Students from All Saints Academy Plymouth (ASAP) have started taking part in Empowering Girls mentoring sessions. A selection of Year 9 girls are working with inspirational local women who have volunteered their time for six weeks to support them.

The aim is to have the programme running throughout the year so that as many girls as possible can take part and benefit from the mentors’ skills and experience.

The mentors hope to build up the girls' communication skills and confidence to help them while they are still at school and in the future. The mentoring arrangement can also lead to work experience placements when they are in Year 10.

The mentors for this programme represent a wide variety of industries and the Empowering Girls programme has been designed to support girls with their confidence, raise aspirations and provide students with positive female role models.

The school has also started an inhouse programme of events where they invite speakers from across Plymouth to share their career experience. So far this has included speakers from Vosper’s marketing department, Plymouth City College and Caerus.

All Saints Academy Plymouth, which is part of the Ted Wragg Trust, aims to provide young people with access to the best opportunities and raise aspirations by showing students what they could become. Staff help students feel confident in their next steps and get every student on track for a bright future in a career that they will find fulfilling.

The school’s wider commitment to student development is reflected in a range of extracurricular activities aimed at boosting skills and encouraging creativity. Students can take part in clubs such as the Lego Engineering Club, which is part of a national and international competition involving coding and problem-solving; Green Power Club, where students design and race electric cars; and Chess Club, where young minds can test their strategic thinking skills.

Additionally, the Plymouth Argyle Premier League Inspires Community Project offers students an opportunity to build resilience and learn valuable skills through community-based activities. For students looking for something more hands-on, the Chicken and Chat and Takeaway Cooking Club—run in partnership with Barnardo’s—encourages creativity in the kitchen while promoting social skills and community building.

Scott Simpson Horne, Headteacher at All Saints Academy Plymouth said:

“We are incredibly proud to be part of the Empowering Girls mentoring programme here at All Saints Academy Plymouth. We are committed to helping grow the next cohort of female leaders across Plymouth. This is not just about supporting our girls during their school years but empowering them for life after school. The chance to engage with such inspirational female mentors is invaluable, and we are excited to see how this initiative helps build confidence, increase aspirations, and open up exciting career opportunities for our students.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said:

“At the Ted Wragg Trust, we are committed to providing young people with the best possible opportunities to help them thrive. I am delighted that All Saints Academy Plymouth is taking part in the Empowering Girls programme, as it’s a perfect example of how we are ensuring that every student has the chance to reach their full potential. By offering mentoring, career insights, and a wide range of extracurricular activities, we are helping our students develop into confident, skilled, and forward-thinking individuals ready to take on the challenges of the future.”