The World Photography Organisation’s Youth competition celebrates standout single images created by photographers aged 19 and under. Entry is free, and each entrant can submit up to three images related to the competition theme through the official website or one of the official Sony World Photography Award websites.

Entrants must upload original photographic work taken in 2026, and images are judged as single images rather than as a series. A shortlist of up to 10 photographers is selected, with global press exposure and online promotion available to shortlisted entrants.

The overall winner receives Sony Digital Imaging equipment, a trophy, certificate, copy of the book, inclusion in the annual book and exhibition, plus flights and accommodation to attend the black-tie awards ceremony in London. Winners are announced online and at the ceremony in April 2027.

A short, free practical workshop from Animationclub School that introduces a quick "animation take" - a brief character reaction animation using traditional 2D frame-by-frame techniques. The lesson is led by industry mentor Ksenia Inozemtseva and focuses on drawing a character in motion, conveying rapid emotion changes, and basic timing and desynchronization techniques.

The workshop is delivered as a recorded lecture with homework available on the school's online learning platform. The session material covers four key topics (animation take, character design per frame, timing, and desynchronization) and is suitable for beginners, aspiring animators and professionals looking to refresh specific 2D skills. Recommended tools include TVPaint, Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, Clip Studio Paint and a drawing tablet. The course is free and can be started at any time.

The British Physics Olympiad Senior Physics Challenge (SPC) is a national competition aimed at Year 12 (first year of A-level or equivalent) students. There are two routes: SPC Online, a quiz-style competition made up of two 30-minute multiple-choice sets designed to encourage wider reading and interest in physics; and the traditional paper SPC, a one-hour problem-based paper that challenges students' problem-solving and application of core physics principles.

Both competitions are intended to be taken in school under teacher supervision and are not permitted to be sat remotely. The online event is run via the BPhO Competition Platform and is accessible to capable students (not an Olympiad-level paper). The paper competition uses a problem-set format with past papers recommended for preparation; teachers download papers from the Competition Platform and mark scripts in school using the provided mark scheme.

Entry arrangements vary: SPC Online charges £20 for a school entry (up to 999 students), the paper competition is free for (UK) schools while international schools have a £20 fee for up to 100 students. Results, reports and supporting materials (sample questions, past papers, mark schemes) are available on the Competition Platform. Selected top performers may be invited (with their teacher) to the Royal Society awards.

React Engineering offers a one-week, in-office work experience placement specifically for students in Year 10. Participants work alongside React engineers and project professionals to gain an insight into engineering consultancy and nuclear decommissioning, learning what roles such as Engineering Consultant and Project Manager involve.

During the week students are assigned a project with real links to accelerating decommissioning that is adapted to their personal and educational interests. Each participant has access to a dedicated mentor and the wider team's expertise, attends technical and project-management related sessions, and develops communication skills. The week concludes with participants delivering a presentation of their project to part of the wider company.

If you are interested in work experience with React Engineering, send your details to joinus@react-engineering.co.uk to enquire about opportunities and next steps.

Join the University of Gloucestershire for a Marketing Taster Day at the Oxstalls Campus, designed to give Year 12 and Year 13 students an introduction to how marketing decisions are made.

During the day, academics will guide you through how human behaviour, social trends and target audiences influence marketing campaigns. Sessions will cover topics such as how culture, gender and peer influence shape decisions and how marketers use these insights to promote products and address social challenges.

You will also explore practical marketing skills including managing budgets, timelines and projects, and see how marketing combines creative thinking with planning and evaluation. The event runs 10:00-14:30 on dates in spring 2026 (dates TBC) and takes place at the Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester (GL2 9HW).

The Experience Engineering Academy is a two-week on-campus summer course run by Oxford Scholastica Academy on the Oxford University campus. Students tackle real-world engineering challenges-building an engine, designing hydraulic and pneumatic systems, exploring aerodynamics and thermodynamic cycles-and are guided by tutors typically drawn from Oxford and Cambridge.

