Our Year 8 High Achieving Pupils (HAPs) enjoyed an inspiring and memorable visit to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), where they took part in a hands-on experience designed to develop creativity, teamwork and enterprise.

During the visit, pupils participated in an interactive workshop that challenged them to create, publish and sell their own books. Working in teams, pupils took on a range of roles including Author, Editor, Designer and Sales Representative, gaining valuable insight into the publishing process while developing key employability skills. Congratulations go to Malachi and Wyatt, whose book was selected as the winning entry.

The day also included a student talk, a question-and-answer session with university ambassadors, and a guided tour of the campus. Pupils had the opportunity to explore university life first-hand and learn more about future study pathways.

Mrs Ross, Careers Lead, praised the pupils’ attitude and engagement, saying:

“This visit was a fantastic opportunity for our High Achieving Pupils to experience university life and develop essential skills such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving. They represented the school superbly, and it was wonderful to hear university staff comment on how engaged and impressive our students were throughout the day.”

Students described the experience as “inspiring” and “helpful for my future choices,” with many highlighting that “the best part was publishing a book!”

Overall, it was a fantastic day filled with learning, creativity and inspiration, and a valuable step in helping our pupils think confidently about their futures.