Springfields Futures Fair

We held our first neurodiverse Futures Fair on Wednesday 26th April. We were joined by a variety of businesses, stallholders and organisations, including Wiltshire Fire and Rescue, the National Autistic Society and Chippenham Job Centre. It was wonderful to see learners and families engaging with stallholders and there was a real buzz around the event.

Learners spent time preparing for the event in class as part of National Careers Week. Teachers created a careers booklet and learners had time to plan their route and the questions they might like to ask. One student co-hosted a stall with Wiltshire Police, providing information about their time as a police cadet.

You can read some of our fabulous feedback below. If you are a local charity, business or organisation then why not be part of next year's event, taking place on Wednesday 1st May. To register your interest, contact community@springfields.wilts.sch.uk

Futures Fair Feedback

"I thought everyone connected to the academy looked very happy and were kind and considerate to visitors. One of the concerns for my wife and I has been what happens to our son as he gets older. Having employers, colleges, local authorities, job centres and voluntary organisations attend was really useful in terms of understanding different vocational pathways and support available to help get there. I left feeling more optimistic about the future. It's hard to underestimate how valuable that feeling is when you've been struggling for so long."

Visiting Family

"Must say we loved the environment - very similar to our comic cons or makers show. The quality of chats about making stuff and being creative was very high. We love talking about this sort of stuff and can talk about it for hours!"

Stallholder

"I just wanted to say a huge thank you for having us at The Springfields Academy last week. The Neurodiversity Futures Fair was a real success, and it was great to see so many opportunities for young people in one room. It was a pleasure to talk with your students. They were incredibly polite and well-mannered which is an absolute credit to the hard work you all put in at Springfields."

Stallholder