News and Events

National Apprenticeship Week 2025

To mark this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, we ran a number of careers activities before the half term break to give students information about the apprenticeships and technical training opportunities available to them post-16. Events in school included a visit from the Big Yellow Apprenticeships Bus from Buxton & Leek College, special tutor time presentations, an employer logo quiz and an extended assembly. We also invited local employers and apprenticeship providers into school to hold lunchtime drop-in sessions

On Friday morning, all of our Year 9s attended a special extended assembly focussing on ‘Apprenticeships and T Levels’ which was delivered by Buxton & Leek College. Students learnt about the structure and benefits of these post-16 options, took part in an interactive quiz to test their understanding and finished with a Q&A session with college staff.

Also on Friday morning, the Big Yellow Apprenticeships Bus from Buxton & Leek College was parked outside school. Groups of Year 10 students took it in turns to go on board for a talk about apprenticeships, then they visited themed stalls to find out more about careers in Early Years & Childcare, Engineering, Carpentry & Joinery and Catering & Hospitality. Students were able to speak to specialist tutors, ask questions and get information and advice about applying for apprenticeships. There were also subject taster activities for each area: a scents test for Catering & Hospitality, a drills skills activity for Carpentry & Joinery, a maze puzzle for Engineering and a modelling clay game for Early Years & Childcare.

Throughout the week, we welcomed local employers and training providers into school to have lunchtime stalls. They talked to students from all year groups about their current apprenticeship vacancies, training opportunities and T Levels. Tarmac, Nestlé Waters, Stockport College, Macclesfield College and Swizzels Matlow Limited explained how their apprenticeship programmes work, how to make applications and answered lots of questions about the benefits of technical qualifications.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make our National Apprenticeship Week activities so useful and enjoyable this year. Our students are now more informed about apprenticeships and technical training options, and this knowledge will ultimately help them to make informed decisions about what they want to do in the future.