Progression

Careers Advice - University, Apprenticeships, Jobs and Further Education

All students in Years 12 and 13 have access to a dedicated Google Classroom providing careers education advice and guidance, covering all routes beyond Year 13. This Google Classroom is updated regularly with advice and support as well as job vacancies in the local area and further afield. There is guidance on universities, apprenticeships, gap years and moving straight into employment. In addition, up-to-date information can be found in the classroom about events being offered for both those moving on to university and those looking at alternative pathways.

During Next Steps, students are given guidance on the pathways and routes that they would like to follow after Sixth Form. The UCAS application process starts at the end of Year 12 and students are guided through this by their Head of Year, their tutor and the Sixth Form Team. This process continues into Year 13. For Personal statement writing students have access to the OSCAR system, created in conjunction with the Sutton Trust which supports social mobility in state education. There is an opportunity for Year 12 students to get the first taste of university courses available every year at the UCAS show at the Brighton Centre in the spring term. We have a range of speakers into our Next Steps programme, to provide information to our students on the different pathways and options available to them, so that our students can make informed decisions about their future options.

All Year 12 students attended our Futures Day programme at the end of Year 12 where we have workshops on:

CV and Application writing
Interview Techniques
Assessment Centre Preparation

In addition, students have the opportunity to attend our own Careers Fair, where we have local and national employers, further and higher education institutions and apprenticeship providers in attendance. Students have the chance to ask questions about the skills and competencies needed in different job roles and to find out about different careers available.

The Careers Adviser provides Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) counselling to our students in both Years 12 and 13. They offer pre-bookable one-to-one meetings with Sixth Form students to advise them on applying for apprenticeships and careers beyond Year 13.

Progression Pathways

The Sixth Form offers plenty of opportunities for students to begin planning their futures, which can lead them into many different directions after finishing Sixth Form.

Apprenticeships

Students can move onto an apprenticeship after they have finished their studies at Sixth Form. There are many different levels of apprenticeship that students can select from including: Intermediate, Advanced, Higher and Degree Apprenticeships. Apprenticeships have many advantages including: earning a wage and getting holiday pay, working along with experienced staff, gaining job-specific skills and obtaining a qualification at the same time. Once a student has finished one level of apprenticeship, they can move onto the next level; sometimes this can be with the same company or it could be with another company. Many apprentices stay with their original companies when they have finished their qualification, whereas when fully trained, some move onto new opportunities. A great place to look for apprenticeships is on the Government Apprenticeship Website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

Further Education College

Students are entitled to three years of free education, between the ages of 16 - 19, as long as this is not at university. This means that students could complete two years of study at our Sixth Form and then may move onto one of the local colleges for a further year to study a vocational course, such as performance arts or engineering. We have many local further education colleges in West Sussex, where students can find interesting courses to move onto.

Employment

Students can move into employment after completing their studies in Sixth Form; many jobs offer training as part of the role, which can include a formal qualification. There are different job websites to find information on, including the Find a Job Government website. The application process may require a CV and an application form to be completed, along with an interview. During Next Steps and Tutor Hour sessions, students have the opportunity to work on their CV writing skills, as well as covering letters and preparation for interviews.

University

Students can move onto university after completing Sixth Form. In order to achieve this, they need to go through the UCAS application process which includes writing a personal statement, completing the UCAS form and adding their tutor reference to their application. There are deadlines for both the application and accepting offers of places which students must meet if they are going to attend university. Some courses at university require an early application, such as Medicine, which is in October for the year that the student is in Year 13. Students can apply to university and then defer their entrance for a year as well. Should a student planning to attend university achieve better exam grades then expected or not the grades they were hoping for, then they can apply for clearing. All of this information is made clear to students, who begin the UCAS process during Year 12, as well as our dedicated Sixth Form team who are always available on A Level results day to support students through the clearing process.

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