Schools’ Zone
The Furness College School Engagement Team is dedicated to working in partnership with schools and colleges to raise awareness of the further education and higher education programmes available, in order to help young people make informed decisions about their future and help raise aspirations.
We offer a variety of activities, presentations and workshops, both at college and in schools, to enable students to discover the range of opportunities available to them when they leave school. Our team also goes into schools to complete the entry interviews for sixth form and can organise campus tours for prospective students.
The School Engagement Team is Lisa Smith, Megan Whittington and Amie Atkinson (l-r on photo). They work across both Channelside and the Rating Lane sixth form campuses.
Lisa Smith previously worked as a Senior Teaching Assistant at Burlington and Roose junior schools and, more recently, as a medical receptionist. Following GCSEs at Dowdales School and A Levels at Barrow Sixth Form College, her first experience of Furness College is was a welding course at Anson Street in 1994 for which she received a distinction. She completed her Level 3 NVQ in Children and Young People’s Workforce at Channelside in 2013.
Megan Whittington has a strong background working in both Marketing and Administration. After gaining a BA (Hons) Degree in Media Studies at The University of Winchester in 2011, she went onto work at B&Q Head Offices, Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group, Kendal College, and Lancaster & Morecambe College. She has experience of planning and organising college events, presenting at school assemblies, and arranging taster sessions for students to immerse themselves into college life.
Amie Atkinson has more than 10 years’ experience in the education sector. She has held roles at a variety of nurseries including Pennington Nursery, Bright Horizons and Lynwood Day Nursery, schools including Askam Village School and Victoria Infant School, as a private nanny and as a self-employed childminder working from her home. A former pupil of St Bernard’s, she is also undertaking her assessor qualification in early years at college.
Please contact Lisa, Megan or Amie for any Furness College school engagement activities.
T: 01229 844814
E: schools@furness.ac.uk
Schools Zone
Events 22-23
- Freshers Fair – am at CS, pm at RL – September 27th
- Cartmel careers fair – 9.45am-1.00pm – Friday 14th October
- UVHS Mock Interviews 9am-2.30pm and Careers Fair 3.30-6.30pm – Tuesday 1st November
- Furness Academy Careers Fair – 5pm-7pm – Wednesday 2nd November
- Rating Lane Open Evening 5-8pm – Wednesday 9th November 5-8pm
- Channelside Open Evening 5-8pm – Wednesday 16th November
- Furness College Mental Health and Wellbeing Festival – Tuesday 22nd November 12-2
- Dowdales Careers Event 4-6.30pm– Wednesday 23rd November
- Primary Engagement Day – Thursday 8th December
- Rating Lane Prizegiving – Wednesday 4th or Thursday 5th January – TBC
- Furness Academy Year 9 careers event – 11am-2.30pm – Thursday 9th February
- Furness Academy Year 9 careers evening – Time TBC – Thursday 9th February
- Spring into Sixth Form – 22nd March
- Y10 Taster Channelside Furness Academy – Mon 26th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Channelside Walney & Chetwynde – Tuesday 27th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Channelside St Bernard’s, John Ruskin, Others – Wed 28th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Channelside Dowdales – Thurs 29th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – St Bernard’s, John Ruskin, others – Fri 30th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – Walney & Chetwynde – Monday 3rd July 2023
- Applicants’ Day RL – Tuesday 4th July 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – Dowdales – Wednesday 5th July 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – Furness Academy – Thursday 6th July 2023
- Graduation – RL – July 13th
Approximate timings are from 1 hour
Age group: All years
Groups of students, teachers and parents are very welcome to visit Furness College’s campuses to tour the superb facilities on offer. To book a tour, contact our School Liaison and Events Officers: schools@furness.ac.uk
Areas of interest:
- Cafes
- Clinical Room
- Construction Workshops
- Engineering & Motor Vehicle Workshops
- Gym and Fitness Suite
- Green Room
- Libraries and Learning Hubs
- Mac Suites
- Science Labs
- Sports Halls
- Study Areas
- Subject Specialist Classrooms
- The Restaurant and Professional Kitchens
- The Salon
- Virtual Reception class
- AMTC
- Centre of Excellence for Art and Design
- The Theatre
We also offer frequent Turn Up and Tour events please check our events page for upcoming dates and times.
We offer a wide range of Twilight Tasters at both of Furness College’s campuses available to Year 10 and 11 pupils. These were introduced for the first time in 2015 and have proved very popular with young people. Students commit to two, three or four weeks of after-school activities – the length and times are different for each curriculum area. These sessions are very hands-on and provide information about career opportunities in the sector.
Dates and times TBC.
Full days within the College campuses
Age group: Year 10
These taster sessions provide students with the opportunity to experience a range of subjects at our Rating Lane campus and take part in a range of fun and interactive challenges linked to curriculum areas at our Channelside campus. This gives students an insight into college life and the chance to explore the fantastic facilities available to support their learning. Schools will be invited to book in their Year 10 students.
- Y10 Taster Channelside Furness Academy – Mon 26th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Channelside Walney & Chetwynde – Tuesday 27th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Channelside St Bernard’s, John Ruskin, Others – Wed 28th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Channelside Dowdales – Thurs 29th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – St Bernard’s, John Ruskin, others – Fri 30th June 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – Walney & Chetwynde – Monday 3rd July 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – Dowdales – Wednesday 5th July 2023
- Y10 Taster Sixth Form – Furness Academy – Thursday 6th July 2023
A member of the School Liaison Team is available to attend these events to offer information and guidance to students and parents regarding post-16 options and university degree programmes provided at Furness College.
Approximate timings from 30 minutes
Age group: All years
These school visits provide an interactive lesson based on specialist subject areas. They provide information about course content, entry requirements, progression routes, career opportunities and enrichment activities.
Approximate timings from 30 minutes
Age group: Year 9, 10, 11
A more in-depth workshop session will include further information about courses, entry requirements, apprenticeships and student life at college. Students will have the opportunity to have all their questions answered and receive advice on the application and interview process.
All presentations and workshops can be tailored to suit the needs of the school.
To book a visit to your school, contact our School Liaison and Events Officer on 01229 844814.
Approximate timings 20 minutes maximum
Age group: Year 9, 10, 11
We can provide a short presentation (suitable for assemblies) which gives an overview of both campuses’ facilities and the courses available.
To book a presentation for your school, contact our School Liaison and Events Officer on 01229 844814.
Barrow-In-Furness
Cumbria
LA14 2PJ
Barrow-In-Furness
Cumbria
LA13 9LE
Tel: 01229 828 377 (Barrow Sixth Form College)
Email: info@furness.ac.uk
