Careers Advice and Guidance

The programme is designed to provide students with the skills to enable them to make informed and appropriate decisions about their futures. The programme involves plenary sessions, timetabled lessons during periods assigned to PSHCE and discussions with individual pupils. The timing of the various components of the programme is planned to support the selection of subject options as well as planning for the future.

Resources

People who are involved with the programme are the Section Heads, Form Tutors, subject specialists, work-shadowing organisers and the Careers Advisor. We are fortunate to have access to many people from outside of the school who regularly give their help. These people include governors, parents and a large and increasing number of Alumnae who are eminent in their professions. They give talks to groups of pupils, offer work experience, ‘mock’ interviews prior to higher education interviews and guidance and advice to individuals. Apart from the programme undertaken by all students any student is able to ask for an informal interview about any query she may have regarding future decisions.

The school is a member of ISCO (Independent Schools Careers Organisation) and has access to the facilities provided by the organisation. We are able to call on specialist Careers Advisors who will assist us according to our requirements and they come in to school for sessions held for girls at the end of Year 10.

Since we are a member of ISCO we have access to the concessionary rates for pupils who wish to take part in the Futurewise programme, including evaluation from their psychometric testing, which will help them with career choices until they reach the age of 23.

We also subscribe to several other organisations which enable our pupils to access programmes on the internet and allow them to start exploring the options which are open to them. These programmes are interactive and enable parents and tutors to oversee what individual pupils are exploring. Pupils are given access to the various programmes at the appropriate time in their passage through the school. The aim is to introduce them to the idea of recognising achievements and building up and recording them in a portfolio.

Many careers resources are now available online. The Careers Advisor encourages pupils to access information from books, magazines and DVDs in online programmes such as CASCAID and KUDOS. Material about UK and other university courses and career paths can be sourced in the Library and in the Sixth Form Centre. Talks from alumnae and other specialists in the sixth form lecture period raises awareness of wide-ranging career directions. The school publication ‘To Read and So.....’ includes profiles on alumnae who have made interesting career choices.

Programme for Years 9 – 11

Year 9

When girls are deciding on subject options, Tutors discuss identifying aptitude and interest, and the importance of making decisions.  Girls are given individual interviews by their Tutor, Deputy Head of Section, or a member of the SMT.

They are introduced to CASCAID and KUDOS programmes which are interactive. These help the girls to pursue their individual interests and introduce them to techniques which will enable them to research individual careers. They are shown how to use these tools at the beginning of the Spring Term. They receive a booklet containing full details of all the GCSE courses offered and the options system at the end of the Autumn Term.

Year 10

Girls are actively involved in using FASTTOMATO, an interactive programme with which the user starts to build up a portfolio which she will continue to develop throughout her school life (we have found this to be a useful way of compiling information for a good CV or personal statement for UCAS application). After the internal examinations in the Summer Term we organise a special careers day for Year 10 pupils (half the year at a time) at which an ISCO speaker talks to the girls about making decisions including thinking about A level choices and Higher Education Institutions. They also explain the Futurewise scheme. We encourage girls and parents to consider this and arrange for the fee to be divided into three parts payable at a termly rate.  On that same day the girls are introduced to new A level subjects and how to start thinking about A level choices.

Year 11

Girls who participate in the Futurewise scheme take the Morrisby testing and have the follow up interviews with ISCO staff.

The Careers Advisor offers lunchtime training in writing cvs, and during PSHCE lessons Tutors discuss making decisions about the future, the various stages at which decisions have to be taken and options which are available. Concerns can be addressed at this time. Girls are encouraged to raise their concerns and are able to seek advice at any time.

The girls are encouraged to maintain the records they have started during Year 10.

A special Information Evening is held for parents and girls early in October; a package of materials is distributed in advance, including information about careers advice, work-shadowing and the Sixth Form Prospectus which contains details of A level courses.

Prior to A Level choices being made, all girls are seen individually by one of a team made up of the Deputy Head, Head of Years 10 and 11, Deputy Head of Years 10 and 11, Head of Sixth Form, Form Tutors, Careers Adviser and other members of the SMT.

In the summer of Year 11, after GCSE examinations are completed, our work-shadowing scheme takes place.  We organise a large number of one-week placements for girls each year (using established contacts with current and former parents and alumnae) but some parents make their own arrangements for their daughters.  In the latter cases we advise re-health and safety and insurance issues.

Please click here to read more about Work Shadowing and how parents and alumnae can get involved.