GSAL Futures Conference

The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) has developed a powerful and expanding outreach partnership with several local state schools, including Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School and Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School. Now a flagship programme within GSAL’s wider community engagement strategy, the annual Futures Conference provides meaningful career-learning opportunities for Year 10 and Year 12 students. The initiative aims to widen participation, raise aspiration, and ensure all students - regardless of background - benefit from high-quality employer encounters, professional networks and exposure to the broadest possible range of future pathways.

Mount St Mary’s, situated in one of the most deprived communities in Leeds, and serving families with limited access to professional networks, quickly identified the Futures Conference as an opportunity to broaden its students’ horizons and support their post-16 planning. Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School, a community-focused school in Meanwood, also joined the partnership, bringing its own commitment to nurturing ambition and widening opportunity among its young people. Through these relationships, the Futures Conference has evolved into a collaborative event that benefits over 420 students each year.

The Futures Conference makes a substantial impact because of its scale, ambition and authenticity. GSAL hosts the entire day on its campus, providing access to high-quality facilities, dedicated teaching spaces and a full team of staff to oversee logistics, safeguarding, scheduling and student experience. But the true strength of the event lies in the

breadth and generosity of more than 50 alumni, parents and professional volunteers who give their time to lead talks, panel discussions and workshops. Representing a vast range of sectors, they include NHS clinicians and healthcare leaders; engineers in civil, mechanical, chemical, biomedical and software disciplines; CEOs and senior business figures; surgeons and specialist medical practitioners; dentists and orthodontists; tax specialists and finance professionals; performing artists; digital innovators; and entrepreneurs across retail, technology, and creative industries.

This diversity ensures that every student - whether aspiring to a traditional professional career or exploring creative or emerging fields - can access relevant, inspiring and credible role models. Speakers present not only the nature of their jobs, but also their personal career journeys, the obstacles they overcame, and the skills and qualities that shaped their progress. For students from communities with fewer established professional connections, hearing directly from experts in fields such as medicine, law, engineering or media offers valuable insight into what is possible.

Throughout the day, students take part in panel discussions, breakout seminars and interactive workshops. These sessions cover topics such as scientific careers, engineering pathways, management and consulting, finance, medicine, aviation, teaching, healthcare, social work, law, government and politics, and the creative industries. Students also explore fast-growing fields including technology, gaming, AI, media and communications, social media strategy and digital entrepreneurship. The programme encourages curiosity about global opportunities, with sessions on studying abroad, emerging international markets, and careers that will grow or transform over the next decade.

Beyond sector-specific knowledge, the Futures Conference places strong emphasis on skills development. Workshops focus on communication, interview techniques, positive professional presence, teamwork, reflection, and problem-solving. Activities such as The Trading Game, team-building challenges and self-reflection exercises help students identify their strengths and learn what employers value. These sessions equip students not only with knowledge about careers but also with the transferable skills necessary to pursue them confidently.

Opportunities for informal conversation are also built into the programme. Employers and alumni are available for Q&A sessions, allowing students to ask detailed questions about training, qualifications, working conditions, salaries, career progression and the realities of specific roles. These conversations often prove pivotal, helping students replace assumptions with accurate insights and giving them the confidence to make informed decisions about their next steps.

Feedback from partner schools is consistently strong. Students from Mount St Mary’s and Cardinal Heenan report that the event enhances their awareness of post-16 and post-18 pathways and introduces them to careers they had not previously considered. They frequently comment on how inspiring it is to meet role models who they can relate to and who have achieved success in competitive fields. Teachers note improved engagement in careers education following the conference, with clearer motivation and greater readiness to make decisions about GCSE options, college applications and future goals. Many describe the conference as a “turning point” in students’ understanding of the opportunities available to them.

The long-term vision for the Futures Conference is rooted in widening social mobility and ensuring that professional opportunity in Leeds becomes more accessible to all. By creating sustained contact between students and a broad network of professionals, the programme addresses inequalities in access to employer encounters - an area known to influence progression, confidence and aspiration. Each year, the partnership grows, with new speakers and expanded subject areas, reflecting GSAL’s ongoing commitment to serving the wider community.

Ultimately, the GSAL Futures Conference stands as a strong example of how independent and state schools can collaborate meaningfully to deliver high-quality careers education. By combining GSAL’s resources and networks with the dedication and ambition of schools like Mount St Mary’s and Cardinal Heenan, the partnership creates opportunities that students might otherwise never experience. It is a model of outreach that showcases the

transformative power of connection, aspiration and shared purpose, and one that continues to open doors for young people across Leeds.

Aims

Through this partnership, GSAL aims to:

· Enhance equity of opportunity by giving MSM and Cardinal Heenan students access to high-quality careers education, professional networks and enrichment experiences they might otherwise not access.

· Broaden horizons by exposing students to a wide range of career sectors, helping them make informed decisions about post-GCSE and post-16 pathways.

· Support informed progression into further education, training, apprenticeships or employment by offering guidance, real-world insight, and exposure to employer expectations.

· Strengthen social mobility and community cohesion by working across independent and state sectors, and by fostering aspiration, resilience and opportunity for all students involved.

Background

The partnership originated when GSAL connected with MSM, recognising shared values and a commitment to opportunity. Over time, this collaboration expanded to include Cardinal Heenan, enabling a wider reach. The annual GSAL Futures Conference emerged as a core initiative - valued for its scale, ambition and the opportunity it gives to bring together students from different backgrounds, share professional expertise and build networks. The partnership has grown into a sustained, multi-school collaboration focused on careers guidance, aspiration raising and community impact.

Resources

GSAL provides full access to its facilities and staff expertise, enabling partner schools - including Mount St Mary’s and Cardinal Heenan - to participate fully. The event is strengthened by the involvement of over 50 alumni and parent speakers representing a wide range of professional fields. These include:

· NHS clinicians, nurses and healthcare leaders

· Engineers from civil, mechanical, chemical and software fields

· CEOs and senior business leaders

· Surgeons and specialist medical practitioners

· Tax specialists and financial advisers

· Dentists and orthodontic clinicians

· Performing arts professionals, actors and creatives

· Entrepreneurs and founders across digital, retail, technology and service sectors

This breadth of representation allows students to explore both traditional and emerging pathways, while hearing first-hand the skills, attributes and experiences valued in different industries.

Impact

The Futures Conference delivers measurable impact across GSAL and its partner schools. Each year, more than 420 students from GSAL, Mount St Mary’s, Cardinal Heenan and other local schools attend the programme. The presence of such a wide range of alumni and professional speaker - spanning medicine, engineering, finance, law, creative industries, technology, entrepreneurship and more - gives students access to real-world career insight that is often unavailable within their own communities.

Students from Cardinal Heenan and Mount St Mary’s consistently report:

· Increased confidence in exploring new career areas

· Discovery of pathways they had not previously considered

· Clearer understanding of employer expectations

· Stronger motivation linked to hearing relatable, real-life career stories

Teachers note improved engagement with options choices and greater clarity around post-16 and post-18 decision-making. For many students, especially those without established professional networks, meeting CEOs, NHS specialists, engineers, performers, entrepreneurs and other experts creates a powerful shift in aspiration.

Pupil Involvement

Participants from MSM, Cardinal Heenan and other partner schools are typically in Years 10-12 (mixed gender). All take part in the same GSAL-led activities - including the annual Futures Conference - ensuring shared experience and cross-school engagement.

Frequency

Participants from MSM, Cardinal Heenan and other partner schools are typically in Years 10-12 (mixed gender). All take part in the same GSAL-led activities - including the annual Futures Conference - ensuring shared experience and cross-school engagement.