EVC Summer 2026_magazine_AWdigital - Flipbook - Page 19
SCHOOL STORY
“Visits are one way
CHANGING LIV ES ONE VISIT AT A TIM E
of telling them
that there are
other options”
We also visit a lot of potential
employers and workplaces to
normalise being in a workplace
and to spark ideas. At SAPMAT, we
are very focused on our students’
futures. Around half (and, at times,
up to two-thirds) of students who
are referred to alternative provision
across the country will be NEETs (not
in employment, education or training)
within three months of leaving
education. But out of last year’s leavers
across our Trust, it was 6%.
Our aim is to put them in a position
where they can keep moving forward
in the outside world, into adult life and
into employment. We want to show
them what they can do – and then help
get them there.
A group of students went on a guided tour of the West
Midlands Police Museum to explore the history of policing.
They took part in role-play activities and dressed in
replica uniforms, which was really engaging and brought
the learning experience to life. The tour helped their
understanding of the law and the role of the police,
making it a really informative and memorable experience.
We visited a local alpaca
farm, where students can
walk the animals and learn
how to take care of them.
One loved it so much that
he said, “Now I know what
I want to do, I want to go
into animal management.”
He probably wouldn’t have
found that without that visit.
SA PMAT IN NUMBERS
2018
01
FOUNDED
02
2022
BECAME
A MAT
THREE 03
ACADEMIES
04
400+
STUDENTS
PER YEAR
05
SEVEN
SITES
Students who achieved
the highest number of ‘Rs’
(ready to learn, respectful
and responsible) were
invited to a chicken wing
cooking experience at
Hickory’s Smokehouse. It’s
a reward trip, but we also
make it a structured learning
experience, which supports
their development beyond
the classroom.
THE EVC MAGAZINE – SUMMER 2026
19
