Former Patcham school students return to the classroom to inspire career confidence in young people

Students past and present from Patcham High School in Ladies Mile Road have joined a programme run by national education charity Future First to help them build a school network.

It is hoped that alumni will support current students in their career aspirations through the network.

Alumni will volunteer at assemblies and workshops to motivate young students and give them advice and information on future careers.

Ruth Astley, maths advanced skills teacher, said: “We signed up to Future First as we really wanted to increase the number of ex-students we keep in touch with.

“We hope they can help inspire our young people through sharing the valuable experiences they have built up since leaving the school.”

Patcham High school, which was formed after the merger of Margaret Hardy School for Girls and Patcham Fawcett School for Boys, is calling on past students in all careers and those in higher education to come forward for the programme.

Beth Goddard, Future First director of programmes, said: “The transition from school to work is challenging for students and the benefits of employer encounters in the classroom is now widely recognised.

“Alumni volunteers who can share their careers experience, broaden students’ jobs horizons and act as relatable role models are an integral part of any good school careers curriculum and help inspire and motivate students to success, regardless of their background.”

Former Patcham students can register directly with Future First online or they can contact the school directly via English and media studies teacher Cashel Gormley at this email address.

A thousand secondary schools and colleges across Britain have worked with Future First, which seeks to foster alumni communities, and a network of 240,000 former students has been set up by the charity.

For further information about Future First, visit its website here.