Year 9 had another fantastic visit to Hexham Racecourse on Friday, which was organised and led by the charity 'Racing To School'.
Carrie and Gareth from Racing To School shared their expertise and knowledge of the racing industry to deliver a bespoke STEM and Careers active learning event. As well as identifying some of the many varied job roles involved with the British horse racing sector, students were given plenty of different opportunities to apply their maths skills in a practical way- which later involved running the final furlong of the track to the winning post!
Another key focus of the visit was to find out about the many different career pathways, race day roles, and responsibilities within British horse racing. Some of these included: clerk of the scales, handicapper, commentator, jockey's valet, photo finish operator and VT technician alongside the more well-known jobs such as jockeys, grooms, trainers, and veterinary staff. Students were also excited to see the presence of Sky Sports at trackside whilst they were running their final furlong!
We were very lucky with the weather- despite the blustery conditions, the forecasted rain showers stayed away, and we all had a great day out at Hexham racecourse. The active and highly informative session undoubtedly improved student knowledge and understanding of the British Horseracing sector. Thank you, Racing to School, for providing another wonderful opportunity for our students, and also Hexham Racecourse for offering such excellent hospitality during a very busy race day event.