This term Year 9 students visited the University of Nottingham as part of their outreach programme.

During the morning students played an interactive game where they were given ‘money’ and they had to guess the correct answers from a list of options regarding student finance. The aim was to get them to think about budgeting, workingwith a limited budget and living within their means – an important skill for a university student.

Following this, the students were spilt into four groups where they visited various areas of the university campus and were given a tour by a current student. They were shown where the student accommodation is along with a playing field where some of the societies hold their events, lecture theatres, the student union building and the location of the ‘secret’ tunne.

In the afternoon students participated in an enterprise task where they had to design a gadget that would make mornings easier to manage. Some of the designs were a bed that goes cold once an alarm goes off, a bag that keep such as clothes warm but the winning design, chosen by the trip staff because it was the most likely design that could be put into production, was for a ‘warm-drobe’ designed by Chloe, Enara, Ella, Cayla and Ruby. The idea was that your clothes could be warmed up before you put them on because none of us like to put on cold clothes. The girls all received winning prizes from the university staff.

Alexia said that they learnt University is not that expensive and has affordable housing. There are over 200 different societies that students can take part in and making friends at university are friends for life.

Jasmine said that they were able to work as a team and take part in an interactive fun money drop game which taught them all about student finance. Did you know that you only start to repay back students loans at 9% if you earn over £27295 and after 30 years, if it’s not paid back it gets cancelled.

Polly said that they were able create a product with their collective skill

All students had an excellent trip and learnt so much. Thanks to Mrs Pugh, Mrs Duddigan, Mr Savage and Mrs Meynell for taking the students.