Beyond daily classes, the programme includes an intensive four-hour Bridge Building Challenge that tests teamwork, budgeting and structural design. Masterclasses, visits from an established engineer, cultural excursions and a full social programme (including an International Boat Ball, punting and college experiences) give participants a taste of university life alongside academic learning.

Class sizes are capped (maximum 15 students). All successful participants receive an Oxford Scholastica Academy Certificate of Achievement, and qualifying students may be awarded a personalised Letter of Recommendation and access to the Ambassador Programme for follow-on activities.

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH) Skills Academy runs a range of in-person and occasional virtual work experience and insight activities for school students. Offerings include Year 10 and 11 Career Insight Weeks (three-day programmes of talks, tours and interactive, non-clinical sessions), ad-hoc observational placements, subject-specific days (for example pharmacy and pathology), and sector-specific weeks such as Access Accountancy. Placements are observational only and do not include clinical duties or doctor shadowing through Skills Academy.

Key programmes described include Year 10 and 11 Career Insight Weeks (multiple dates in 2025 and 2026), a Year 12 Pathology Summer School (four days, with lab practicals and UEA lab sessions), a Year 12 Pharmacy Work Experience Day (one day), regular Pharmacy tours and careers talks (Wednesday afternoons 15:30-16:15 on listed dates), and a one-week Access Accountancy placement (~30+ hours). The page also links to PGME-run medical education insight programmes for Year 12 and 13 students and a Year 10/11 Medicine Insight Day.

Applications and application forms are circulated to schools and colleges and advertised on NNUH Skills Academy social channels; when live the application link is posted on this page. For programme-specific queries applicants are directed to the Skills Academy email (skillsacademy@nnuh.nhs.uk) or the individual programme contact emails provided on the page.

Oxford Scholastica Academy’s Experience Law Academy is a two-week summer school in Oxford for students aged 15–18 who want to explore law in an academic and practical setting. The course introduces key legal principles, the structure of the legal system, and major topics such as international law, human rights, constitutional and administrative law, criminal law, and private and corporate law.

Students debate ethical dilemmas, analyse landmark cases, and build confidence in legal reasoning and advocacy through discussion-based classes. A highlight of the programme is the four-hour Moot Court Challenge, where participants work in teams to prepare arguments and take part in a mock trial, putting theory into practice in a competitive courtroom-style setting.

Beyond the core academic content, the programme includes a Law Hero session with a practising lawyer, masterclasses in transferable skills such as public speaking and teamwork, and a full social and cultural schedule in Oxford. Successful participants receive a Certificate of Achievement, and some students may also receive a personalised Letter of Recommendation.

Dream Big: Black Youth Enterprise Day is an in-person entrepreneurship and empowerment event that celebrates Black entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and ambition. It brings together young people who are interested in business, self-employment, personal development, and building positive futures. The event features an inspiring keynote speaker, a panel of entrepreneurs sharing their journeys, and practical business support from organisations such as Big Ideas Wales and partner groups. Attendees can hear about starting a business with limited resources, accessing finance, building a personal brand, using social media for growth, and overcoming barriers. There are also interactive networking sessions where participants can ask questions, get personalised advice, and learn about different business sectors. The day ends with refreshments and informal networking, giving attendees more chances to connect with entrepreneurs, advisers, and other young people considering their next steps.

The Practical Ethics and Responsibility Competition invites school students to explore a real ethical issue and think critically about the role responsibility plays in addressing it. Entrants take part by creating a video that explains an ethical problem and presents their ideas on how responsibility is involved. The competition is designed to encourage discussion, reflection and careful argument, while giving young people a chance to develop communication and analysis skills. It is open across the UK to teams of school students in the relevant year groups. Entries are judged, and the top five teams are invited to the final in Oxford. The organisers provide travel costs for all participants, and accommodation costs for teams travelling more than two hours from Oxford. Finalist schools receive a cash prize, making the competition both an academic challenge and a recognised opportunity for students interested in ethics and public debate.

