Careers & Higher Education
Careers education and guidance is considered a priority during all of our students’ time at BUCHS, with help available on an individual and/or group basis. Careers Education is delivered to all year groups, backed up with individual consultations to help students make the right decisions about their education, training and employment choices. These can be with form tutors, subject teachers and also the independent careers advisor, who is available through online sessions or through visits to school. In addition, our well-established Careers Department provides students with the information and support needed to make the right decisions about their future.
Gatsby Benchmark* 1 - A stable careers programme
All staff members and students have access to careers resources in the library; this includes information about various careers, local college prospectuses and information regarding moving on to university and apprenticeships.
Gatsby Benchmark 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/careerometer/
Useful Links:
Gatsby Benchmark 3 - Addressing the needs of each student
All students have access to the careers library and have the ability to request a careers interview with the independent careers advisor.
All Year 11 students have an individual interview with an external interviewer from industry.
All Sixth Form students receive tailored advice regarding post 18 choices.
Gatsby Benchmark 4 - Linking curriculum learning to careers
Careers PSHE Lesson overview:
Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 | Spring 1 | Spring 2 | Summer 1 | Summer 2 | |
Year 7 |
Enterprise skills Developing enterprise skills |
Introduction to work Stereotypes in the workplace |
Saving & budgeting Influences on spending |
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Year 8 |
Option choices |
Financial risk Consumer rights Consumer choice |
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Year 9 |
Work life balance |
Strengths for employment |
Enterprise project |
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Year 10 |
Economic wellbeing Debt |
Moving on |
Skills for employment Employability Rights in the workplace |
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Year 11 |
Setting targets Career paths Applying at 16 Writing a CV Interviews Post 16 pathways |
Security & fraud Credit scoring Saving |
During their time in the Sixth Form, our students will attend a Post-18 Choices day, during which they will have the opportunity to meet with employers, attend careers workshops and receive instruction on university applications and other progression routes, such as Higher Apprenticeships. Individual post-18 meetings with the Director of Sixth Form and the Sixth Form Leadership team take place during the Autumn term of Year 13 and mock interviews can also be arranged on request; especially for courses which are highly competitive, such as Medicine and Dentistry. For those aspiring to Oxbridge, guest speakers from Oxford and Cambridge University come into the school to provide specific guidance for applications to their institutions, including the importance of super-curricular activities. Parents are also supported too, with information regularly shared about key issues such as UCAS and student finance.
Subject guidance can be found at https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/my-learning-my-future
Gatsby Benchmark 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
Students receive school visits from local employers (including former students) on Curriculum Extension Days. All Year 11 Students have the opportunity to have a one-to-one interview with an employer which is followed up with oral and written feedback. The employers include:
- Price Waterhouse Coopers
- BBC
- CAFOD
- The Met Police
- SVP
- Brentwood Catholic Youth Service
- Roofe Construction
- Countryside
- Department of Health and Social Care
- DocuSign
- EY
Department led careers events have taken place at the Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School to help students within their chosen subject field such as the 'International Women in Engineering Day.'
An annual 'Women for Women' Careers Fair is offered to all students. Around 60 employers visit and over 600 students and parents have attended and enjoyed previous events.
Gatsby Benchmark 6 - Experiences of workplaces
The Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School understands the importance of gaining experience in the workplace. In the past two years, in keeping with Covid-19 restrictions, students have undertaken 'virtual' work experience. Work experience enables you to try out a career as well as building skills. Within a competitive jobs market, work experience can be essential to securing a job. Internships, work placements and volunteering are great ways to set yourself apart from other candidates.
Gatsby Benchmark 7 - Encounters with Further and Higher education
Students have access to Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE) information in the careers library. HE and FE instructors attend the school's 'Women for Women' Careers Fair.
My Choices Guide for students | CEC Resource Directory (careersandenterprise.co.uk)
My Choices Guide for parents/guardians | CEC Resource Directory (careersandenterprise.co.uk)
Gatsby Benchmark 8 - Personal guidance
All students have access to information, advice and guidance via Mr M Yates, our independent careers advisor. Students can request an interview directly, or via their Head Of Year or Form Tutor.
The opportunities accessible via links from this page are available in the public domain and not endorsed or vetted by the school. Please discuss any applications with your parents / carers.
The date for the next review is July 2023.
*The Gatsby Benchmarks were developed on behalf of the Gatsby Foundation by Sir John Holman. They define what world class careers provision in education looks like and provide a clear framework for organising the careers provision at your school or college.
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The member of staff responsible for Careers at BUCHS is Mr J Barber.
Email: jbarber@buchs.co.uk Tel: 01277 227156
Click on the document below for links to further information.