Oakham School pupils gained invaluable advice with their university applications and career ambitions at the School’s annual Higher Education Fair held in the Smallbone Library. Organised by Oakham School’s UCAS & Careers Coordinator, Tim Silcock, the HE Fair welcomed representatives from 24 universities and Higher Education institutions, including those both local (Nottingham and Lincoln) and further afield (Imperial College, the Universities of Cardiff and Newcastle).
Form 6 students attended the fair throughout the day and pupils in Form 5 and 7 were also welcomed to the event.
Dr Rachael Pearson, Head of Careers and Progression, said: “As Form 6 pupils begin our in-house programme of supporting activities where they consider their many options post-Oakham, it is important to provide them with information on the breadth of possibilities.”
Keen to give students as much information about post-school options as possible, Tim invited ASK Apprenticeships to talk about the increasing interest in degree apprenticeships, and several of the top UK institutions specialising in international education were also available to discuss opportunities for students beyond the UK. This wide, introductory focus continued into the afternoon, when students were invited to two further talks: one on overseas study (delivered by Dr Jason Smith of UES Education) and one on opportunities in hospitality (delivered by Marcus Burnett of Burnett Global Education).
Rachael said: “Both routes have been historically popular with our students and the high levels of interest in the talks suggest that this is set to continue.”
Reflecting on the event, Tim Silcock said: “It was great to see students so engaged with the universities, advisers and apprenticeship representatives who attended. Indeed many of these praised the informed and perceptive questions that our students asked.”
“This type of event is a vital part of our students’ decision-making and development, as it allows their decisions to be informed.”
The next event in the packed careers programme is the annual After Oakham Day on Wednesday 24 May, when Oakham School will welcome back The University of Nottingham and several other guests to explore specific pathways in more detail.
Both talks from the HE Fair are available for students to revisit on My School Portal, in the Careers area. As ever, any student who wishes to talk through their next steps more fully should contact the Careers Department to arrange a meeting.
Learn more about Oakham School’s award-winning Careers Department.
