Wider partner school activities: on campus
Our wider partner school activities on campus offer students in Years 7-10 the opportunity to experience university-style learning through interactive subject tasters, led by our academics and student ambassadors.
Wider partner school events
These days are open to all students who meet our widening participation eligibility criteria. While these opportunities are more widely available to learners within our partner schools, attendance is still expected to prioritise students who meet our eligibility criteria.
We offer a variety of in-school and on-campus events throughout the year, providing multiple opportunities for learners to engage with university life and academic subjects.
Please see the upcoming events below. New and exciting events will be added throughout the year - in addition to those listed here - and we’ll notify you when they become available. For 2026, we’re planning sessions in performing arts, law, medicine and an engineering-themed day focused on designing a racing car, so watch this space!
Our events are allocated on fair basis, so if you are interested in attending a particular event, please complete the relevant expression of interest form below and we will be in touch to confirm places.
Upcoming events
- Holocaust Memorial Event: Wednesday 4 February 2026
Date: Wednesday 4 February 2026
Year Group: Year 10
Timings: 10am-2.30pm (timings to be confirmed)
Location: University of Sussex campus
Maximum group size: 15-30 Year 10 students
The Holocaust Memorial Day takes place at the University of Sussex annually, and the theme for this years event is ‘Bridging Generations’. This event is a unique opportunity that will give students the chance to immerse themselves in one of the biggest events in history.
The day is comprised of showings of two thought provoking films, introduced by founder and president of UK Jewish Film Judy Ironside, followed by the highlight of the day - an opportunity to listen to and ask questions of a Holocaust survivor, who will tell their story of suffering and survival.
There will also be opportunities for students to ask questions to both presenters.
To book this event, please fill out our expression of interest form below.
- Performing Arts Taster Day: Friday 27 February 2026
Date: Friday 27 February 2026
Year Group: Year 9, 10 and 11
Timings: 9.30am-4.30pm. Please note that due to the performance timings, this event will finish at 4.30pm.
Location: University of Sussex campus
Maximum group size per school: Up to 60 students.
Experience a day in the world of musical theatre with SMuTS.
Bring your students for an unforgettable day of singing, dancing, and acting workshops, followed by a matinee performance of ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ with Sussex Musical Theatre Society (SMuTS).
Students will arrive at the ACCA for a behind-the-scenes look at how a large-scale student-run musical comes together. Across the morning, they’ll rotate through three exciting 30-minute workshops led by our talented cast and creative team, covering acting, singing, and dancing techniques. They’ll also have the chance to ask questions and chat with the performers and Production Team (PT) during a Q&A session before lunch.
After lunch, the group will take their seats for our 2pm matinee performance of ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ (finishing around 4.30pm).
This is a fantastic opportunity for up to 60 students to experience life on, and behind, the stage. Schools will stay together and rotate between activities.
This day is designed to inspire and inform young people about the performing arts and student life. It gives pupils the chance to:
- explore acting, singing and dancing skills in a supportive environment
- see first-hand what university students can create outside of their studies
- ask questions about Sussex Musical Theatre Society and discover the opportunities available to you at University
- build confidence, teamwork and creativity through practical workshops.
About the show
Based on the hit 1980 film with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ is a high-energy, fun musical about three office workers who take on their sexist, egotistical boss and work together to create a better workplace. Packed with catchy songs, big dance numbers and lots of humour, it’s the perfect show to inspire young audiences about teamwork, resilience and empowerment.
Content advisory / age guidance: ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ is officially recommended for ages 12 and over. The show contains comedic sexual references, light drug use and occasional strong language.
We are committed to making the production as appropriate as possible for school audiences and will adapt the script where we legally can, while still maintaining the integrity of the show and staying within licensing guidelines. For example, we can use alcohol instead of drugs and where it’s referenced we can just cut off the line, e.g. ‘Is that marijuana?!’ we can cut it to ‘Is that…?!’. The cast will learn both versions from the start of the rehearsal process.
