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.”

To celebrate its 125th anniversary, the University of Birmingham hosted a special event. The Year 12 Christmas Lectures showcased six different areas of study through bite-sized lectures, allowing students to experience what university learning is really like, with some sessions featuring a festive twist. Students engaged with a wide range of subjects, from Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to STEM disciplines.

The day began with a psychology professor examining mental health support on TikTok, followed by a lecture on the ethics of the pop song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and another exploring horror in Christmas films, delivered by a Film Studies lecturer. In the afternoon, a physics professor spoke about his research in Antarctica, where his team’s exoplanetary exploration is searching for life on new planets. Students then learned about the role of “superhero” platelets in the blood and the cutting-edge research aiming to prevent heart attacks. The day concluded with a palaeontology professor discussing the discovery of unusual spiky fossils in Morocco, which led his research team to identify the so-called “punk rock dinosaur”.

The event not only gave students a taste of university learning but also highlighted the exciting research that takes place at Russell Group universities.

Our Sixth Form students with a keen interest in politics had a rare and exciting opportunity to visit the Houses of Parliament. Students walked in the footsteps of hundreds of historical figures, influential politicians, and royalty as they explored the House of Commons and even had the chance to watch the House of Lords debate the Assisted Dying Bill, witnessing history in the making.

Later, students took part in a Snap Election, devising their own policies for newly created political parties. They focused on issues important to them, such as university tuition fees, free school meals, and travel costs to school.

This was a special trip with a highly engaged group of students who are excited to begin exercising their right to vote.

Three years ago, we started a new tradition at Barr Beacon School. One of our Year 13 students was observing the Careers Adviser conduct a mock interview with a Year 11 pupil when the student asked if he could have a go himself. Drawing on his recent experience of interviews for university, apprenticeships, and leadership roles within school, his involvement had such a positive impact that we decided to trial this approach on a larger scale.

Now, every year, our Year 13 students who have successfully completed multiple interviews support our Year 11 pupils by offering advice and tips from their own experiences. This is something that the Year 13 students have really enjoyed, as it allows them to give back to the school, and the Year 11 pupils have found it very beneficial.

We were delighted to welcome Aberystwyth University back into the school to share important advice and guidance with our Year 12 students. University preparation starts early, as the more research students can do, the better prepared they will be. We spread this advice out across Year 12 to help our students gradually manage their career journey. This year we have started with an assembly focusing on how to choose a course and university, and another focusing on how to make the most of Open Days, one of the most crucial parts of choosing the right higher education provider.

Year 13 students who wish to pursue apprenticeships attended the National School and College Leaver Festival. This large careers fair was filled with employers from some of the biggest companies in the country, such as AstraZeneca, BBC, Bupa, Kier Group, KPMG, Mercedes-Benz, Ministry of Justice, NHS, Rolls Royce and TUI. The event allowed students to explore a wider range of next steps options, with the vast majority of students saying they found it very helpful and would recommend others attending in future.

Apprenticeships are a fantastic option for our pupils when they leave us, offering them hands-on learning, with the support of industry leading experts, earning a real wage in the process. They can therefore be very competitive and hard to secure, but ambitious pupils signed up to attend a workshop from BMW with advice on how to succeed. As well as receiving lots of top tips for their applications in January, pupils asked questions about how the apprenticeships work to really get a feel for their possible future career.

At Barr Beacon School we are very proud of our Alumni and the wonderful destinations they progress onto. We are also extremely lucky that so many agree to keep in touch after they leave. Many volunteer their time to visit the school to make a difference. In the past year our students have benefitted greatly from focused mentoring that has not only given them valuable advice, but also inspired them to pursue their dreams.

This has included Oxbridge admissions advice from a former student who succeeded in their application to read Mathematics at Oxford, personal statement support and mock interview guidance for our aspiring vets from a veterinary surgeon, and specialist creative pathway advice from a student who is making his own films and pursing a career in Film and TV.

If you are a former Barr Beacon student and would like to support us, please sign up to our Alumni Network where our latest events will be advertised, or contact postbox@barrbeaconschool.co.uk if you have your own ideas for how you would like to support us.  

Our Annual Careers Fair was a busy and successful event, offering every year group the opportunity to explore a wide range of future career options. Pupils were able to meet directly with education providers, employers, and training organisations to discover the many routes available to them after school.

Responding to pupil feedback, this year’s event featured more employers and apprenticeship providers than ever before. Visitors included representatives from the Department for Business and Trade, Midlands Air Ambulance, RAF, Transport for West Midlands, Wolverhampton Foundation, WPS Home Maintenance, and West Midlands Police.

We were also joined by a variety of local colleges and training providers to support our Year 11 pupils as they make their next steps decisions. In addition, a wide range of universities took part, from popular local choices such as Aston University, the University of Birmingham, and Keele University, to those based further afield including the University of Sheffield, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Cardiff University.

This year, we were especially pleased to welcome parents and carers of Year 11 and Year 13 students, strengthening the partnership between home and school in supporting students’ future ambitions.