Over two and a half days, our Year 12 students took part in an intensive Futures Workshop designed to equip them with the skills, confidence, and insight needed to make informed decisions about their post-school pathways. The programme featured workshops on personal branding, interview technique, body language, and elevator pitches, encouraging students to present themselves professionally. They also received practical support with personal statements, CVs, and letters of motivation.
Students explored how artificial intelligence is influencing university admissions and recruitment. They used Unifrog to book a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course), register for a subject specific webinar, and access resources for virtual work experience. Visiting speaker Mariet Roberts from ULYSSES led a session on applying to universities in the Netherlands, while Mark Smith from SPW Careers gave an overview of international application timelines and conducted mock interviews using AI tools.
These skills were put into practice during Tuesday’s Mini University Fair, where students engaged with over 22 visiting institutions. Each student visited every stand, asked thoughtful questions, and explored a wide range of academic and career options. Institutions included Cardiff, York, Bath, Surrey, Oxford Brookes, Loughborough, Falmouth, and UHI (UK); Bocconi (Italy); GLION and EHL (Switzerland); TIO (Netherlands); and from France: ESCP, HEC Paris, Schiller, Science Po, AUP, Parsons Paris, and Acting School Florent.
The universities also delivered a series of bite sized presentations on subjects that included Astrophysics, Biomedical Science, Robotics, Marine Science, Business, Sports Science, Creative Arts, Social Sciences, and International Relations. The breadth of topics and global perspectives helped students discover new options and refine their future plans.
University representatives were full of praise. “We’ve never met such a polite and focused group of students. Wow!” said one. “If I could, I would recruit them all!” The workshop offered students practical experience, tailored guidance, and a clearer sense of direction for their next steps.
