As the school year draws to a close, our Year 12 students have been working harder than ever, impressing employers on their work experience placements. This year our students have been grateful to secure experiences that have either broadened their insight into new careers, or helped them to decide if their aspiration is the right fit.

Our employers gave us some excellent feedback. Just a few examples are included below:

• Jia was described as “a credit to the school”.  She was given various tasks, including some anonymised, but real, cases. These ranged from corporate due diligence to gaming law; “Given these were university level tasks, her work was impressive”. 

• Saverah impressed at her pharmacy placement by putting her Punjabi language skills to use in engaging with patients and impressing the owners with her positive attitude: “She was outstanding, with excellent communication skills and a very good work ethic.”

• In Lacey’s placement at a care home, she was: “very good at engaging with the residents. Lacey was a pleasure to have and has taken a keen interest in the activities, providing new ideas”.

• Layla received very positive feedback from the Lighthouse Young People’s Centre, where she has been keen to work on projects supporting young girls, and has been trusted to manage her own budget when planning her own project.

• At Select Windows, Nathan was described as “exceptional. Every task I gave him he completed accurately. He was punctual very day, polite and happy to take on any task. I couldn’t ask for more. He was a real credit to your school”.

• Rory worked at a construction consultants, where his communication skills really stood out to his employer: “Rory was attentive and engaged with all the tasks put to him. The work experience involved working with colleagues in the office and also clients and contractors on development sites. He interacted well with all parties.”

Our students also spoke very highly of their experiences:

• Millie had an exciting insight into the police force, helping to train puppies, work with dispatches and even work closely with 101 and 999 call handlers.

• With his ambition to pursue a career as a criminal investigator, Ryan chose to observe varying criminal cases at the Crown Court, saying: “It has genuinely been really good. I'll probably end up doing this more often.”

• Many of our students have used this week as a chance to see if their chosen career is really for them. Aveneet’s experience at an Accountancy firm “has made me realise I definitely want a career in finance, I am just unsure which area”. Similarly, Parvesh explained that his placement at a civil engineering firm has allowed him to “explore the different types of engineering, as I am not sure which one is best for me yet”.

• Our students have also recognised the value of gaining transferable skills. Scarlett is aspiring to pursue a career as a paramedic, but placements within a healthcare setting are hard to secure; nonetheless her work placement in a customer service environment has helped her gain the skills to remain calm under pressure when dealing with difficult customers.

With the competition to secure work experience places ever increasing, but the value of these opportunities being as important as ever, we are very grateful to all of the employers who supported our students this year. 

Arun’s placement with WSP, in the Mailbox, has confirmed his aspiration to pursue quantity surveying.

Millie was able to visit Tally Ho on her placement, learning how their horses are used within the police force.  

Jonathan’s employers at Allsee Technologies put him to work testing their content management systems.

Keira loved her placement at Oakwood School.

Isabel greatly enhanced her management and organisation skills, balancing the many responsibilities of the Commercial Facilities Service for Birmingham City University.

Joseph took his love of sports to Blue Coat Academy where he inspired the younger generation.

Reece disassembles an old DT project at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School.  

Our successful students from this Spring’s Regional Midlands heats, attended the Summer National Competition at Northumbria University this week. This four day event was a real test of endurance for our students, with a packed timetable of committee work and intellectual debate. Delegates were first eased into the competition with some team building activities. The theme this year was ‘Innovate’, with students debating topics ranging from defence spending, to deep seabed mining, nuclear power, female representation in Parliament and media pluralism.  

Our students joined separate teams this time, mixed in with delegates from many other schools from across the country, which helped them to make new lasting friendships and greatly assisted their ability to work with new team dynamics in future. In fact, the whole event gave them ample opportunity to develop a multitude of skills that will be helpful in the future. For example, students experienced the true meaning of leadership by encouraging team members who were struggling, tested their resilience and commitment by staying motivated through a busy schedule, and further developed their public speaking abilities.

It wasn’t all work, students were able to enjoy some free time in Newcastle, as well as attend a variety of evening entertainment, including a quiz night and karaoke. Our students led a sing-along to Wonderwall and were swiftly joined by many of their new friends (England went on to beat France 6-4 in that evening’s match).

The main aim of this event was to foster inclusion, bringing students from a wide range of backgrounds together to debate the issues of our time. Our students not only made new friends, but were encouraged to be themselves without fear and to step outside their comfort zones, growing their confidence and inspiring and empowering them for the future. Not only this, but students also gained a real taste of university life, living in student accommodation and working on campus.

Our students are keen to encourage our newest cohort of Year 12 students to take part in the competition again next year.

We would like to extend our thanks to everyone at the European Youth Parliament who volunteered their time to organise and support such an enriching opportunity for our students. We further wish to thank the students and staff from all of the other school’s involved, who made our team feel so welcome.

