On Tuesday 4th October, Mrs Lord, Mr Hogan and I, accompanied fifty students from Years 12 and 13 to a creative arts event hosted by UCAS at the ExCel centre, London. The exhibition provided students with the opportunity to explore apprenticeship and degree options for their future, through discussions at each stall.

Our students were able to speak with industry professionals, lecturers and current students, which was hugely inspiring for them due to the enthusiasm and encouragement that was imparted.

Molly Roberts (Year 13) thought the event was “really insightful and a great opportunity to see what is out there within the creative sector.”

Sophie Cartwright (Year 13) said, “It has given me the inspiration to go to university, so I can carry on with a course that I have a strong passion for.”

Students were able to take ownership of their day, which enabled them to develop their communication skills and self-confidence – they enjoyed talking to a range of people and felt as though they made good connections.

A real strength of this UCAS event was the fact that it highlighted the vast array of career paths within the creative arts industry, which really excited our students; it demonstrated that there are other stable, but creative jobs in addition to being an actor, artist or performing musician. This included information on graphic designers, film production and set design, game design and music therapy.

The students were able to visit stands hosted by The Royal School of Speech and Drama, MetFilm School and Coventry University amongst others – they were particularly pleased with the number of freebies they received from each stand and with shoulders laden with tote bags, we were set to head back to school.

With their sights now set on being interior designers, live sound technicians, photographers and film production assistants, we look forward to seeing their next steps.

Miss Doe, Head of Music