Kinver High School pupils take to the skies with unforgettable gliding experience

The sky was the limit for two Kinver High School pupils who swapped the classroom for the cockpit as they took part in an unforgettable gliding experience.

Two Year 11 pupils were given the exciting opportunity to take to the skies after being selected through the West Midlands Education Exchange (WMEE) programme.

The Kinver High School pupils, who are part of Invictus Education Trust, experienced first-hand the excitement of aviation while discovering more about the careers and opportunities available within the sector.

The experience was delivered in partnership with The Air League, which offered places to young people from schools across the West Midlands, and was designed to encourage pupils to challenge themselves, build confidence and broaden their horizons.

For our pupils, it was a chance to experience something completely different from an ordinary school day and gain a unique insight into the world of aviation.

A spokesperson for Kinver High School said: “What an incredible experience for our students. We are extremely proud of them for embracing the opportunity to try something new and quite literally take their learning to new heights. Opportunities like this can have a real impact on young people. Not only do they build confidence and encourage them to step outside their comfort zones, they can also open their eyes to careers and possibilities they may never have considered before. We would like to thank everyone involved for this experience we are sure they will remember for many years to come.”

Saba Year 11 student said:

"After attending the Educating Exchange West Midlands Leadership Conference, me and one of my classmates, were given an exciting opportunity to go gliding by one of the speakers there, Janine Hornsby, who leads this STEM engagement programme. Thanks to her and the companies that funded it, we were able to go up in and fly gliders with volunteer gliding professionals and have been offered free scholarships to learn to glide. I am very grateful for this opportunity as it has boosted my confidence and allowed me to try new things that I didn't think I could do before. "

The gliding experience was supported by Boeing, The Air League, West Midlands Education Exchange and The Gliding Centre.