We offer a comprehensive programme which begins in Year 7 and culminates in Year 13, and on occasions beyond Y13 as former pupils return for further advice and support! The Careers Library is open access and girls are encouraged to drop in to seek information, discuss plans, ask questions and to browse resources.
Years 7 to 11
Careers lessons are taught as a discrete unit within the PSHE programme, including age-appropriate psychometric profiling; questionnaires and activities to explore preferred style of working and transferable skills; and an introduction to the Careers Library, including online resources and how to research particular careers and entrance routes.
Years 7 to 9 have half a term of taught Careers lessons (1 hour per fortnight) plus whole day activities. In Year 10 and 11 taught lessons are more scattered: the lessons are distributed throughout the year at the times we want to focus on transferable skills, beginning to think about Sixth Form life, and preparing for work experience as well as the whole Careers day and Careers evenings. Girls are encouraged to drop in informally at breaks and lunchtimes for an additional support they need.
In addition Years 9 and 11, receive advice and guidance on option choices and the implication of particular subject choices for future academic and career plans.
Sixth Form
In the Sixth Form, each girl is given her own Careers Tutor, who teaches her in Careers lessons and who works with her throughout the two years to assist and advise her in making decisions about her future plans. Each girl has an interview with her Careers tutor at the end of Year 12, to discuss plans and to agree an action plan over the summer break, and a further interview early in Year 13.
The close relationship developed is key in helping each girl make aspirational, yet realistic, choices and is an important factor in our consistent statistics of 94% into first or second choice university and over 80% into first choice. In practice, almost all girls go on to Higher Education but the small number who choose another path are given the same care and attention in achieving their goals.