At Wilberforce , partnerships with industry go beyond the classroom, helping to build strong relationships, shared experiences, and a real sense of community. One great example of this is our ongoing partnership with F R Scott, which includes supporting the Engineering Student of the Month award and contributing to our developing engineering facilities.

Recently, this partnership was brought to life in a slightly different way – on the football pitch.

On Friday afternoon, members of the F R Scott team visited the college for a lively 6-a-side match against staff from the Engineering Department. With lessons finishing a little earlier, students gathered to watch and thoroughly enjoyed seeing their teachers take on industry professionals in a competitive but good-spirited game.

The match itself was highly entertaining from start to finish, with both teams showcasing plenty of energy, teamwork, and a healthy dose of humour throughout. Early pressure saw Wilberforce take the lead, before a well-taken header from Tony Johnson brought F R Scott level.

What followed was an exciting, end-to-end contest, with goals flowing and momentum swinging between both sides. Neither team managed to pull away, and in the end the match finished in a well-fought 6–6 draw.

The atmosphere on the sidelines matched the action on the pitch, with plenty of encouragement and friendly rivalry throughout. It was a brilliant reminder of the strong relationships that exist between students, staff, and industry partners.

After the final whistle, Sean Edwards presented Tony Rands with a commemorative plaque, created by one of our engineering students, a fitting way to mark a fantastic afternoon of collaboration and community spirit.

A big thank you to everyone involved for making the event such a success. We look forward to many more opportunities like this as our partnership with F R Scott continues to grow.