Pupils given a sneak peek at college life

July 22, 2022

Primary school pupils have been exploring further education and options open to them in the future at several ‘Discovery Days’ which have been hosted by Selby College.

Year five and six pupils from Barwic Parade CP School, Selby Abbey C of E Primary School and Selby CP School took part in the events, where they enjoyed a range of taster sessions in art and design, computing, construction, hair and beauty, hospitality and catering and sport. Allison Thomson, teacher at Selby Abbey Primary School, said: “The pupils were inspired by the different course choices and the doors they can open for them in the future. Some of the students didn’t even know the college was there until the discovery day and now they can’t wait to go back. They’ve been nothing but positive about their experience and left feeling encouraged they can achieve anything they put their imaginations too, which is fantastic.”

Miss Parkhill, Teacher at Barwic Parade Primary School, added: “Our students’ experience at Selby College was extremely beneficial in helping them to understand the options available to them. The students have expressed how much fun they had trying new things and how this made them think about what they want to do in the future, both in terms of their studies and future careers.” Hosted in partnership with NYBEP, the events aimed to enable young people to understand the range of academic opportunities available locally.

Following funding from the Selby Big Local Project in 2017, NYBEP established a programme to help raise aspirations of year five and year six students at Selby Abbey C of E Primary School, Selby CP School and Barwic Parade CP School. Claire Healy, Programme Adviser at NYBEP, said: “We are delighted to be working with Selby College as part of our raising aspirations programme. The college organised two fantastic events for the students, where they were able to explore a number of the many courses that it offers. “The majority of the students arrived not knowing what College was, where it is or that it was a future option for them. The hands-on workshops really opened their minds to different careers paths, inspired them to make choices about their futures and most importantly helped to embed the message that they are capable of achieving their ambitions.”

Selby College, which is now a part of the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, also welcomed year ten students from high schools across the district to the college, as part of its taster days in July. James Pennington, head of school partnerships at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, said: “We are committed to working in partnership with local schools and our partners like NYBEP to transform learning, raise attainment and achievement and encourage progression for learners of all ages. The Discovery Days are a great way to provide young pupils with an insight into what Further Education is and their potential progression routes. It’s fantastic to hear such positive feedback from the schools and pupils, and we look forward to welcoming them back in the future.” (21-07-31 SU)

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