Celebrating a decade of the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project

Racing to School marked 10 years of the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project last week, with a showcase event celebrating the achievements of the young people, community partners, and industry supporters who have shaped the programme since its launch in 2016.

The anniversary event was held in the school’s library, bringing together alumni, current students, staff, and representatives from across Newmarket’s racing industry and wider community for an evening to celebrate the joint venture between the charity Racing to School and Godolphin.

Guests were welcomed with canapés and drinks, prepared and served by current students studying catering and hospitality, with generous support from the teams at Bedford Lodge Hotel and Jockey Club Catering.

The evening’s programme featured the launch of a specially produced video reflecting a decade of the Beacon Project’s impact and brought to life through a panel discussion, at which current students spoke fondly about their own experiences of the programme, and the opportunities it has opened up for them.

Speaking on the night, Headteacher Claire Preston said: “Partnerships like this do not thrive by chance. They are built on a shared vision, commitment, generosity, and unwavering belief in our young people. Tonight is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate everyone who has played a part in making this partnership such a success.”

Guests were invited to explore a showcase of student work and initiatives connected to the Beacon Project, engaging directly with the young people involved.

There were a series of themed tables, each highlighting a different strand of the programme’s work, including Aspire Magazine, produced termly by student journalists, and Dubai Future Champions Education Week, an initiative run annually for Year 8 to connect them with the heritage and opportunities Newmarket has to offer.

Over the past decade, the programme has embedded careers education at Newmarket Academy in line with the national Gatsby Benchmarks, offering students a structured careers programme from Year 7 onwards, including employer encounters, workplace experiences, and guidance on further and higher education, apprenticeships, and university routes.

John Blake, Chief Executive at Racing to School said: “Innovation and ownership have been the hallmarks of the first 10 years of the Newmarket Beacon and the seamless collaboration between the school, Godolphin’s committed sponsorship and the charity’s work in coordinating and delivering activities across the school year.

“The programme has evolved during this period but the ethos and approach has been consistent: to listen to the needs of young people and harness the assets and goodwill of the racing town to help open the minds and raise the aspirations of all those engaged over this time. We are very proud to play our part and very thankful for Godolphin’s support and the partnership with the Academy.”