Form 6 Explore Future Pathways at Higher Education Day

Form 6 students enjoyed the opportunity to explore a wide range of post-school pathways at Oakham’s annual Higher Education Day, a vibrant event packed with expert guidance tailored to suit all interests and ambitions.

Students selected from a diverse programme of talks and workshops, which covered everything from UK university routes and degree apprenticeships to international applications, gap years, and careers in emerging fields. A key theme running throughout the day was helping students think about not just what they might do next, but how to navigate the transition with confidence, highlighting Oakham Careers Department’s extensive support in helping each student navigate their unique post-school journey with confidence.

The event opened with an engaging session led by Oakham’s own Head of Psychology, Charlotte Findlay, who explored the psychological and emotional aspects of change in her talk on ‘Managing Transitions’. Her session set the tone for a day focused on both practical planning and personal growth.

The packed schedule included a vibrant university and careers fair, bringing together over 30 representatives from institutions and organisations across the UK, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. This gave students direct access to admissions experts, university staff, and gap year providers – all under one roof.

UK-focused sessions

• Daniel Robertson (University of Exeter) on degree apprenticeships

• Chris Hakes from the University of East Anglia on sandwich years and study abroad

• Simon Culley from Durham University and Isaac Logan from Oxford Brookes University on student life and sport

• Ro Suppa from The Lawyer Portal on pathways into law

• Will Dunlop from Letz Live on structured gap year opportunities

• Nicholas King from De Montfort University on choosing courses and universities

• Sarah Dixon-Dale on personal branding and entrepreneurship

• Dr Andrew Nicoll on subjects allied to medicine

International destinations

• David Hawkins of The University Guys discussed devising cross-continental application strategies for international students
• Aida Rocci Ruiz of UES Education covered applications to Europe and Canada
• Stefan Watts from the University of Melbourne spoke about studying in Australia and New Zealand
• Marcus Burnett from Burnett Global Education focused on business schools
• Anna Zaleski of Sommet Education explored opportunities in hospitality.

As well as attending the university and careers fair, students engaged in hands-on workshops – writing personal statements and researching courses using Unifrog, a leading careers platform – and chose from a range of talks on the diverse pathways available to them.

Whether university-bound, exploring apprenticeships, or looking to study overseas, Oakham’s Higher Education Day provided students with valuable advice and support to help them make informed decisions about their futures. This event is just one of many ways that Oakham School’s Careers Department prepares our sixth form students for the next stage of their lives with clarity and confidence.