Oxted School Welcomes The SACP
Oxted School hosted the SACP for the first time on 18 September, following a request prompted by a small group of its students attending the programme’s Guildford event earlier in the year.
Approximately 110 students from Oxted and Lingfield College attended, ranging from Year 10 to Year 13, with Year 9 members of Oxted’s Robotics Club also joining. SACP Chairman Dr Michael Smith was also in attendance. The students’ enthusiasm, together with the support of Careers Lead Stephen Orozco, helped make the visit a particularly enjoyable start to the SACP’s work with the school.
The morning combined an introduction to the future of aerospace with personal perspectives on working in the industry. Chris Marshall led the main SACP presentation, followed by Mike Stokes on pathways to becoming a pilot. After the break, Chris returned to discuss his work as a drone pilot, and Ogi Damjanovic demonstrated his career in VR design.
Spot rounded off the morning, with students asking the Boston Dynamics robot questions directly before lunch.
During the afternoon, students explored the technology in smaller groups. Chris led the XR drone simulator sessions, Mike ran the VR Flight Experience using ten headsets, and Ogi guided students through VR design with his five-headset setup. The activities gave students across the different year groups an opportunity to try unfamiliar tools and speak with the presenters.
Student feedback reflected the response to the day. One described it as “amazing and very inspiring”, while another wrote: “Very good presentation and I have enjoyed all of it”.
Stephen Orozco, Careers Lead at Oxted School, said:
“The day was inspirational and a great way to inspire future generations”.
The SACP gives particular thanks to Stephen for his thoughtful organisation and enthusiasm throughout the visit. His support helped make the first Oxted event a standout occasion for the team. We also thank the staff and students of both Oxted School and Lingfield College for taking part.
