offering advice, guidance, networking and opportunities for current students and alumni.
2021
AUTUMN TERM N A N C Y K E N WA R D HEAD OF CAREERS
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Nancy talks about the invaluable resource that is Truro School Community alumni and parents, and the difference they make to our current students. It has been brilliant to be back to a slightly more ‘normal’ term this academic year. Now that the Government has ended school-year group ‘bubbles’, we have been able to host events which can be attended by multiple year groups, and we have even been able to welcome visiting speakers on to site, although strict protocols still have to be adhered to in order to limit risks. The careers events this term have been a mixture of in-person and virtual talks from a variety of speakers. We started off with a talk from Burnett Global, who gave a fantastic insight in to the degree opportunities available in Europe and Canada. We also welcomed Falmouth Marine College on to the site to introduce some of their engineering courses, their Superyacht Cadetship course and the marine engineering apprenticeships available at A and P and Pendennis Shipyard, among others. While around 90% of Truro School students move on to UK universities after they leave the Sixth Form, our pupils are investigating their alternatives more than ever. Appealing opportunities to avoid the huge costs of a university education as well as studying abroad are becoming increasingly popular, and it is important the students are able to find out about the huge range of alternatives to the more traditional degree route into the workplace. Other career talks have included an introduction into computer programming opportunities by Software Cornwall, our annual visit from the Army Liaison Officer and a talk from local wealth management firm Watson French, based in Truro. Our most popular talk of the term was from Dan Wormald CO13, who spoke to our students about starting up his own business at 18, and the marine engineering industry. His company, Lutra Marine, provide sustainable dredging services locally and globally, and he gave a really inspiring talk about the highs and lows of his first four years in business and some top tips for any budding entrepreneurs. Another former pupil also delivered a talk this term, this time to the A-Level business classes. Jack Wing CO14 talked about the growth strategies used by his family business, Wing of St Mawes. Jack’s
talk was fascinating and the Upper Sixth really valued the opportunity to hear about a business first hand. As always, we feel incredibly lucky to be able to provide our current pupils with inspirational speakers from our alumni; their generosity and enthusiasm is an essential part of the careers provision at Truro School. Last term I requested help and advice from alumni via our LinkedIn page, Truro School Connected, and some of our current pupils have benefitted from fantastic insights in to bioengineering and finance and trading roles as a result of the replies. Although I oversee the day-to-day careers provision within the school, our pupils are lucky enough to benefit from a huge range of staff who also provide specialist careers advice and guidance. Vicky Cucknell provides support for students preparing their portfolios for art school applications, Martin Palmer mentors students applying to music conservatoires and Lucy Jupp guides students through the labyrinthine world of overseas universities applications and sports scholarships for North American Universities. Ellie Collinge heads up our Oxbridge Pathways programme and mentors students through the additional challenges of applying to Oxford and Cambridge, and each year Ross Williamson, Head of Sixth Form, takes on the huge role of overseeing the university applications, personal statements and school references for over 80 U6th students. Sarah Finnegan has run the Medical Pathways programme at Truro School for over four years, and has provided amazing support for students who aspire to become doctors, vets and dentists. She organises mock interviews, prepares students for the additional tests needed for these degree courses, such as the BMAT and the UKCAT, and assists with finding vital work-experience placements. Although she is an incredibly busy member of staff (she is also Head of Biology and Head of PSHEE), her energy and passion for helping our aspiring medics, dentists and vets has been unflagging, and she has really enriched the support that our students receive during their applications to university. Sarah leaves Truro School at the end of this term to start a new job at Kingston Grammar School, and while we are of course delighted for her, there is no doubt that she will be sorely missed by all.
