about butchering and portioning, rolling, tenderising, mincing and tying, braising, searing, and a huge range of other skills in their morning session.
The results saw the students successfully make the beef olive filled with mushroom stuffing, served with sage gnocchi, glazed carrots and a beef jus.
This opportunity was part of a chefs' forum partnership aimed at introducing Weston College students to high calibre chefs.
Click here to find out more about the College's Hospitality and Event Management courses...
If you’re struggling to park in the designated student car park at your campus, please remember to park respectfully and legally - we know the last thing you want is to get a parking ticket, get clamped or even have your car towed.
Here’s some simple advice for parking offsite…
Look out for road markings and signs
Let’s start with the obvious – don’t park on double yellows! This is the most common reason for parking fines around Weston, and you could get a pretty hefty fine.
If there is a single yellow line on the road, this means that restrictions apply. Look for a nearby signpost that will tell you when you can park or who can park on the lines.
Don’t park on crossings or the zigzag lines that are near crossings, as this makes it dangerous for people crossing the road and could lead to points on your licence.
If there are parking bays, make sure that you’ve read the appropriate restrictions – they could be reserved for residents, disabled people, or charges could apply.
Remember: even if the lines are worn, parking restrictions still apply.
Check your parking position
Even if there are no road markings, you can still get a fine for parking badly.
Parking with your wheels on the pavement could lead to a fine, and often restricts access for people in wheelchairs or with mobility problems, and could also lead to your car being damaged as pedestrians brush past it.
Similarly, parking too far away from the curb (over 48cm or 19”) could lead to a fine. Parking too close to road junctions or on bends could lead to your car being driven into, so it is best to avoid these places.
Remember that if any part of your car overhangs a restricted zone (e.g. a double yellow line) you can technically be given a ticket.
Respect dropped curbs
Dropped curbs often appear at the ends of driveways or at road junctions to allow people to cross the road. Even if you can’t think of an obvious reason for the curb to drop, you can still be fined for parking on one, or even have your car clamped or towed.
If in doubt…
If you’re not sure that you’ve parked correctly find somewhere else to park! It’s not worth risking a parking fine (which can be as much as £70) just to avoid paying a couple of pounds to park in a registered car park…
Alternatively, you could always travel into College with an alternative method of transport – each campus has plenty of cycle racks and we offer a great value bus pass.
WHICH LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR ME?
