Careers

At Surbiton High School we are committed to each pupil achieving her full potential. Through a structured forward-looking strategy, our careers programme aims to bring out the best in everyone, operating across the curriculum and through specific careers-focused activity, to offer broad exposure to further study options and possible career paths. The content and delivery of Careers Education and Guidance is coordinated by the Director of Careers and Guidance. Our careers support has two components - education and guidance.

Careers Education helps our students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed and successful choices, manage transition through learning environments and move into the world of work.

Careers Guidance enables them to use that knowledge and skill to make well thought through decisions about learning and work that are right for them.

Our aim is to support pupils in the decision taking which faces them in the senior school. They have to consider possible career paths, Higher Education routes and possibly plan gap year activity. We understand that the pupils themselves must work through options available to them and we will:
• Encourage the development of self-awareness and independent thinking
• Help them to understand the decision making process
• Equip them with information on current opportunities
• Provide appropriate resource materials for research and evaluation
• Offer support from our guidance team
• Promote a culture in which the pupils set for themselves some goals which will advance their interests and passions.

Cross Curriculum Approach
Careers Education is part of the PSHE programme taught across Years 8 to 13 and is led mainly by Heads of Year, supported by the form tutors. All staff at Surbiton High School are encouraged to consider their role in the Careers Guidance Programme, which can include providing pupils with information on opportunities specific to their subject. To facilitate this, Heads of Department, Curriculum Managers and the Director of Careers and Guidance all work together to provide the most appropriate support and guidance for each individual pupil.

As in PSHE lessons, a wide variety of teaching and learning styles are used in the careers programme. Activities are designed to match visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning learners, through the use of computer programs, discussions and hands on activities. There will be opportunities for individual and small group activities, research using ICT and other sources.

Different approaches are used dependant on the age of the students and the topic to be covered, for example, we use careers software, paper-based activities, discussions, role plays and multi-media resources enabling the use of a variety of learning styles.

We have a range of age-appropriate careers software programs available for students to access in and out of Career and PSHE lesson time. These are either web-based, and so accessible by password from any computer, or are located on the student and subject shared area on the school computer network. Other resources are available for Years 8-11 at Careers Clinics held in meeting room 2, in the main school on Tuesdays after School or Friday lunch times. For Sixth Form students a more comprehensive range of information is available in the Careers Library situated in the Sixth Form Study Area.

Careers Events
We offer pupils a range of career events each academic year:
• A careers fair or an opportunities fair will each run biannually, rotating year about
• Four subject-specific careers evening events, linked to curriculum areas where possible
• Informal ‘Working lunch' events with guest speakers from different business sectors
• Employability skills and personal development workshops
• Visiting speakers from both Higher Education institutions and the work place.

School staff are encouraged to attend external careers conventions to ensure our knowledge and guidance given is current and topical.

Relationships with Parents
We recognise that parents have a major role to play in the area of careers, both in terms of encouraging and supporting their children and in supporting the School in its endeavours to promote a wide variety of careers information. Should parents wish to come into School and discuss careers opportunities for their child with any member of staff, they are most welcome to fix up an appointment. Should any parent wish to support or become personally involved with the provision of employment and careers information, we ask them to contact the Director of Careers and Guidance to offer that support at Careers@surbitonhigh.com.

Links with Industry
We have excellent relationships with many local employers and several national or global organisations, developed through our excellent work experience programme, our enterprise activities and contacts developed through parents, staff and governors. We will continue to develop these to ensure a wide range of commercial exposure for all pupils across Years 8-13.

Please download the attached document to see our latest Work Experience Newsletter.

Should you wish to encourage your daughter to begin thinking about possible future careers, do suggest they attend the Careers Clinic, a drop-in advice session on Tuesday after School and Friday lunch times. Websites which may be useful in researching options are listed below.

University Choices Websites:
www.ucas.com - the starting place for any research, loads of information, Stamford test, etc.
www.opendays.com - list of open days at UK universities
www.push.co.uk - claims to be ‘ruthlessly independent'
www.yougo.co.uk - student network site affiliated to UCAS
www.universityvideo.co.uk - videos from universities showing campus and selling points
www.thestudentroom.co.uk - student discussion forum
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk
www.unistats.direct.gov.uk - Unistats ranks courses, based on student feedback
www.ukcoursefinder.com - questionnaire which links to courses
www.otagochoice.1000minds.com/criteria.aspx - NZ universities site with excellent questionnaire, uses values-based interests rather than subject-based course finder. Well worth a look.
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk - universities website

Investigating Careers Websites:
www.apprenticeships.org.uk - main source of information on apprenticeships
www.london.gov.uk/graduates - search what careers may come from specific degrees
www.prospects.ac.uk - job profiles and graduate career information
www.careerstagged.co.uk - search engine specialising in career information run by University of London Careers Group. Gives career information rather than questions choice criteria.
www.careersbox.co.uk - web access to film clips of descriptions of many careers
www.sscalliance.org.uk - Alliance of Sector Skills Councils
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk - central information portal for Post A level career options
www.yourcareerguide.co.uk - career building advice and information source
www.bt.com/movingon - source of workbooks and advice on career planning
https://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/planningyourcareer
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/
http://www.directions.org.uk/careers/ - source of information on careers in finance, accounting and financial services