The Year 8 pupils who took part in the Brilliant Club last term, which involved them completing additional work under the supervision of orthopaedic doctor and PhD student Rory Ormiston, had their graduation event on Monday, 9 February 2026. We travelled to the University of Southampton and were led on a tour of the campus by the enthusiastic student ambassadors. There were also sessions on what university life is like and the breadth of options available. 

 

Pupils were surprised to discover that there are 372 different courses available at the University of Southampton, including thirteen different engineering courses. They also learned about options of completing a degree with a year in industry or studying abroad. The Brilliant Club also took the young people present through the 'STAR' interview method, showing them how they can present their experience and achievements in interview situations in the future. 

 

Finally, our Year 8s were awarded a certificate for completing the programme and Adam Lehota (8P) gave an excellent speech thanking Rory and The Brilliant Club for the opportunity.  We are also very grateful to Mrs Holbrook, Lead Pastoral Manager, who gives up so much of her time to support trips and opportunities at Springfield.