Preparing for the next step at Wellington School
Even though exams have finished, Sixth Form pupils from Wellington School have been inspired and invigorated by a range of activities to set them up for life beyond school.
Recent research from the CBI indicates that employers require more than academic rigour, when recruiting graduates. Whilst good AS and A2 grades are important, high up on the list of desirable qualities are enthusiasm, verbal communication skills, team work, problem solving and business awareness. So this week, the Lower Sixth spent two days immersed in the Challenge of Leadership. Ten volunteer delegates from a range of business and commercial backgrounds each led a team of pupils in personal and communication tasks set to tax their imagination, ingenuity and tenacity. Creating magnificent architectural structures from spaghetti and marshmallows and role-playing tricky scenarios with a lecherous boss and an angry employee were just some of the challenges set. The sessions culminated with a riotous real-time trading session, where pupils traded vegetables on the New York and London markets and temperatures soared as prices rose and deals were done. A reflection of true life in the real world!
Then, a fantastic “speed-dating” activity took place as part of the UCAS Sixth Form preparations. Twenty-five of our ex-pupils came back to talk to our Sixth Formers about the Universities they are attending and the course they are doing. There were designated time slots and pupils circulated talking to the people whose course and University destination matched their own rage of interests.
Ex pupils Megan Toon and Charlotte Pangraz came to talk to the Lower Sixth pupils about opportunities for studying classics and international study. Megan is currently at Yale on a Liberal Arts Degree, majoring in Classics and Egyptology, whilst Charlotte is studying French and Latin at Manchester University. Both spoke enthusiastically and informatively about travel as part of their broader education and were a great inspiration.