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Meet Alicia Weldon, Head of Junior College

3 February 2025
Head of Junior College, Alicia Weldon, speaks about her role, how students are supported, and what she loves about leading the Junior College. 

Alicia Weldon, Deputy Head of Animal Care and Landbased studies, is also the Head of EKC Canterbury Junior College.  

Our Junior College provision, based on the Spring Lane campus, offers an exciting, two-year curriculum focused on Landbased and Horticultural studies for those aged 14-16.  

We spoke to her about her role, how students are supported in the Junior College, and what she loves about leading the Junior College. 

 

I am the Head of Junior College and one of the Deputy Heads of Animal Care and Landbased studies.

My role is to oversee the recruitment and teaching of the Junior College. I ensure that we are providing our learners with lots of enrichment activities, meeting all of their curriculum needs, and supporting parents and carers. I also work with the Additional Learning Support team so that learners get the help they need in the classroom. 

I started in Further Education in 2011 in a support role for Landbased students who had additional learning needs. I did two years of that, and then I began teaching English whilst I did my teacher training.  

I qualified and began teaching Landbased students in 2015. I’ve been doing that ever since for students in the Junior College, as well as those on Level 1 to 3 courses. 

The Junior College is a Pre-16 provision for 14- to 16-year-olds that have an interest in the countryside, Landbased studies, and Horticulture.  

It is for those students for whom they have found school does not necessarily meet their needs or those who want to really specialise in these areas.  

We often support students who have anxiety over large class sizes, with our smaller site meaning that we can have a closer-knit environment. 

 

We have a very lovely site that the Junior College is based on, which is the Spring Lane campus.

In addition to the Birch building, which is the dedicated Junior College area, we have a lot of excellent resources. As an example, we’ve got a huge glass house which is similar to what you’d see on country estates and in plant nurseries. There is so much outdoor space on the campus as well, from vegetable plots to a woodland area, to a pond that students can work on during the year. 

We also pride ourselves on having very good support staff and a student mentor that is dedicated to supporting the wellbeing of Junior College students. All of the Lecturers are extremely knowledgeable, particularly in Horticulture and Countryside. 

Junior College students also have access to all of the resources that EKC Canterbury College offers. This includes the LRC (Learning Resource Centre) and the Wellbeing Centre. They can access these if they wish to whilst also being in a small nurturing site.  

I love seeing the progress over the two years in every single student. They may come in at Year 10 initially unsure of themselves with not a lot of confidence, but they mature, develop and grow up and succeed so much. 

There is an enormous difference between a student at the beginning of Year 10 and a student at the end of Year 11. 

I also like the countryside elements to this provision, particularly the practical sessions because are outside in nature and sharing this with the Junior College students. 

 

Students have grown in so many ways during my time at Junior College. I’ve currently got students who really struggled socially in Year 10 when they first started but are now talking and interacting with the whole class.  

One particular story that stands out was a student in Year 10 who had never been to school at all. 

His parents chose to home-educate him and he completed our course to a Merit. He passed all three GCSEs and he’s now taking part in a Level 3 course in a similar area to what we study.  

I had another student who struggled to get into the classroom at all when she first started, but with our support, she completed her course to a Distinction Star and completed all of her GCSEs and passed them. 

In the first couple of weeks, we try to do at least two trips out so that the group can start to bond. Often, students have had negative experiences in school, if they have been in school, and it’s a case of trying to ensure that they realise that whilst we do have the academic requirements, we’re not a school. Junior College is a mature environment where we are there to support them during their Countryside, Landbased and Horticultural studies.  

We have very clear behaviour standards, and we do have regular assignment work that needs to be completed. Our Student Mentor is also there to support students who may be struggling with anxiety or social issues. 

Students need to be very sure that they have an interest in countryside-related areas. The course is based outside a lot, in all weather conditions, so you need to be ready for this, but it is so rewarding. 

We want our students to be able to work maturely in an environment where they are surrounded by others aged 16+, as Spring Lane is part of the main College. 

Behaviour standards are high, but this is to bring out the best in everyone. We help those who want to learn to succeed, and we get them to where they want to be.  

If you’re interested in the Junior College, learn more and apply today for September.