During the first week of induction, our English and Maths team were busy putting together creative challenges for GCSE and Functional Skills English and Maths Learners to take part in.

At our South West Skills Campus, learners took part in ‘English is Everywhere’. This engaging workshop involved multiple activities such as inserting correct punctuation into jokes and seeing who can build the tallest towers by answering revision questions.

Furthermore, at our Loxton Campus, learners put their heads together to complete teambuilding activities such as English revision Jenga and a penalty shoot-out in our Health and Active Living Skills Centre sports hall where one correct answer = one shot at the goal.

Similarly, maths skills were also put to the test. Learners were tasked with creating questions for their fellow students from a 3D exhibition! Real life scenarios e.g. Glastonbury Festival and FIFA were used in order to inspire an interest in maths and utilise their maths skills to relatable situations.

The aim of this was to positively reinforce English and maths skills outside of the classroom in a wider context. By using an alternative approach, learners become more relaxed and engaged with the work at hand, thus making it more engaging and fun to learn. Moreover it was an opportunity for vocational staff and the English and maths team to work together collaboratively and demonstrate to learners the seamless and integrated relationship.

Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Principal and Chief Executive of Weston College Group visited the sessions. He commented: “The passion and enthusiasm that our staff put into their work never ceases to impress me. At Weston College the learners come first and adapting our teaching to their needs is just one of the ways we go above and beyond to inspire them.

“Some of these learners might have previously had negative experiences with these core subjects, therefore it’s essential that we give them a fresh start, capture their interest and continue to support them to achieve success with their maths and English GCSEs.”

This type of work is an example of why last year, Weston College was named among the first 21 colleges to establish a maths centre of excellence.

The new centres were announced in response to Sir Adrian Smith’s review of post-16 maths education, which recommended improving basic maths for people over 16.

The chosen colleges, which will share £40 million of funding over five years, are spread across the country. Weston College is one of only two centres in the South West.

As well as improving the quality of basic maths provision for low-attaining young people over 16, the new centres will design new teaching approaches, develop high-quality resources, build teachers’ skills and spread best practice.

It’s fitting that Weston College has the honour of sponsoring the Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing category at this year’s Bristol Law Society Awards.

As well as supporting a vital organisation in the local legal sector, this also gives us the opportunity highlight a range of subjects that resonate closely with the College’s values and priorities.

In recent years we’ve worked extremely hard to take our law-related provision to the next level and, in doing so, support local employers that operate in the legal industry.

We created the Law and Professional Services Academy following a multi-million-pound redevelopment to of the Winter Gardens Pavilion on Weston seafront.

It features a library, new computer equipment, technology-enhanced ‘pods’ for group study, a café, classrooms and social spaces, and we’ve also been able to maintain the traditional elements of design, which make the Winter Gardens so iconic.

This bright and spacious facility offers training across law and other professional services, and provides students with a large and diverse range of training.

We’ve worked closely with hundreds of employers across the region to create specialised and professional courses that offer clear progression routes.

As well as giving students clearly defined routes into the industry, the academy enables business to access cost-effective training courses and apprenticeships that will help them develop their workforce.

Employers have the opportunity to train their staff from Level 1 to university-level and can also work with us to create bespoke courses that meet their specific business needs.

Our courses range from the Law A Level and Level 3 Paralegal Apprenticeship through to the CILEx Law and Practice Diploma at Level 3 and Level 6.

The sponsorship of this award also enables us to highlight another area in which we’re leading the way – that of wellbeing and mental health.

We recently devised an organisation-wide initiative to enhance the mental health, wellbeing and welfare of our learners, staff and the sider community, and ensure they have the emotional resilience to meet the increasing demands of 21st century life.

The programme consists of a framework of ‘body and mind’ initiatives, including free mindfulness, meditation, dance and yoga sessions.

It also involves forging strong partnerships with the local authority, charities and clubs; hosting a series of sports, healthy eating and wellbeing sessions; and tackling issues such as low self-esteem, low confidence and smoking cessation.

This pioneering initiative received national recognition this year, by winning an Association of Colleges Beacon Award, with judges highlighting our commitment to creating an ethos that puts mental health, wellbeing and welfare at the forefront of its investment.

Aside from this programme, we’re proud to hold both the ‘Gold’ and ‘Champion’ Investors in People accreditation, which also recognise the College’s proactive approach to the mental health, wellbeing and welfare services of its staff. The College also offers staff free Mental Health First Aid training and provide a counselling service.

This issue of health and wellbeing was also central to the development of our Health and Active Skills Centre, which opened in September. As well as tackling the current skills shortage in the sector, this impressive facility also addresses longer-term issues that affect our health service and the health of the local population.

Like the finalists in this category of the Law Society’s Awards, we recognise that the most successful and robust organisations are diverse and inclusive. It’s in the fabric of the College that everyone has the right to be treated fairly and without discrimination, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, circumstances or background.

The finalists in this category – Barcan+Kirby, DAC Beachcroft and RPC – have all embraced these values wholeheartedly and any one of them will be a worthy winner on the night of October 24th.

I’m very much looking forward to the event and wish all three companies the very best of luck. To find out more about Weston College’s range of law courses and facilities, visit the Law and Professional Services Academy page of our website.