The Immerse Education Essay Competition invites students aged 13-18 to write a 500-word academic essay on a chosen question and compete for scholarships to Immerse’s university and career preparation programmes. The competition is designed for ambitious young people who want to explore a subject in greater depth, strengthen their writing, and demonstrate academic potential. Entrants can register interest to access an essay guide with questions, tips, referencing advice, and reminders. Essays are assessed by expert markers and guest judges on research, critical analysis, structure, evidence, and writing quality. The competition is free to enter, open worldwide, and allows one submission per person. Prizes include full and partial scholarships, plus participation recognition for entrants who take part.

Heeley City Farm offers volunteering and training opportunities across the farm, food-growing areas, café, administration, site maintenance, and community support. The activities are designed to help people build practical skills, confidence, and friendships while contributing to a local charity focused on nature, wellbeing, and inclusion.

The farm welcomes volunteers from age 8 upwards, with different options for different ages and interests. There is a dedicated 16–24 volunteer group, plus roles for ages 16+ in the farm kitchen, finance, reception and administration, and site maintenance. Sheffield Safe Places is available for volunteers aged 18+.

Applicants should complete the online volunteer form. The farm says some departments have waiting lists, placements cannot always be guaranteed, and successful applicants may be invited to a “Try it” day. For some roles, a criminal records check may be requested because the farm works with vulnerable people.

Study Minds Chemical Engineering Work Experience is an immersive, practical programme designed for school students interested in chemical engineering and related fields. The programme combines hands-on workshops, expert-led sessions and site visits covering topics such as separation processes (distillation, filtration, chromatography), chemical reactions and catalysis, process engineering and safety, bioengineering and green chemistry. Small class sizes (10-12 students) enable close mentoring and interactive practical work. Participants can choose 1-, 2- or 3-week packages that include industry-focused modules and optional industry placement or career & life skills weeks. Residential options are provided for those who opt in (Ramsay Hall, UCL campus) and students receive preparatory materials before the programme. On completion students receive a certificate suitable for inclusion in UCAS applications and CVs. Study Mind runs a widening participation bursary scheme (full, 75% and 50% bursaries). Bursary applicants must provide evidence (e.g., Universal Credit, Free School Meals, Pupil Premium), complete an essay and supply a teacher reference. Booking is via the Study Mind website; bursary applicants use a separate application form and may contact camps@studymind.co.uk for queries.

Dorset Healthcare offers a range of work experience opportunities across clinical and non-clinical teams designed to give young people practical insight into healthcare careers. Placements vary from short taster sessions (half a day to two days) up to one-week observational placements, with some experience days offering limited hands-on activities where appropriate. The trust runs specific "Experience: NHS Programmes" (two- to four-day sessions) aimed at Year 12 students that introduce participants to different services and career pathways within the NHS. Applications are managed via an Expression of Interest form and the trust promotes the programmes through local schools when applications open. Priority is given to applicants with Dorset addresses and to learners meeting specific widening-participation criteria (e.g., those in areas of higher deprivation, learners with EHCPs, NEET, care leavers, and those with recent armed forces connections). For more information or to request phone conversations, school visits, mock interviews, or T Level placement arrangements, applicants should contact the team by email.

The University of Southampton, in partnership with University Hospital Southampton, offers a LIVE virtual Medicine work experience programme delivered via Microsoft Teams for Year 12 (first year of college / lower sixth) students who are interested in studying Medicine. The programme is designed to give insight into hospital-based roles and clinical pathways and is aimed at students currently studying A Level Biology.

Typical timetable elements include sessions in an operating theatre environment, outpatient clinics, multidisciplinary meetings, opportunities to take a patient history in practice, and chances to speak with current medical students and a variety of clinicians representing Medicine and Allied Health Professions. The programme is delivered as live sessions (usually between 9:00 and 16:00) and may change day-to-day depending on hospital activity.

This programme is open to all students based in the UK, with specific places reserved for applicants who meet two or more widening participation criteria. Applicants are expected to attend all scheduled sessions; students who are late or who fail to attend will be removed from the programme. Application windows and exact session dates are published on the programme page and applicants should apply during the listed application period for each intake.

