Year 11 Futures Day

On Monday 23 March, we launched our brand new Sixth Form Futures Day for Year 11 students, created to support their transition into post‑16 study and to give them a genuine insight into life in the Sixth Form and beyond. Throughout the day, students moved through a carousel of activities based in the Sixth Form Centre, each designed to build confidence, independence and a deeper understanding of the opportunities ahead.

As part of the day, each student had a 30‑minute mock interview with an external volunteer representing a career sector. We were incredibly fortunate to have 32 volunteers; their background experiences covering a wide range of sectors from Cyber Security, Engineering, Finance,  Journalism, Law, Medicine, Project Management and more. This gave Year 11 the chance to hone their interview technique, highlight their skills and gain detailed feedback on how to present themselves in person and ‘on paper’ in a real-world situation; extremely valuable in a rapidly changing careers landscape! 99% of 99 students providing feedback felt that they had gained from this and would recommend the experience. This was organised by our Careers Lead, Emma Adams-Morgan.

Other activities included: 
- a team‑building and problem‑solving challenge, where students were asked to balance as many nails as possible on the head of a nail. The focus was on some of the desirable qualities of a Pate’s learner: resilience, perseverance, aspiration, creativity, and collaboration. Students tackled this with commendable enthusiasm and competitiveness, whilst remaining supportive of the efforts of others

- an interdisciplinary global issues workshop focused on Greenland as a complex global dilemma. Students explored the region from scientific, political and environmental perspectives, examining issues such as climate change, the geopolitics of rare‑earth mineral extraction and the ethical challenges of global demands with environmental sustainability.

- an introduction to the UCAS Hub, as part of their preparation for future opportunities; giving students an early overview of the wide range of options available, and helping them begin thinking about future choices. Each student also met with a member of staff to confirm their proposed Subject Pathways and ask any remaining questions about subject A Level choices. In the library, they developed essential academic skills through an independent research task-centred on effective digital literacy and the appropriate use of the library, books, journals and technology.

- a session led by our Year 12 students, which shared their own experiences and practical advice on managing workload, settling into Sixth Form study and making the most of the opportunities available to them.