Popular Saturday Clubs designed to excite local school pupils about Art and Science are due to launch online
Image: The free clubs are open to Y10 pupils across Staffordshire and Cheshire
This a fantastic opportunity for Year 10 pupils to get a taste of the wide variety of subjects that we offer at Staffordshire University, from Cartoon and Comic Arts to Forensic Investigation.
Helen Norman, Higher Horizons+ Hub Manager
It is the second year that Higher Horizons+ in collaboration with Staffordshire University is running the national Saturday Clubs for Year 10 pupils across Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Cheshire.
This year, the Saturday Clubs will have a ‘blended learning’ approach with two different clubs to choose from. Beginning on 10 October, they will offer up to 30 weeks of inspiring classes over the academic year and will introduce members to a range of different disciplines.
Juliette Platts, National Saturday Club Programme Manager for Art & Design, explained: “The Saturday Clubs have been a real success and the students who took part last year produced some brilliant work. We have had to suspend activities on campus but have adapted to online webinars which include interactive practical sessions.
“Going virtual means that we can open up places to more pupils across Staffordshire and Cheshire, so we are excited to be running two clubs which follow different online programmes. Members will receive free resource packs with all the materials they need such as sketch books, paints, pencils and canvases plus engineering and science kits.”
A 30-week ‘Virtual and Live’ Club is available to young people in the Stoke-on-Trent area, who will participate online for the first 10 weeks with the intention of continuing on campus from January. Pupils in wider Staffordshire and Cheshire are also invited to take part in a virtual 10-week course delivered online during the Autumn term.
The National Saturday Club is a UK-wide network run by the Saturday Club Trust, supported by Arts Council England and the Department for Education. Club members will take part in national network events, inspirational masterclasses with leading figures from UK industry and exhibit their work in the National Saturday Club Summer Show.
Last year’s exhibition from Staffordshire University Saturday Club members is available to view online here.
Higher Horizons+ Hub Manager Helen Norman said: “This a fantastic opportunity for Year 10 pupils to get a taste of the wide variety of subjects that we offer at Staffordshire University, from Cartoon and Comic Arts to Forensic Investigation. By helping to remove the barriers to higher education we hope to raise aspirations across the region and encourage young people to achieve their potential.”
Anyone interested can try out an Art & Design taster session here or a Science & Engineering taster session here.
Find more information or apply for a place online here. Parents can also find out more about whether their children are eligible by emailing HHstaffs@staffs.ac.uk