CPDN (climateprediction.net) is a University of Oxford-based volunteer computing project that runs climate modelling experiments using the spare processing power of volunteers' home computers. Volunteers install the BOINC client, join the Climateprediction.net project, and allow climate models to run in the background on their machines. The project is not-for-profit and is run by a team of climate scientists, computing experts and graduate students in partnership with researchers worldwide.

Volunteers help run large ensembles of global and regional climate models which are computationally intensive and require many small contributions from ordinary computers. Participation is suitable for anyone with a compatible personal computer and an interest in supporting climate science; no formal qualifications are required. Key practical steps are to download and install the BOINC client, register a CPDN account, add the Climateprediction.net project to BOINC, and configure preferences (for example to suspend work while the computer is in use).

Participants can access technical FAQs and community message boards for setup help and discussion. The role offers engagement with climate research, opportunities to learn about modelling and data, and membership of a global volunteer community, but it does not provide a formal qualification or paid work.

Join tutor2u’s subject experts for a full-day Geography exam booster designed for Year 13 students preparing for AQA A-Level Geography. The workshop is built around fast-paced, interactive sessions in a cinema setting, with a strong focus on exam technique, core topic revision, and the skills needed to perform well in the final assessment.

Across the day, attendees work through geographical systems, key content development, AO1 and AO2 understanding, and a range of exam-style question strategies, including approaches to 20-mark, 9-mark, and 6-mark questions. Students also receive a workshop booklet packed with practical advice, access to a supporting online course, and additional downloadable resources to help them continue revision after the event.

Lite Regal Education's Advanced Applied Maths Summer Course is an intensive, university-campus summer school for 15-18 year olds run at University of London, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford. The programme revises A-Level material and introduces advanced Year-1 university maths topics (algebra, multivariate calculus, probability and more), with specific modules on maths in physics and astronomy. The course includes lectures, afternoon workshops, guest lectures and field visits to industry.

The standard offering is a 14-day (2-week) residential or non-residential course with small class sizes, practical workshops, academic reports and a graduation ceremony. Students follow a sample timetable of morning lessons and afternoon workshops, take part in debates, presentations and group projects, and attend cultural excursions and social activities organised by the Summer School team.

The programme is designed to prepare motivated GCSE/A-level/IB students for university-level study in mathematics, physics, astronomy or engineering. Accommodation (campus rooms), three meals daily for residential students, pastoral support, and a certificate on completion are included as described on the course page.

Framestore's Launchpad Insights is a hands-on, week-long work experience programme in visual effects for 15-18 year olds. Participants get behind-the-scenes access to the studio, work on a project responding to a brief, collaborate with industry experts, and take part in interactive workshops and inspirational talks covering topics such as concept art and CG modelling.

The programme runs Monday to Friday, 09:30-17:00, and is designed for newcomers-no prior experience is required. Framestore will cover transportation and food expenses for participants. Availability is limited and placements are competitive, so applicants should expect a selective process.

During the week you will see work in progress on film, TV and commercial projects; participants are required to respect strict confidentiality and must not take or share photographs inside the building (other than in the reception area). The programme also includes networking opportunities with professionals and fellow participants to help explore future pathways into VFX and filmmaking.

The Veritas AI Fellowship is an online, mentored programme where participants develop a novel AI project over 12-15 weeks. Each fellow works independently on a project while receiving regular one-to-one mentorship from an AI practitioner or researcher, with 12 scheduled 1-1 sessions and opportunities to present work to peers. The programme is structured into three phases: Weeks 1-4 for exploration and learning (identifying a research question and suitable ML model), Weeks 5-8 for ideation and data exploration (assessing feasibility and resources), and Weeks 9-15 for execution (building the final project and troubleshooting with a mentor). The course is delivered entirely online. Applicants must have a basic understanding of Python or have completed the AI Scholars programme. The fellowship accepts high school students and advanced middle school students. A programme brochure is available for more details (https://drive.google.com/file/d/14jzUDrIy0AX7V-Hx74GTw7seFBjVTPHP/view?usp=sharing).