This week, students across all year groups took part in our annual Future Pathways Day, a key event designed to broaden horizons, build essential skills, and provide meaningful insight into future education and career pathways.
Year 8 visited the Science Museum, where they participated in the interactive PowerUp workshop. Through hands-on exploration of gaming and technology, students developed their digital literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, while also learning about the history and future of technological innovation. One student commented, “It was amazing to see how technology has changed and try things I’d never experienced before.”
Year 9 took part in a series of engaging workshops focused on health and safety in the workplace, understanding the digital world, and the responsible use of AI. These sessions helped students build awareness of workplace expectations, digital responsibility, and analytical thinking. The day concluded with sports activities that promoted teamwork, resilience, and physical wellbeing. A student shared, “I learned how important safety is at work and how AI can actually help us if we use it properly.”
Year 10 participated in an Elite Skills workshop led by the British Army. Through a range of physical and problem-solving challenges, students strengthened their team-building, leadership, communication, and resilience skills. This was followed by a careers session exploring opportunities within the Army, helping students understand pathways into different roles. Students also took part in an engaging presentation and workshop delivered by Orange Ball, which focused on employability, aspiration, and career planning. One student reflected, “The team challenges were really fun and showed me how to communicate better with others.”
Year 11 visited London South Bank Technical College, where they experienced taster sessions in Film, Games Design, Plumbing, and Bricklaying. These practical sessions enabled students to develop hands-on technical skills, creativity, and independence, while also building their understanding of vocational pathways and college life. The visit supported students in developing decision-making skills as they consider their next steps. A student noted, “It helped me understand what college is really like and made me think about what I might want to do next.”
A group of Year 12 students visited LSBU, taking part in a forensic fingerprint analysis workshop that developed their analytical, scientific, and investigative skills, alongside a campus tour to experience university life firsthand. Meanwhile, students who remained in school explored their creativity through workshops on comic design, character development, and using AI to create their own comic adventures. These sessions supported the development of creative thinking, storytelling, digital skills, and innovation. One student said, “Creating my own comic with AI was something I’d never done before—it was really inspiring.”
Year 13 focused on preparing for independent life through workshops on budgeting, tax, personal finance, and student loans. These sessions developed students’ financial literacy, decision-making, and personal responsibility, ensuring they feel confident managing their finances beyond school. A student commented, “This is the kind of information we really need before university—it made everything feel more real.”
About the Future Pathways Programme
The Future Pathways Programme at SBUA is a central part of our commitment to ensuring every student is fully prepared for life beyond school. The programme is carefully sequenced across all year groups, combining careers education, employer engagement, skills development, and real-world experiences.
Students progressively build key competencies such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, resilience, and independence, while gaining exposure to a wide range of industries and pathways, including university, apprenticeships, and vocational routes. By the time students leave SBUA, they are equipped with both the knowledge and the confidence to make informed, ambitious choices about their futures.