On Tuesday 28 March 2023, a group of Year 8 students were involved in a 'Familiarisation Visit' to the University of Manchester, as part of the Gateways Programme.
There were three other schools at the visit, East Manchester Academy, Flixton Girls’ School and Levenshulme High school. The visit focused on the large and diverse range of disciplines offered in higher education. Students participated in the Alphabet Challenge activity, designed to get them thinking about the range of subjects on offer at the University. In the morning session, students worked in groups and interviewed current students about four aspects of student life:
- Studying and learning
- Social life and societies
- Living away from home
- Job and career prospects
Most of the visit was spent in mixed-school groups, undertaking three 30 minute workshops: one in STEM, one in Biology, Medicine and Health, and one in Humanities. These workshops showcased a specific aspect of studying this subject at University.
The students found the event enjoyable and informative. One of the students commented, “The activities were really enjoyable and fun. I enjoyed working with other students from different schools.”