Motto | "Creating brighter futures" |
---|---|
Established | 1845 |
Principal | Pat Jones [1] |
Founder | Sir Henry Cole |
Students | 30,000 (approx.) [2] |
Undergraduates | 862 [3] [2] |
Location | , , England 51°21′03″N2°58′53″W / 51.350896°N 2.981486°W |
Website | weston |
Weston College of Further and Higher Education is a general college of further and higher education in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. [4] It provides education and vocational training from age 14 to adult. The college provided education to approximately 30,000 enrolled learners. [2] It is regarded as one of the top FE colleges in the UK, often winning high profile national awards. [5] [6] The college is part of the 9th largest college group in the UK. [7]
In an Ofsted inspection in January 2014 it received an overall grade of "outstanding". [8] In 2017, the college was awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. [9] On 27 February 2015, the college was named "College of the Year" and "Overall FE Provider of the Year" at the Times Educational Supplement Further Education awards. [10] It is a major employer in Weston-super-Mare, employing over 500 members of staff, receiving Employer of the Year Award at the annual Lloyds Bank National Business Awards. [11] [12] On 25 November 2015, the college announced that it was to become a university centre in partnership with the University of the West of England. [2]
The first recorded educational building to be built on the college site was the National School, constructed at the corner of Knightstone Road and Lower Church Road. [13] Its construction was funded by Archdeacon Henry Law, Weston-super-Mare's rector from 1834 to 1838 and also 1840 to 1862. [14] Archdeacon Law donated approximately £15,000 towards the cost of churches, schools and other public buildings in the Weston area. The National School opened to 320 students on 22 September 1845 – the day George Henry Law (Bishop of Bath and Wells), the archdeacon's father, died.
In 1897, the boys’ department moved to the newly built Board School in Walliscote Road and the National School became a girls’ school. The school changed its name to St John's Church School and was closed in 1964 before being demolished in May 1966 to make way for the development of Weston Technical College, a building that is now used as the college's Knightstone Campus. [13]
Following the mid-century reforms of Henry Cole and others, which promoted the creation of schools to develop a pool of skilled technicians and designers necessary to maintain the country's industrial dominance, the Hans Price-designed School of Science and Art, now known as the Weston College Conference Centre, was built in 1892 and opened the following year. [15] [16] The building was Grade 2 listed on 19 May 1983 and was completely refurbished from a derelict state in 2012. [17] In August 2013, the college's redevelopment of the building was nominated for an English Heritage Angel Award to "recognise the time, effort and determination" of the college for the rescue of the building. [18]
Plans to build Weston Technical College were granted approval in June 1965. [19] The £550,000 college was opened on 9 September 1970 and has been an autonomous public body since 1 April 1993. [20]
In 2014, North Somerset Council approached the college's leadership team with the idea of handing the Winter Gardens Pavilion over to the college to establish a new base for the college's expanding higher education provision and its proposed law and professional services academy. [21] The building had previously been reported as running at a loss of around £30,000 per month. [22] Plans to refurbish and redevelop the building were approved in October 2015, and the building was formally transferred to the college in April 2016. [23] [24]
On 25 November 2015, the college announced that it had been granted university centre status in partnership with the University of the West of England. [2] Part of the college's new higher education provision is based in the Winter Gardens.
On 11 January 2016, the college announced that it had purchased the Arosfa Hotel in Weston-super-Mare to redevelop it as a Law and Professional Services Academy. [25] It was reopened for teaching after extensive renovation in September 2016. [26]
The college offers A-level courses, vocational courses, apprenticeships, traineeships, courses for the unemployed and work-related courses. [27] It also provides bespoke training for professionals across industry [28] It has facilities for learners with difficulties and/or disabilities (SEND). This provision has been recognised nationally, and is now one of three SEND Centres for Excellence in the UK. [29] It also offers some associate degree courses; its degrees are validated by Bath Spa University and by the University of the West of England. [28]
The number of students enrolled in the college's higher education provision has grown considerably over the last decade. [3] In 2009/2010 there were 450 undergraduate students on degree courses. [30] In September 2015, the number of students enrolled in the college's higher education provision had almost doubled to 862. [3]
In 2012, Weston College won a £10 million contract to provide education to inmates of 13 prisons in the South West of England. [31] This has since increased, with the college providing education to 19 prisons across England.
In 2015, Weston College invested £1.5 million into creating a "Future Technology Centre" at the South West Skills Campus, enabling the college to teach a full engineering curriculum. [32] In September 2015, Weston College announced that it had won a contract to train apprentices for GKN Aerospace. [32] [33] The engineering provision is recognised for being successful, which has led to contracts with businesses such as GKN, Rolls-Royce and Airbus.
