Finding His Fit: Leyton’s Journey into College Life

Like many students, Leyton didn’t discover the course straight away. It wasn’t until he attended an open event at Bournemouth & Poole College that things began to fall into place. A conversation with Pip, alongside strong encouragement from his PE teachers, helped him see that this style of learning aligned far better with who he was and how he worked.

“My headteacher wanted me to go to sixth form, but my PE teachers said, ‘No, you’d probably suit this best.’ They really knew me.”

That trust meant a lot. Leyton comes from a sporty family, and hearing teachers advocate for a more practical, active route felt familiar, and reassuring.

Sport has always been a huge part of Leyton’s life. He played football for around ten years before moving into rugby, where he enjoyed the physical side of the game and was part of a successful team that won a county championship and earned him a scholarship opportunity.

But his real passion lies with American football. Starting at just 13 years old, Leyton travelled every Sunday to Southampton to train, playing as a running back. His dedication paid off, he became one of the top players in his age group nationally and attended multiple Great Britain trials and training camps.

“Balancing sport with GCSEs was hard, and eventually I had to stop. That’s what I like about this course, you don’t have to choose.”

Coming into Year 1, Leyton admits he didn’t fully understand what the course involved. Like many students, he’d seen the social media posts, the sailing, paddleboarding, and time on the water, but hadn’t fully grasped the classroom side of things.

“I didn’t really know what I’d got myself into. The first few weeks and first hand-ins were quite challenging.”

The course blends practical outdoor learning with classroom-based work, written assignments, and assessments, which can be a big jump from school. But for Leyton, the difference lay in how the learning is delivered.

“You actually build relationships with the teachers. They’re straight with you, but they understand you.”

Now more settled, he feels confident navigating the workload and appreciates the balance between theory and hands-on experience. Being able to apply what he learns directly to real-world activity has made a huge difference to his motivation and confidence.

Leyton also highlights the sense of community on the course. With a mix of Year 1 and Year 2 students working alongside each other, the environment feels less divided than school and more like a shared journey.

“There isn’t that weird distance like at school. You grow up really quickly here.”

The independence extends beyond the classroom too. Commuting by train rather than cycling to a local school was a learning curve, but one that’s helped Leyton take more responsibility for his time and routine.

Qualifications That Open Doors

One of the biggest draws of the course for Leyton is the range of industry-recognised qualifications available alongside academic study. He’s keen to gain as many as possible, starting with his Level 2 qualifications and progressing through instructor awards.

“The Instructor Academy alone can take you anywhere in the world.”

These qualifications have helped shape his future ambitions, and they’re big ones.