Dozens of students from Plantsbrook School got a taste of life in higher education when they spent a day at Sutton Coldfield College. More than 60 Year 10 students from Plantsbrook, which is part of the Broadleaf Partnership Trust, enjoyed the taster day at BMet’s Lichfield Road campus. The students began the day with a talk from college Vice Principal Anna Jackson, before finding out more about career pathways and post 16 opportunities on offer, while also meeting BMet experts and teaching staff. Subjects included everything from Applied Law and Criminology to Travel and Tourism, and from Health and Social Care to life in the Uniformed Public Services.

Plantsbrook students interested in BMet’s Football Academy course spent the day at Boldmere St Michael’s football ground, being put through their paces by the coaching staff. Anna Jackson, Vice Principal of the college, said: “The taster day was about giving the students an opportunity to see what it feels like to be a Sutton Coldfield College student, while also giving them information on the wider support we provide, from bursary help or enrichment activities to the pastoral support students can get here. “We give them a welcome at the start of the day, and then they go off into the particular areas that they have chosen to get some more information, look around and ask questions. “A day like this also gives them assurance about what they can expect if they decide to come to the college, by allowing them to have a look around the campus and get used to the social spaces, like the student centre. “Moving from school to college is a big step, so spending a day here is a valuable experience.”

Plantsbrook headteacher Jason Farr said: “This was an event organised specifically for those students who may be considering college as an option and aimed to give them a real understanding of the opportunities available to them in Sutton. “We are very grateful to Sutton Coldfield College for providing such a useful and wide-ranging taster day for our students, which not only allowed them to find out about the subjects they could study there, it also allowed them to see the facilities first-hand.”