Weston College has three main campuses: Knightstone Campus; Loxton Campus; and South West Skills Campus. [34] Weston College has also opened three new campuses: The Health and Active Living Skills Centre; Animal Management Education Centre – based at Puxton Park; and the Construction Training Centre. [35] [36]
The Knightstone Campus is the college's main site, located near Weston-super-Mare's town centre, and where its leadership team and support staff are primarily based. The Knightstone Campus is the tallest building in Weston at nine stories in height. [37]
Along with classrooms and office space, the campus contains a library, a canteen, hair and beauty salons, a gym including a sports hall, a training kitchen and restaurant, and specialist facilities for people with learning difficulties and disabilities. The building also has a university centre on its sixth floor, and a wing of performing arts and musical theatre studios in a single story extension at the rear of the building.
In 1998, the college renovated the Knightstone Campus to soften and modernise its reception's appearance. [38] The college's entrance was originally located on the first floor, accessible by a flight of stairs located on the college's southern, Knightstone Road facing elevation. The renovation moved the entrance to the ground floor and relocated it on the college's east elevation, facing Lower Church Road. [38]
In 1998, North Somerset Council handed over the ailing Broadoak Sixth Form College on Loxton Road to Weston College, which launched the facility as Weston College's Sixth Form Centre the following year. [39] In 2007 the building underwent substantial redevelopment and was renamed the Jill Dando Centre in commemoration of murdered local television presenter and journalist Jill Dando, who went to college on the site. [40]
In 2006, construction began on the plot adjacent to the sixth form centre to create Weston College's Loxton Campus. [41] The £15 million university campus was opened by Anne, Princess Royal on 23 June 2008. [41] [42]
The campus contains a series of suites and studios from which the college teaches its A-level courses and a variety of creative courses: art, music and drama. [37]
The facilities include performance spaces, creative arts workshops, graphic design studios, recording and rehearsal suites, a library and a canteen. The building also has its own sports pitch.
The Health and Active Living Skills Centre is part of the campus. It focuses on vocational qualifications in healthcare and sport.
The South West Skills Campus on Locking Road comprises the college's 'Technology, Engineering and Construction Centre of Excellence'[ clarification needed ], its automotive training centre, its Training Solutions[ clarification needed ], its eco-house[ clarification needed ] and its 'Future Technology Centre', which includes its engineering centre. [37]
In August 2015, the campus was nominated for the Best Educational Building and Best Change of Use of an Existing Building categories at the Local Authority Building Control Building Excellence Awards. [43]
In 2012 the 10-bedroom Weston Bay Hotel was refurbished as residential accommodation for learners with special educational needs, with a focus on learners on the autism spectrum. [44] The facility promotes independent living and social skills, and assist its learners by increasing their access to Higher Education and career opportunities. [45]
In January 2015, North Somerset Council agreed to sell Weston-super-Mare's Winter Gardens Pavilion to the college for the nominal fee of £1. [46] The sale is part of the council's plan to regenerate Weston-super-Mare's town centre and the college intend to turn the building into a Law and Professional Services Academy. [47]
The college was assessed by OFSTED in December 2013, and was classified in Grade 1, "outstanding", for overall effectiveness, for its results, for teaching quality, and for management effectiveness. It was the first general further education college in the West of England to receive this grade under the new OFSTED framework. [48] [49] It was assessed as Grade 1 in five of its nine subject areas, and Grade 2, "good", in the remaining four. [27]
The college's 2016 A Level results indicated that 99% of its students passed, with 74% achieving at least one grade above a 'C', and 46% achieving 'B' to 'A*'. [50] In 2018, the college's A-level result pass rate remained at 99% for the third consecutive year. [51]
In 2014, more than 20 per cent of the college's Bachelor of Arts graduates achieved a first class honours degree, beating the national average of 16 per cent. [52] In September 2015, this number of graduates achieving first class honours rose to 21.3%. [3]
In 2016, higher education teaching at Weston College was assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. It reported that the college met expectations and that the quality of student learning opportunities was 'commended', which is the highest grade the organisation can give. [53]
In 2016, Weston College re-branded its higher education provision to reflect its university centre status with UWE Bristol. The University Centre Weston brand was debuted on the hoarding surrounding the seafront section of the Winter Gardens Pavilion in August 2016. [54]
In 2017, Weston College launched Inspirational Events and Investments, which consists of the Winter Gardens, Lauriston Hotel, Lasseter's restaurant, Florentine café, and also the Weston College Conference Centre. [55]
In August 2012, Weston College won the south west offender learning provision contract from Strode College, and has since delivered offender learning to 13 prisons in the south west of England. [56] [57] Following prison closures across the country, the college now delivers to the following nine prisons: HM Prison Erlestoke, HM Prison The Verne, HM Prison Bristol, HM Prison Channings Wood, HM Prison Dartmoor, HM Prison Eastwood Park, HM Prison Exeter, HM Prison Leyhill and HM Prison Portland. [58] In December 2018 it was announced that Weston College had won the contract to deliver education to a further 10 prisons across: Avon and South Dorset, Devon and North Dorset and Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
Award | Awarding body | Year |
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Bristol Education Provider of the year [59] | Bristol Life Awards | 2018 |
Training Provider of the Year [60] | Bristol and Bath Apprenticeship Awards | 2018 |
Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education [9] | The Royal Anniversary Trust | 2017 |
Beacon Award for Learning Difficulties and Disabilities [61] | The Association of Colleges | 2017 |
Beacon Award for Widening Participation [61] | The Association of Colleges | 2017 |
Higher Education Quality Mark [53] | Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education | 2016 |
Matrix Standard accreditation for advice and support services [62] | Assessment Services Ltd | 2015 |
Beacon Award for Careers Education and Guidance [63] [64] | The Association of Colleges | 2015 |
Beacon Award the Effective Integration of Libraries/Learning Resources Centres in Curriculum Delivery [63] [64] | The Association of Colleges | 2015 |
College of the Year [65] [66] | Times Educational Supplement | 2015 |
Overall FE Provider of the Year [66] [65] | Times Educational Supplement | 2015 |
Gold Award for staff development [67] [68] | Investors in People | 2013 |
Sword of Honour | British Safety Council | 2012 |
Building of the Year [69] | Somerset Trust | 2012 |
Beacon Award for Inclusive Practice [70] | The Association of Colleges | 2012 |
Champion status for staff development [67] [68] | Investors in People | 2010 |
Crème de la Crème Business Award | Awards Intelligence | 2010 |
These people studied as former schools which are now part of Weston College:
Somerset, archaically Somersetshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east and the north-east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. The largest settlement is the city of Bath, and the county town is Taunton.
Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary authority area in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel 20 miles (32 km) south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population at the 2021 census was 82,418.
Backwell is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset and in 2011 had a population of 4,589. The village lies about 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Bristol, south of the A370 to Weston-super-Mare. The parish includes the hamlets of Backwell Common, Backwell Green, and Backwell Farleigh, and the districts of Backwell West Town and Downside.
Bath Spa University is a public university in Bath, England, with its main campus at Newton Park, about 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 km) west of the centre of the city. The university has other campuses in the city of Bath, and one at Corsham Court in Wiltshire.
City of Bristol College is a further education and higher education college in Bristol, England.
Nailsea School, located in Nailsea, North Somerset, England, is a mixed secondary school and sixth form. It has Technology and Media Arts College specialist school status, and became an academy on 1 September 2012. Academy status means Nailsea School now receives funding directly from the government, where before it was funded by the local authority, however the daily running of the school stays much the same.
Backwell School is a secondary academy school in Backwell, Bristol, Somerset, England. It was considered to be one of the best-performing state schools in England, leading results at both GCSE and A level in the area and consistently being rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. It has now been rated "Good" by Ofsted.
Cleeve is a village and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is situated within the unitary authority of North Somerset, 9 miles (14 km) south west of Bristol and has a population of 902.
Birnbeck Pier, also known as the 'Old Pier', is a pier situated on the Bristol Channel in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England, approximately 18 miles (29 km) south-west of Bristol. It is the only pier in the country which links the mainland to an island, linking to Birnbeck Island, a 1.2-hectare (3-acre) rocky island just to the west of Worlebury Hill. The grade II* listed pier was designed by Eugenius Birch and opened in 1867. Birnbeck Pier is one of only six Grade II* piers surviving in the country. The refreshment and waiting rooms of 1898 were designed by local architect Hans Price and the clocktower and the piermaster's house have been attributed to him.
Hans Price (1835–1912) was the architect responsible for much of the development of Weston-super-Mare, in North Somerset, England, during the Victorian era.
Hull College is a Further Education and Higher Education establishment based in Kingston upon Hull, England.
Bridgwater and Taunton College is a further education college based in the heart of Somerset, England, with main centres in Bridgwater, Taunton and Cannington. It educates approximately 3000 students between the ages of 16–18 in academic and vocational programmes in addition to several thousand part-time or mature students. The college was founded in 1973, although the history of its predecessor institutions dates to 1891.
Broadoak Academy is a coeducational secondary school located in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England.
Weston-super-Mare Lifeboat Station is a lifeboat station at Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England. For more than 100 years it was situated on Birnbeck Island but is now in a temporary building at Knightstone Harbour until a new lifeboat station can be built nearby. It is operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1882, and since 1969 it has only operated inshore lifeboats (ILBs), currently a B-class and a smaller D-class (IB1).
The Weston-super-Mare Tramways were the electric street tramways of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, England. It operated a fleet of up to 16 standard gauge single- and double-deck tramcars on routes totalling 2.92 miles (4.70 km) to Birnbeck Pier, The Sanatorium and Locking Road. It opened in 1902 and was replaced by bus services in 1937.
North Somerset Council is the local authority of North Somerset, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. The council is a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.
The Tropicana, formerly a Lido site that once contained an outdoor swimming pool, is located in the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, on the southern section of the seafront.
Winterstoke Hundred Academy is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England.
The Winter Gardens Pavilion is a neo-Georgian pavilion located in the English seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. The pavilion was originally completed in 1927 and included extensive gardens, a tennis court and a putting green. Much of the gardens are now covered by the nearby Sovereign Shopping Centre and the garden's eastern wall forms the boundary of the town square.
University Centre Weston, also known as UCW, is a university centre based in the town of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England. The centre was formed by Weston College in 2016 following the college's announcement of university centre status with UWE Bristol and Bath Spa University in November 2015.