This place holds talent that many people fail to recognize.

Weston-super-Mare Summer School Ignites Ambition Among Local Youth

Weston-super-Mare, UK — A unique summer school held at Weston-super-Mare Pier has sparked a wave of inspiration among local students, offering them a rare opportunity to engage with self-made millionaires, local business leaders, and Members of Parliament. The two-day programme, founded by local MP Dan Aldridge, was designed to help raise aspirations and confidence among young people from Weston-super-Mare, Worle, and surrounding villages.

The event was timely, as new data shows that in 2024, only 27.7% of 18-year-olds in Weston-super-Mare applied to university—the lowest rate since 2013. Concerned by this decline, Mr. Aldridge launched the initiative to bring opportunity directly to the community and motivate students to pursue higher goals.

Hidden Talent in the Community

Penny, a student participant, emphasized that the town is filled with young people who have great potential but often go unnoticed. “There’s a lot of hidden talent in Weston that people don’t see,” she said. “A lot of smart kids here could make a big impact, but they don’t get the opportunity because they don’t know politics or how the system works.”

Through interactive sessions covering topics such as artificial intelligence, digital design, public speaking, and politics, students were introduced to new fields and ideas. Penny, who found the politics sessions especially eye-opening, said, “So many young people won’t know that they enjoy politics because they don’t know what it is. We need more programmes like this, not just in Weston but everywhere.”

A Personal Mission

For Mr. Aldridge, the summer school is a deeply personal project. Reflecting on his own youth, he shared his frustration that change and progress always seemed to happen elsewhere. “One of the frustrations I always had growing up here is that the opportunities were always over there, and not here,” he said. “That’s not true anymore. We just need to give young people the tools, and they’ll run with them.”

The summer school is part of his wider effort to tackle the limited opportunities faced by young people in Weston-super-Mare and to show them that success is within reach—right where they are.

Building Confidence and Community

Zara, another student who took part in the event, said the experience had helped her build confidence and feel more capable of pursuing her dreams. She also appreciated that the event was held in Weston itself rather than in a larger nearby city like Bristol. “It’s important for things like this to happen locally,” she said. “It makes it easier for people to get involved, and it shows that big things can happen here too.”

The event also featured successful local entrepreneur Andrew Scott, who served as one of the mentors. He stressed the importance of sharing stories of perseverance and achievement with young people. “When you’re facing hardship, sometimes you can’t see a way out,” he said. “But hearing from someone who has faced tough times and still gone on to succeed can really keep people going.”

Looking Ahead

Organizers and students alike hope the summer school becomes a regular fixture in Weston-super-Mare, offering future generations of young people the same chance to grow, learn, and believe in themselves. By bringing inspiration and opportunity to their doorstep, the programme has shown what’s possible when communities invest in their youth.

As Penny put it, “This experience helped me realize what I’m capable of—and I know I’m not the only one.”