Pupils from Dartmouth Academy, part of Education South West, enjoyed an inspiring visit from the Royal Air Force (RAF) this term during a special whole school assembly focused on leadership, teamwork and future career pathways.

Representatives from the RAF delivered an engaging presentation that explored the wide range of roles available within the organisation, from engineering and aviation to logistics, medicine and technical operations.

They also shared real life stories from their own careers and spoke about the importance of resilience, problem solving and collaboration.

Staff said the visit offered pupils a valuable opportunity to learn about life in the armed forces and to ask questions directly to serving personnel.

Many pupils commented on how much they enjoyed hearing first hand experiences and gaining insight into both the challenges and rewards of RAF careers.

The school plans to continue working with the RAF and other services to provide pupils with a rich range of career and enrichment experiences throughout the year.

Nicola Perrott, Assistant Principal at Dartmouth Academy, said:

“We are extremely grateful to the RAF for taking the time to come in and speak to our pupils.

“Their presentation was informative, motivating and packed with positive messages about aspiration and personal development.

“Experiences like this broaden our pupils’ horizons and help them think about the many exciting opportunities open to them after they leave school.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO at Education South West said:

“Visits like this play a vital role in opening young people’s eyes to the world beyond the classroom.

“The RAF team provided an engaging and informative session that encouraged pupils to think ambitiously about their futures.

“We are proud of how our pupils responded and grateful to the RAF for offering such a valuable and memorable experience.”

For information about careers in the RAF visit: https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/