Future Apprentice of The Year 2026 Competition

Out of more than 1,000 applicants, Year 12 student Theo has made it to the final of Future Apprentice of The Year 2026.

He successfully completed three rounds of assessments in which judges evaluated key qualities such as ambition and motivation, curiosity and problem-solving ability, as well as teamwork and leadership potential.

At the end of March, Theo has been invited to London to attend an exclusive lunch with senior leaders from Howden Group Holdings, including the Chief People Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and Group Chief Risk Officer and will attend the final awards ceremony later in the year.

On Friday 06 March, we invited over 40 employers into school who conducted mock interviews with our year 10 students, helping to prepare them for their work experience in July.

Over the course of the last 6 weeks, our students have been working hard for this event from finalising their CVs and working on developing their interview skills. 

Throughout the morning of the 6th, each year 10 student had a 20 minute interview, discussion on their CV and then received personalised feedback from the employers. It was a fantastic morning and our students were a real credit to both themselves and the school.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the employers who gave up their time to support us with this event.

 With reading for pleasure in decline, this practical guide offers ten thoughtful ways to reignite children’s enthusiasm for books. From valuing all forms of reading to broadening access to diverse materials, it explores how adults can nurture positive reading habits both at home and in school. Digital tools, audiobooks and augmented reality are also considered as engaging ways to support today’s readers.

It also highlights the power of social connection – recommending books, reading together and meeting authors – alongside the importance of modelling reading ourselves. With expert insight from literacy specialist Carl Pattison, this edition provides supportive, achievable ideas to help young people reconnect with reading and see it as a meaningful part of everyday life.