Latest news & updates about college life
Congratulations to the Oathall year 8 boys athletics team who won the Mid-Sussex indoor athletics round at Sackville on Monday 14 January. This is the first round of the Sussex School games and the boys will now go on to represent Mid-Sussex schools at the County finals at the Triangle in Burgess Hill.
How do you get over 200 Year 9 students to find out about a wide range of careers? Get them to go along to a Careers speed dating event!
Students in Year 9 have just taken part in our annual Careers Speed Dating event, during which they had the opportunity to speak to a wide range of professionals and representatives from the world of work.
This event is organised to inspire our future workforce about real jobs; practise those all-important communication skills, and hopefully dispel some myths and challenge gender stereotypes. Small groups of students were given 5 minutes to meet and learn about the occupations of each of our 26 visiting professional guests representing a wide range of employment sectors including banking, engineering, surveying, medicine, hairdressing, publishing, veterinary, medicine, uniformed services, scientific research, sport, nursing, physiotherapy and more. Feedback from the employers has been extremely positive. All our year 9 students were enthusiastic and made a good effort to ask lots of interesting questions.
One of the many positive comments from attending guests was: ‘The pupils were an absolute pleasure and without exception friendly, polite and chatty.’
Hairdresser Jade Laker from Pruners commented that refreshingly it was the boys that seemed more interested in hearing about her career than the girls!
Dr Sarah Bruce reported how impressed she was at how engaged and well behaved our students were during the session.
Thank you to all the business volunteers for giving up their time so generously to support our students.
Oathall students & staff have marked the end of the First World War and remembered and honoured those who have paid the price for our freedom.
Students in year 9 spent the morning watching Peter Jackson’s First World War film ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’ after which the whole school gathered around the Oathall Field of Remembrance for a period of reflection and silence. The last post was played on the bugle by one of our students.
In recognition of the centenary of the end of the First World War, 100 crosses provided by the Lindfield branch of the Royal British Legion have been placed out in a field of remembrance. Each cross will be dedicated to an individual who has been nominated by members of the school staff and student body and a donation will be made to the Royal British Legion.
Oathall students and staff have attended the launch of this year’s Mid Sussex STEM Challenge. The event took place at Mid Sussex District Council offices and was officially launched by the High Sheriff of West Sussex Caroline Nicholls. The Drone 500 challenge has been developed to encourage an interest in STEM subjects amongst young people and to help them understand how these subjects will be applied in industry in the future.
In the first year, the challenge was won by Year 9 students from Oathall. In this, the second year of the competition, more schools from across Sussex have entered for the chance to win. Over the next six months, each school is being tasked to build a drone for £500. The drone will be required to meet a number of very specific requirements which will be tested at the final next March. As well as this each team will be required to produce a business case which they will pitch to a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style panel. Each team will be supported and mentored along the way by members of the local business community.
Head of Art and Design Technology, Pete Robinson said,
“This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to gain an insight into the world of engineering and design. Not only does it encourage an interest in STEM but it develops team building and a work ethic at an early age. We will, of course be working hard to retain our title!”
