News & Headteacher Blogs

On Tuesday, 13 October, we welcomed students and families to our Futures Fair, an evening of conversations about life after Year 11 and Year 13.

Our careers programme is about much more than choosing a job. It helps students understand their strengths and interests, explore the full range of options open to them and build the confidence to make good decisions. There is no single “right” route, and the Futures Fair reflected that. Students could talk to employers, colleges, training providers and universities all in one place, and ask the questions that matter to them.

We are very grateful to all the organisations who gave up their evening to spend time with our students and parents.

Employers: The Army, Jones Robinson, Acres of Fun Nursery, SS&L Early Years and Schools, UHY Ross Brooke, James Cowper Kreston, AWE, Thames Water, RAF, Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue, Thames Valley Police, Field Seymour Parkes, the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Xtrac.

Colleges and training providers: Sparsholt College, Henley Sixth Form College, Newbury College, Oxford & Reading College, UTC Oxfordshire and The Downs Sixth Form.

Universities: Cardiff, Lancaster, Oxford Brookes, Bath, Birmingham, Exeter, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Southampton, Surrey and the University of the West of England, Bristol.

 

From our Alumni:

'It is great being able to return to my old school and talk to students. I remember being that age and not knowing what I wanted to do next, so an event like this would have been very helpful'

'Always happy to support my old school, it was nice to see some of my former teachers and Mr Prosser again' 

From our Employers:

'We have supported The Downs School's Futures Fair for a few years now and it is one of the best events we attend. There is always a great buzz in the air and we enjoy our conversations with the students who are always very engaged, including the younger ones too'

'This is a great event, which we are always happy to attend. The range of stands is fantastic and really does showcase the variety of options that young people have after school'

From our Parents:

'I wanted to pass on my thanks to those involved in organising the Futures Fair. It was an excellent event and all the people we spoke to from the universities were extremely helpful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. It really helped our son to have a more informed idea of what he may like to do when he finishes at The Downs School.

'It's great to see that the school value good careers support for the students. As a parent of children that are unsure about next steps, this evening has really helped deliver some inspiration and got us all talking about the different options available'. 

 

A big thank you also goes to our Careers Leader, Mrs Wilson-Croombs, for organising such a valuable evening.

The Futures Fair is one part of a careers programme that runs throughout the year. Coming up are Speedy Careers, National Apprenticeship Week, work experience week for Year 10 and Enterprise Day for Year 7. To find out more, visit the careers pages on our website at thedownsschool.org, or contact Mrs Wilson-Croombs at cwilson@thedownsschool.org