Stepping into their future…

Published by Woodhouse Grove School (Bronte House) on Monday 24th of February 2025

At The Grove, we know it is our responsibility to prepare our pupils for the future. Providing an excellent academic education and an extensive range of co-curricular opportunities will help them gain the qualifications and build the skills needed for life after school. However, it is also important to provide them with the information that they need to make the important decisions about their future pathways – and encourage them to be forward thinking, open minded and well-informed individuals who can see opportunities when they appear, are confident to reach for them and are well-prepared and ready to make a success of them.

It was with this aim that Futures Friday was started.

Futures Friday is a fortnightly opportunity for Grove pupils to look ahead and explore their future options. Talks and seminars from industry leaders – including many Old Grovians – provide pupils with information on a wide range of careers. Pupils are also offered presentations on University courses, Apprenticeships and the various application processes involved. Formalised target setting exercises enable students to proactively ensure that they are on track to achieve their aims.

One of the key elements of Futures Friday is the online platform, Globalbridge. Woodhouse Grove is one of the first schools in England to offer each of our pupils a unique, digital Globalbridge profile. Students can not only upload their academic achievements to the Globalbridge platform, but also a biography, aspirations, photos, sound bites, electronic documents and even video footage showing sporting highlights, drama productions and musical performances. They can then share their Globalbridge profile with any university or employer, showcasing all their talents, skills and qualifications – helping them stand out in a competitive field.

At The Grove, pupils start to build their Globalbridge platform right from Year 7, teaching them the value of planning ahead and the benefits of participating in a wide range of activities. And the benefits of the platform extend well past Year 13;  Grovians have access to the Globalbridge platform for life – and so can use it as an ongoing record of experiences and achievements, evidencing the development of skills for future life and work.

Our Headmaster often says, “It is not just what you know – it is what you can do with what you know.”

Futures Fridays empower our pupils to dream big, plan ahead and seize every opportunity – ensuring that when the future comes knocking, every Grovian is ready to open the door with confidence.

I am everything I want to be. I am Grovian.