A week of activities was on offer recently at Rossett School, aimed at preparing Year 12 students for education and careers following their A levels.
Next Steps Week featured a range of workshops, trips, talks, advice and practical work covering higher education choices, apprenticeships and careers.
Monday saw students working in the local community with Harrogate Borough Council, Harlow Hill Methodist Church, Heath Lodge Care Home and the Harlow Allotments Association. Projects included woodland management, laying a new path at Rossett Nature Reserve, painting the church railings, and tending to the grounds of the care home.
On Tuesday the students enjoyed being pushed ‘out of their comfort zone’ as they took part in a day of workshops run by an organisation called ‘Talk the Talk’. The aim of the day was to improve the confidence of all students in communicating with others.
A Careers Carousel took place on Wednesday, featuring a choice of 30 workshops covering everything from engineering and primary education to football scholarships and law. The workshops were delivered by employers from the local community, university lecturers and a large number of Rossett alumni, who returned to the school to share their experiences of higher education.
A visit to the UCAS convention at Leeds Beckett for all students followed on the Thursday. This gave the students a chance to engage with representatives from universities across the UK, whilst also attending lectures and seminars on subjects of interest.
The week culminated in a trip to the University of Manchester Open Day for those looking to go on to higher education. Meanwhile, students interested in exploring apprenticeships and employment had the opportunity to meet with past students who are currently undertaking apprenticeships. They were also given support with searching for vacancies, writing their CV and completing application forms, while a current HR manager gave them an insight into the expectations of an employer.
Hannah Grabham, deputy director of Sixth Form who organised Next Steps Week, said:
The week was very successful in developing sought-after ‘soft skills’ for our students, as well as enabling them to explore a variety of routes and careers post-A level.
