Downs School's 'After 18' Day

Event dedicated to empowering sixth formers

The Downs School, Compton, has hosted another annual After 18 day, aimed at helping sixth form pupils to ‘take control of their futures’.

Local employers BMW Group, Stryker and Cisco, as well as representatives from Sussex University and Gap 360, turned up at the school to chat with students last month.

BMW schools engagement manager Mark Massingham was on hand to explain apprenticeship opportunities.

He said: “For the BMW Group, an apprenticeship offers us the best flexibility to train young people and control their learning to make them the managers of the future.

“I was very impressed with the students today.

“They were asking good questions, which for me is a great indicator of the amount of interest in our apprenticeships.”

In addition, 15 former pupils returned to the school to speak about their experiences after leaving.

Among them were neuroscience, law and psychology students, as well as a Vodafone apprentice and an intern at Oxfam.

Royal Holloway student Sam Judge – who left The Downs in 2017 – said: “I think that the students have found it reassuring to talk to someone who has gone through the decision-making process fairly recently and understands the concerns they have.”