St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College

Yesterday 50 students from across Y12 Sociology and Economics attended a Social Sciences taster day at City University.
Students took part in taster lectures and interactive workshops, enjoyed a guided tour of the City campus, and heard from current undergraduates and lecturers about what it is like to study a Social Sciences degree at undergraduate level at City.

We were privileged to receive a visit from Lord Justice Sales who is the vice president of the Supreme Court, and he spoke to our students from Law, Criminology, History and Politics departments.

He spoke at length about our judiciary and different courts and their roles. In addition he spoke about criminal role and the role of the judge in the sentencing and its aims. Also he spoke about the appeals process and miscarriages of justice, and careers in law. Students were really engaged in the session and asked so many interesting questions.

Recently, the Maths and Economics students visited Massachusetts Financial Services in the city. After hearing from top executives about what employability skills and qualities would make our students successful in the workplace, they were then mentored by a group of successful investment bankers on how to develop these skills.

During the day, they also got to visit the trading floor where city traders were explaining the systems they use and the kind of news they receive that may affect stock prices or their decision to buy or sell. Students also got an insight into what other careers support investment banking/management such as legal, IT, client services, admin and more.

Following this, our students were given a great opportunity to apply for work experience in a leading firm through the Urban Synergy.

We were delighted that St Charles not only hosted the live financial education broadcast with Martin Lewis, but also had the opportunity to contribute to the wider national conversation on financial literacy.

Following the event, students Shiv and Nadine, alongside Ms Thornton, Pastoral Manager and Teacher at St Charles, were interviewed by Nisha Patel from BBC Radio. They shared their reflections on the experience of taking part in the assembly and discussed their own understanding of managing money, budgeting and the importance of financial education for young people.

The interviews highlighted the value of giving students a platform to engage with real-world issues and demonstrated the confidence and insight our learners bring to important discussions about their futures.

We are incredibly proud of Shiv, Nadine and Ms Thornton for representing St Charles so positively and for sharing their perspectives on a topic that affects every young person.

A huge thank you to Martin Lewis, Young Enterprise, BBC Radio and Nisha Patel for helping to amplify the importance of financial literacy and empowering young people with the knowledge they need to make informed financial decisions.

Today, St Charles was proud to host the first-ever live National Money Assembly financial education broadcast featuring Martin Lewis (CBE), streamed to schools and colleges across the UK via YouTube.

Our students joined young people from around the country to ask questions and gain practical advice on managing money, budgeting, saving, student finance and making informed financial decisions for the future.

This fantastic opportunity was made possible through Young Enterprise, whose work continues to inspire and empower young people with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed.

A huge thank you to Martin Lewis and Young Enterprise for providing such an engaging, informative and memorable experience for our students. We are delighted that St Charles was able to play a part in this important national conversation on financial literacy.