Harborough District is renowned for its high educational standards, boasting five of the top 10 primary schools in Leicestershire, as reported by The Times in 2015. The district features 35 primary and six secondary schools, all committed to providing quality education and fostering a positive learning environment.
Additionally, the district benefits from proximity to three prestigious universities: the University of Leicester, Loughborough University, and De Montfort University, offering a broad range of higher education opportunities.
Many schools in the district excel in various areas, including academic performance, extracurricular activities, and community involvement. Several schools have received outstanding ratings from Ofsted, reflecting their commitment to excellence in education. The district also prioritises inclusive education, with support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Beyond formal education, Harborough encourages lifelong learning and skill development through various adult education programmes and community initiatives, ensuring that residents of all ages have access to quality education and training opportunities.
Supporting Local Schools and Students
At Harborough District Council, our Economic Development team is committed to nurturing the future workforce by working closely with schools across the district. We actively collaborate with educators to facilitate career events, organise work experience weeks, and conduct mock interviews, providing students with valuable insights and hands-on experience in various industries.
Our team is proactive in supporting schools by creating strong links between education and local enterprises. We connect students with businesses throughout the district, ensuring they gain real-world exposure and understand the opportunities available to them right here in Harborough. Through these initiatives, we help equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their future careers, fostering a stronger, more dynamic local economy.
Preparing for work starts in schools. Local schools and colleges are always on the lookout for local employers to support their career programmes. This can include career talks, mock interviews, enterprise days, work experience and more. You can make a difference to the future workforce.
You could even become an Enterprise Adviser (EAs). EAs are matched with a local secondary school or college's leadership team, and work strategically to bridge the gap between the world of work and careers education.
The Enterprise Adviser programme:
- increases engagement young people have with the world of work
- helps students raise their career aspirations
- provides an employer's perspective on industry and current recruitment practices
- raises the profile on lesser-known sectors in the region
- supports schools/colleges to embed labour market information into the classroom
T-Levels
T Levels are a key part of the government's reforms to revolutionise skills and technical education, generating the skilled workforce that businesses need for the future and giving students the experience they need to progress into well-paid jobs, further study or an apprenticeship.
Industry placements form a key component of T Level courses, with students spending at least 45 days (or 315 hours) with an employer. They offer local businesses an excellent chance to nurture and build a skilled talent pipeline for the future, while helping to level up opportunities as we recover from the pandemic. Students gain vital hands-on experience and invaluable insight of the world of work, setting them up for success in the next steps of their career.
