What opportunities can RNN’s Schools Liaison team offer?
Supporting young people to make informed decisions about their future is a shared priority for schools and education providers alike.
Here at RNN Group, our Schools Liaison and Outreach Service is designed to work in partnership with schools across South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire to enhance existing careers provision, support curriculum goals and create meaningful opportunities for students at every stage.
This blog outlines the range of services available to schools and how they can be tailored to meet your priorities.
Our offer to schools
We provide a flexible programme of outreach activities that can be delivered in schools or at one our college campuses which include Rotherham College, North Notts College, Dearne Valley College, and University Centre Rotherham.
All our schools liaison activities are designed to support student engagement, confidence and informed decision-making. By taking part, students gain greater awareness of what post-16 and post-18 options they have.
They also get first-hand insight into learning environments and student life, with opportunities to ask questions and speak with tutors before they decide on their next steps.
At the same time, schools benefit from structured, reliable outreach support that complements existing provision.
Here’s an idea of some of the activities our Schools Liaison and Outreach team can offer:
Open events
Open events are often a school pupil’s first encounter with a college setting. They’re a chance for them to come with their parents, carers or older siblings and have a look round the campus, see the facilities, meet tutors and learn more about what course options are available.
That might be understanding the difference between T Levels and apprenticeships (and whether this work-based learning style would suit them), or seeing what courses have progression routes to degrees or other higher education qualifications.
We host regular open events throughout the academic year in November, January, March and June. Open events are held on Saturday mornings for our college campuses or Wednesday evenings for higher education open events at University Centre Rotherham.
There are two one-hour slots that students can book onto. We also run an early session solely for students with SEND and high needs.
Students book their own place at an open events, however your school can get involved by promoting these events to your students and their families so that they don’t miss out.
Find out more about our open events
Information for parents and carers
Taster events and higher education masterclasses
As well as open events, we also offer taster days in term time so students have the opportunity to see what it’s like to study in a further or higher education (HE) setting.
If you have Y10 or Y11 students, they can have a guided tour of a college campus and see some of our specialist facilities, such as our construction centres, hair and beauty salons, working restaurant, animal management centre, health suites, and creative arts studios.
They’ll then get to take part in two 90-minute sessions in subjects they’re interested in studying. That could be anything from fashion design to esports, engineering to childcare. Activities are interactive and show school pupils what vocational study looks like compared to traditional school-based education – and whether it suits their learning style.
They also get to have lunch on campus and meet with existing students so they can decide whether the college feels like the right fit for them.
For college or sixth form students looking at their options in higher education, we also run HE masterclasses, jargon busting sessions and pick and mix taster sessions over at University Centre Rotherham. Again, they will get a feel for our small and friendly campus, see what our facilities are like, meet tutors and learn about the different HE options from HNDs and HTQs to degrees and higher-level apprenticeships.
Understanding HE qualifications
Our taster events are very popular with schools and are always booked up well in advance. If your school is interested in arranging a taster event, then get in touch to see what remaining availability we have for this academic year.
In-school events: From mock interviews to careers fairs
Alongside our campus-based events, our schools liaison team can also come into school to support you with your own events such as careers fairs, parents evenings and mock interview sessions.
We can deliver talks or informational stands about the further education (FE) options we offer, such as T Levels. This can be particularly beneficial for parents who don’t have older children so may not know much about this new pathway and how it combines a work placement as part of the programme.
For mock interviews, these can be a good way for your students to practice and demonstrate their employability skills to adults other than their teachers or school staff who know them. They’re a good confidence building exercise to help students prepare for when they need to attend a college or work interview.
Information for teachers and careers advisors
Teachers and careers advisors event
This takes place every October where we bring together Careers Information Advice Guidance (CIAG) contacts from schools and community groups together for networking and updates.
It’s usually held at one of our campuses before the end of the first half term, taking a few hours with breakfast included and a chance to tour the campus.
During the sessions, we discuss how careers advisors can best support their students through the college or UCAS application journey.
At our last event, which took place in October 2025, we had presentations about the curriculum including our inclusive pathways and what support there is for schools. Attendees also heard from our student ambassadors and the team at iProsurv to hear how drone technology is being used in education.
Applications are already open for next year’s event so secure your spot here.
Schools Partnership Programme
In recent years, we have built a strong schools partnership programme where we work more closely with selected partner schools to offer a guaranteed college place for all their students.
Learners still need to achieve the grades to be accepted onto the course of their choice and go through the usual application process. If entry requirements are not met, other courses or a lower level of study may be offered instead.
The response from schools has been fantastic and we now have 15 schools signed up to this initiative, doubling our original aim.
As well as a guaranteed place for students, our partner schools benefit from exclusive activities such as VIP tours, bespoke taster days, golden ticket invites to our open events, work experience opportunities and priority attendance at GCSE and A-level results days.
If your school isn’t already signed up to our schools partnership programme, find out more about becoming a partner by clicking the link below.
Find out more about our Schools Partnership Programme
Student Ambassador Programme
Once students enrol with us, we have opportunities for them to support our schools liaison team as a student ambassador. It’s a great way for our learners to build skills for employment and personal development – plus they get paid for taking part!
We now have over 25 student ambassadors across the group and we’re really proud of them all. Our trained student ambassadors support us at open events, taster days and schools careers fairs where they share their experiences of education and progression, making post-16 and post-18 pathways feel relatable and achievable.
Prospective students can also book a Q&A session with a student ambassador to answer any questions they might have about studying, social life, clubs and everything in between.
Book at Q&A session with a student ambassador
Why schools liaison matters
Engaging with schools liaison is not just about enrichment activity or a day away from school for students. It directly supports your school’s Gatsby benchmark obligations, as well as things like inclusive progression planning for any learners with additional needs or who are at risk of becoming NEET.
By working in partnership with a vocational FE and HE provider like RNN Group, schools can ensure that every learner has access to a pathway that is ambitious, achievable and appropriate.
As pathways diversify beyond the traditional A-level to university route, strong partnerships with vocational providers are increasingly essential. Not all learners thrive in academic-only routes and more secondary school students are looking for practical, career-focused options that lead to employment. But they might not know what options are out there.
Here at RNN Group, we offer T Levels, apprenticeships and study programmes that have been built with employers to fill skill gaps or meet labour market demands.
A core function of schools liaison is acting as a trusted bridge between schools, learners and families. Our team is there to help you support your students and their families to engage confidently in post-16 and post-18 decision-making.
The schools liaison and outreach team can work alongside schools to reinforce key messages about vocational and technical education, helping parents and carers understand routes that may be unfamiliar or misunderstood.
This joined-up approach ensures students receive consistent guidance and feel supported by both their school and the next stage of their education.
Working with us
If you would like to explore how our Schools Liaison and Outreach Service can support your students and staff, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch to see how we can work together to provide activities that are relevant, aspirational and aligned with your whole-school objectives.