This term, a group of Year 7 and Year 8 pupils took part in an AQA-accredited course in partnership with the RSPCA. Throughout the programme, pupils developed their knowledge and understanding of animal behaviour, biodiversity and horticulture through a range of engaging practical activities. They had the opportunity to walk rescue dogs, learning first-hand about animal welfare and responsible care, as well as planting broccoli and exploring the importance of growing food sustainably. Each week, pupils continue to demonstrate increasing resilience and confidence as they take on new challenges, work collaboratively and develop practical skills in unfamiliar environments. The course has provided valuable hands-on experiences, helping pupils build self-belief, gain new skills and develop a greater appreciation for the natural world and the work of the RSPCA.

Year 8 pupils attended one of the biggest Careers Fairs in the Black Country. Instead of the usual stands and free pens, this is a Careers Fair with a difference. Every stand had an interactive element, with pupils having the chance to try out a digger, fix a car tyre, practise their welding skills, meet a robot and train for the army. Pupils really enjoyed the variety on offer at the event and were particularly drawn to the E Sports VR championships. The event helped to showcase the wide variety of careers on offer in the Black Country and beyond, and it allowed our pupils to broaden their career ideas significantly.

Pupils from Year 7 had the chance to visit KPMG offices to learn about the work of one the biggest accounting and consulting firms in the world.

In the busy centre of Birmingham’s commercial district in Snow Hill, pupils stepped inside the offices and met with multiple employers who discussed their roles. They also took on several challenges based on real world examples of consultancy services provided by KPMG, trying their hand at solving problems businesses face when providing for their customers. All activities were designed to help pupils think creatively, solve problems, work collaboratively, and communicate with confidence.

On Wednesday, a group of our Year 10 pupils visited Oxford University to explore pathways into Russell Group universities and experience life at one of the UK’s most prestigious institutions.
Pupils took part in a Q&A with current Oriel College students, toured Oriel Colleges, and enjoyed lunch in the dining hall.
The visit inspired pupils to think about their future ambitions and university opportunities ahead.
Our pupils were a real credit to the school, demonstrating excellent behaviour, enthusiasm and maturity throughout the day.

Year 12 students had the unique opportunity to take part in a Forensic Science: CSI Masterclass, hosted by the University of Wolverhampton.

Experienced forensic scientists and a real-life CSI professional with 20 years’ experience at West Midlands Police led the session. Students took part in real life crime scene scenarios, together with forensic science examinations and analysis activities. Students particularly enjoyed the crime scene investigation activity at a bespoke crime scene house, involving evidence recovery, analysis and interpretation activities.

Students and staff alike very much enjoyed the insights gained on this taster day and valued the interactive nature of the learning tasks, helping them to really test out if not only this course, but also this career, would be suited to them. 

We were delighted to see that once again, the number of pupils taking part in the Year 9 Work Experience Day has increased. Pupils are recognising the value in exploring their options early and that going into the workplace to get a taste of working life is one of the best ways to do this. 

The feedback received was overwhelming positive, with 100% of parents saying their child enjoyed the placement and the vast majority of pupils getting the chance to develop their skillset and come away feeling more positive about the world of work. Our feedback from parents encouraged greater access to longer work placements, something we are looking into for the future.

Even more good news came from employers, with 100% confirming that our pupils represented the school well. We have also been gathering insights into work experience from an employer perspective, to help us better work with their needs and to understand the benefits and challenges faced. We look forward to maintaining strong relationships with employers and shaping impactful experiences for our pupils moving forward.

Thank you to all of the parents and carers who worked hard to secure a placement for their child and to every employer that gave up their day to help our pupils settle in and get a valuable day in the workplace. 

For our pupils who remained in school on this day, a special employer led event was arranged in school. Pupils got to experience life in the army, with a talk about the different careers available within the army, followed by an Elite Skills course, where pupils took part in multiple hands on activities to test their team work and problem solving abilities under pressure. Pupils were also given time to research careers linked to their skills and interests in computer room sessions supported by UCAS. 

With the best apprenticeship opportunities growing increasingly competitive, we want to do everything to give our students the edge and have the very best possible chance of securing an offer. One element of the often very extensive application processes for apprenticeships is the Assessment Centre. In these Assessment Centres, students could face anything from a group task, panel interview, in-tray exercise, role play or they may even have to prepare a presentation. 

The Department for Work and Pensions gave students a taste of their assessment centre process, giving pupils the chance to take on two group tasks, and also to get direct feedback from employers for their conduct, not just during the tasks, but throughout the event. This feedback was overwhelmingly positive. 

The students themselves said: 

“It was a really good session. I took away a lot from it. I didn’t need to be worried at all; this has given me a confidence boost.”

“Definitely one of the most enjoyable sessions I have been a part of in long time. Sometiemes it is hard to concentrate when a guest speaker just talks at us, but this was fun and much more interactive.”

“I felt like my skills definitely grew as the session went on.”

“I learnt lots about how the assessment process works. I didn’t know any of this before the session. I came away with lots of tips.”

Our Year 12 students represented Barr Beacon School brilliantly at Walsall’s Youth Debate at the council chambers, engaging in local democracy and contributing thoughtful ideas on key issues such as fly‑tipping and the Walsall Waste Strategy, helping councillors explore solutions that matter to young people in our borough. We’re incredibly proud of how confidently they shared their views and supported local decision‑making.