We’re a group of university students who perform and produce shows for fun alongside our studies. We hope this experience will show how exciting student theatre can be and inspire pupils to consider university and creative opportunities.
To book this event, please fill out our expression of interest form below.
- Multi-Subject Taster Day: Wednesday 25 March 2026
Date: Wednesday 25 March 2026
Year Group: Year 9
Timings: 10am-2.30pm
Location: University of Sussex
Maximum group size per school: 20 Year 9 students
Our popular Multi-Subject Taster Day event is back for 2026!
This event offers Year 9 students the chance to take part in mini-taster sessions in three subject areas. A range of subjects will be allocated to each group in advance and will be confirmed on the day. Previous subjects have included Media, Art History, English, Philosophy, Medicine, Electronics, Psychology and Criminology.
The day will provide a unique chance for students to try out subjects that they may not have considered before, or to have a University-style taster in one of their favourite subjects. The sessions are specially developed and led by our Academic Content Facilitators, who are current PhD students at the University, and are supported by undergraduate students. There will also be opportunities for students to ask questions of our current undergraduates.
To register your interest, please complete the booking form below.
- Law Taster Day: Thursday 7 May 2026
Date: Thursday 7 May 2026
Year Group: Year 8, 9 and 10
Timings: 9.30am-2.30pm.
Location: University of Sussex campus
Maximum group size per school: 12 students.
Exploratory, experiential and critical in approach, the law insight day at the University of Sussex will provide students with an opportunity to engage critically in a range of contemporary legal issues, including law’s response to the advances in generative AI and limitations to free speech and the right to protest.
Facilitated in our state-of-the-art Moot Court Room, students attending will also have the opportunity to ‘advocate’ and ‘present a case’ before the court. The day promises to be active and engaging, supporting students to develop a range of skills including critical thinking, reasoning and presentation skills.
The day will be facilitated by award winning lecturer, Dr Verona Ní Drisceoil (Reader in Legal Education at Sussex Law School)
To book this event, please fill out our expression of interest form below.
- Brilliant Brains, Neuroscience Experience Day: Thursday 2 July 2026
Date: Thursday 2 July 2026
Year Group: Year 8 or 9
Timings: 9.45am-2.40pm (approximately).
Location: University of Sussex campus
Maximum group size per school: 20 Year 8 or 9 students. Please note that groups will be split in two, so you will require at least two teachers per 20 students so that each group is accompanied.
Our Brilliant Brains event is back for 2025 - this event proved extremely popular last year, so be sure to book fast to secure your place!
A team of neuroscientists from the University of Sussex and Brighton & Sussex Medical School have put together a series of interactive sessions designed to give your year 8 & 9 students the chance to learn more about what their brain does, how it does it – and how they might even be able to control other people’s bodies with the power of their brains!
Students will leave inspired, maybe even with some tricks to help them study and an understanding of how science GCSEs could be the first steps to becoming a brain scientist!
Students will also get the chance to speak with our team of student ambassadors, who are all current students at the University, and who can give a unique and varied insight into student life, as well as share their experiences of studying an array of subject areas at university.
To book this event, please fill out our expression of interest form below.
Eligibility criteria
Our work aims to equip learners from under-represented backgrounds in HE with the awareness, advice and opportunities that they need to make informed choices about their future pathways.
Within school, some of our resources are available to all students, such as support for school events and University Life talks. Our more intensive support - e.g. campus-based activity, attainment raising programmes and specialised projects - are directed toward students who meet our Widening Participation criteria. These include:
- students who are or have been eligible for Free School Meals in the last five years
- students in receipt of Pupil Premium support
- students who are care experienced, previously care experienced, or adoptees
- students who are a young carer
- students who are the child of a Military Service Family
- students who are estranged from their family
- students of Gypsy, Roma or Traveller heritage background
- students who are a refugee or asylum seeker.
In addition, we also work with students who live in a postcode in deciles 1 and 2 of the Index of Multiple Deprivation.
If you are unsure or have any questions regarding this, please contact us at participate@sussex.ac.uk
Contact
If you have any queries, email participate@sussex.ac.uk.