Career Academy Gratuation
Last week saw the culmination of two years’ work with eight of St.Chad’s 6th Form graduating as Career Academy Business graduates at a prestigious ceremony at the magnificent Manchester Town Hall. Leaders of business, industry and commerce were there to celebrate the achievements of students across the North West. What was particularly pleasing was that St.Chad’s had as many, and in the majority of cases, more students graduating than colleges that have hundreds more students than we have. This is a great testament to the time and effort Ms McLean and Mrs Hamill have put into the programme. The quality internships, guru lectures, business mentors and the visits our students have had will give them a real advantage in the future and will be a real benefit on their CVs. We are delighted that next year not only will St.Chad’s continue to be an Academy of Business but we are also launching our Science and Innovation Academy in June for next year’s students – we will be the first Science and Innovation Academy in the North West! This is yet another reason for Year 11 students staying on into our 6th Form.
Physics Trip for AS Students
St Chad's AS Physics class recently attended a Physics masterclass at Daresbury labs. The day covered a large variety of Physics ranging from Cryogenics to Particle colliders. The students took a lot from the day and it is hoped we will attend similar events in the future at Daresbury.
CA: Full Steam Ahead!
It has been a busy term for our CA UK students so far!
Yr 12 met their assigned Business Mentors from O2. All of the mentors, who will work with our students on a regular and one-to-one basis, are Senior Managers within the company, many of them flying in from Glasgow and London to meet our students at the Preston Brook O2 building.
Yr 12 also attended a Business Conference and workshops at Accenture, by Manchester Airport, working with employees within the company and other A level students from the Northwest.
Yr 13 attended a conference at Salford Innovation Centre, Salford University, focussing on Accounting and Finance. Students took part in a range of activities and attended workshops which were run by Yorkshire Bank, The Financial Skills Partnership, KPMG and Penna plc.
Hopefully, all of the events will help our students to find out more about opportunities available to them when they leave St Chad's and where they can be found as well as enhancing their knowledge of the Business and I.T world.
For the Year 13 students the Careers Academy two years is coming to an end and they are now looking forward to their graduation in May. When we spoke to them, they said:
"The experience has changed my life"
"It has inspired me to aim higher"
"I'm so glad I took part in the Careers Academy Experience"
Well done to them all.
Annual Institute of Physics Christmas Lecture
Career Academy Students visit MOD
As part of the Capital Experience Day, St Chad’s School, Runcorn and St John Fisher School, Dewsbury were able to visit MOD Headquarters in Whitehall. During their two hour visit the groups toured the building including the historical Henry VIII Wine Cellar, part of the old Palace of Whitehall and deep underneath the building. Over lunch students were talked to by 9 MOD staff who described their roles and careers to date which for some included tours of duty overseas in support of operations. A particular highlight of the visit was a visit to the group by Lord Astor, Under Secretary of State for Defence who sits in the House of Lords and he briefed the students on his role, the working of Parliament, and even brought the Ministerial Red Box for the students to hold.
Andy Gillman MBE – who runs the MOD Education Outreach Programme and has hosted students on the capital experience day for at least 5 years commented – it was a real pleasure to host the two student groups. For some if was their first time in London and to be able to let them meet a Defence Minister in a building opposite Downing street and just up from Parliament – locations they usually only ever see on TV, was a great treat. The students were really buzzing as they left MOD and walked the short distance to the Royal Festival Hall.
St Chad's Students Attend "Engineering Your Future Day"
