The ESF Applied Learning Fair 2012 took place on 26 September. Its central purpose was to enable students and their parents to explore the pathways to higher education offered by the Applied Learning Pathway. Over 400 parents and students from seven schools visited the fair where nearly 70 higher education institutions were displaying their potential courses for study. This was the third ESF Applied Learning Fair and the biggest and the most international fair ever held. Universities from the USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe joined universities from Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. This initiative was steered by Ellie Tang and the team of Higher Education Counsellors at West Island School led by Catherine Schofield, and on behalf of the ESF Higher Education and Applied Learning Networks.
The reputation of the secondary schools continues to be enhanced by the quality of our graduating students and the destinations they have already achieved. Jane Foxcroft, Principal of West Island School and host for this event, said that the success is a tribute to the programme first founded at WIS: 'Students with Distinctions are accessing full "Bachelor's" degree courses and those with Distinctions and Merits are accessing four year degree programmes -- they get offers and choices that were beyond our initial expectations when we started the programme.' Other students are accessing Foundation and Associate degree programmes in a host of subjects. 'This is allowing students to map an individual and appropriate pathway and gain confidence in their last two years of school,' added Matt Rappel, the Applied Learning Coordinator at Island School.
