Sidcot's Futures Afternoon: A Celebration of Curiosity, Connection and Future Pathways

Year 7 students explored an introduction to the 350+ career paths available within the NHS. Through the creation of detailed mind maps and posters, they visualised the vast range of roles, from clinical to support services, highlighting the many diverse pathways open to them in the health sector.

Year 8 enjoyed a wonderfully eclectic mix of creative and hands‑on sessions. Students could choose from:

• Filmmaking workshops with Somerset Film, diving into the creative world of visual storytelling. 
• A careers with animals session led by Noah’s Ark, complete with time spent meeting a huge snail, as well as Mango and Poppet, two particularly charming animal guests from our Equestrian Centre. 
• A hit workshop with The Crazy Comic, where students learned how to design characters for future anime creations, a perfect blend of humour, art and imagination. 

A wide range of careers were represented during our lively speed networking event, which was extremely well‑received by students. We were fortunate to have support from parents, local businesses and alumni who shared their expertise across fields as varied as veterinary medicine, consulting, deaf teaching, architecture, the food industry, Norland Nanny training, civil engineering, Thatchers, and The Somerset Toiletry Company.

The props, stories and demonstrations brought the world of work vividly to life, helping students make meaningful connections to the real futures that await them. 

This was followed by a thought‑provoking talk in The Meeting House on careers and the benefits of curiosity, delivered by Bella Eccles of Tinker Tailor. Students explored why career learning matters and what employers really look for in applicants. 

Year 11 students moved through a series of engaging and practical activities, including:

• An introduction to The Brain Game, delivered by a psychologist from Newcastle University. 
• A lively and delicious visit to The Pony at Chew Valley, where students learned about entrepreneurship and the realities of running a business, now in its third year. 
• Team‑building and problem‑solving challenges on the Mendip low ropes, building skills essential for future assessment centres, even in wet weather!  
• A creative session led by Plymouth Arts University, exploring 3‑D landscapes, character design and the possibilities of creative careers. 
• A hands‑on introduction to STEM careers from the Young Hinkley programme. 
• A fantastic Meet the Business event delivered with Bath and West Showground. 

For many students, the jump from school to the workplace begins with confidence and connections. Research shows that young people often lack work‑ready skills, so our Year 12 cohort spent time developing personal branding and networking skills with Tinker Tailor Careers. They then put these insights into action in an informal networking session with employers, parents and Sidcotians. 

Year 13 enjoyed a global perspective with Kilroy Travel in a “Race Around the World” session, designed to get them thinking about all the adventurous opportunities out there. They also had the chance to attend either a talk on transitioning to university life from Oxford Brookes University, a leadership workshop from Glion La Roche School of Hospitality and networking with our visitors.