Raising aspirations in the North East: a return to Rise
Laura Wright, CEIAG Lead and Science Teacher at Bedlington Academy on the coast of Northumberland, books the Rise programme (an ICAEW social mobility initiative) for her students year on year. Since 2021, Rise has supported nearly 500 students at her school, raising aspirations and building employability skills.
To be honest, the students love it… every single year, the students come out of this, absolutely loving it. They always engage really well with it.
Rise helps improve Laura’s students’ confidence and development. The workshops particularly benefit vulnerable students and those facing barriers to reaching their full potential.
One student came out saying the session made him more aware of the good stuff he did on a day-to-day basis. He didn’t previously have a lot of confidence in himself.
Connecting students with local industry professionals is key to bringing the world of work to life and putting skills-building challenges into a professional context. Students gain a better understanding of their ambitions and the world beyond the classroom, learning about the many opportunities and pathways available to them.
Having local employers that the students can talk to about their career choices really helps. They talk about whatever the students are interested in, not necessarily just their career.
Sustained volunteer engagement is crucial in a predominantly rural area, and volunteers have attended sessions from 19 Rise partner companies, giving students a tangible link to the professional world. Many of these interactions have developed into meaningful relationships, with volunteers returning for multiple sessions and other careers events.
Laura has observed increased attendance on Rise session days, with students eager to engage with external visitors.
Even some of our quite vulnerable students who struggle to go to lessons will 99% of the time attend Rise workshops and enjoy them.
Rise has helped provide staff with a clear and consistent framework for discussing careers and skills, underpinning broader careers education provision and strengthening the school’s approach to developing student aspirations while supporting Ofsted inspections and Gatsby Benchmark attainment.
It’s easy to get sucked into curriculum content and getting good grades – but we’re also here to help students get where they want to be in the future.
Helping prepare students for a career they can confidently choose is a key part of the Rise initiative. By giving young people the opportunity to build skills and supporting schools to deliver meaningful careers education, Rise continues to make a lasting impact for Laura and her students.