What's on offer

Bespoke Careers Support

Pupils are able to access personalised and bespoke careers and employability advice on an individual basis. This service offers an impartial and individually tailored career development strategy and action plan for pupils. The aim is to equip and guide pupils with the information, advice and tools they need to make important decisions about their futures, in close partnership with parents, tutors and subject teachers. The sessions not only support pupils’ early career ideas and aspirations, but also broaden awareness and challenge pre-conceived ideas about professions.

We also run a weekly lunchtime Careers Drop-In Service, providing pupils of all ages with a wealth of online career resources and information. Personality and specialist career profiling tools are used to help ensure pupils are well suited, self-aware and well informed about the expectations of their potential career routes. Ensuring pupils’ career aspirations are aligned with their key strengths, skills, abilities, interests and personal attributes is key to providing high quality guidance. 

Careers and Universities Fair

Bede’s holds an annual Careers and Universities Fair each spring term. This has grown significantly in recent years to become a highlight of the school calendar. In 2019 we welcomed over 70 universities, specialist colleges, national and local employers, gap year and training providers. We have partnered with a wide range of organisations including the Bank of England, CapGemini, American Express, JP Morgan, as well as the NHS and Armed Forces. All pupils are able to attend the event with their personal tutor. We also warmly invite parents and a wide range of local schools in the community to join us.

Lunchtime Careers Seminars

The Careers Service lunchtime seminar programme runs throughout the school year and offers our pupils a practical and realistic insight into a wide range of professions, industries and employers, as well as what employers are looking for in their future workforces. Recent speakers have included medics, TV producers, bankers, engineers and solicitors whilst other seminar topics have included post- production media, careers in fashion, sport and hospitality. Our parent and alumni networks kindly support the programme, along with our extensive community and employer contacts. If you would like to be part of this exciting initiative, please do let us know.

Employer Engagement

The Careers Service works closely alongside our academic subject leads to ensure that together we are able to enrich our pupils’ understanding of how their academic knowledge and skill development relates in the world of work. As well as the Careers Fair and Lunchtime Seminars, recent trips to places such as Brighton Magistrates Court, the Royal Television Society Careers Fair and the National Apprenticeship Show are regular features in the school calendar.

Unifrog

In the Lower Fifth, pupils are introduced to Unifrog. This is a platform for students to research a wide variety of careers and professions, but to also consider and record their progress in developing their employability and life skills, both in and outside of school, with the support of their personal tutor. Transferrable employability skills such as team work, innovation, adaptability and resilience good communication skills, working under time pressures, self-management and having a positive, focused and self-assured attitude, are given particular focus.

In the Sixth Form, Unifrog is also great resource for researching and sourcing UK university courses, international course, apprenticeships and specialist institutions and colleges.

Keeping a record of personal achievements, skills and experiences throughout our pupils’ time at Bede’s is not only helpful for writing UCAS statements, but also for recording activities undertaken for the Bede’s Diploma, CV development, and work and apprenticeship applications. It can also be the focus for identifying any areas for personal growth.

Futures Week

In the Summer Term, the Lower Sixth participate in Futures Week - an engaging week off of timetable to start preparing for their next steps after Bede’s. The week comprises of a variety of workshops, seminars, presentations, interactive activities along with dedicated tutor time to give our students the time and space to explore and prepare for their post FE choices and opportunities. Typically, this includes topics such as the UCAS system, Oxbridge applications, personal statements, gap years, apprenticeships, international universities and sports scholarships as well as life skills including car maintenance, financial literacy, cookery and CV writing and job applications.

The World of Work

Supporting pupils to be ready for the competitive world of work is key area of personal skill development in modern society. Whilst this is reinforced through a range of employability modules in the extensive PHSE programme, tailored support is also available to all pupils on an individual basis as needed. This assistance includes careers and employer research, CV and application form reviews, developing competency examples, preparing for Skype/video interviews, practice psychometric tests, developing interview skills and etiquette, conducting mock interviews and preparing for employer assessment centres.

We actively encourage all pupils to gain workplace experiences through volunteering, work experience and part-time work outside of term time or through off-site activities, as well as initiatives such as National Citizen Service.

Supporting Apprenticeships

Whilst the vast majority of our students progress onto university, either straight after A levels or following a gap year, apprenticeships are growing in popularity as a credible alternative to further and higher education, with degree apprenticeships in particular being in high demand. Intensive support is offered to students to prepare them for an often varied and lengthy application and selection process.

There is also a parents’ evening seminar each autumn term on Apprenticeships Awareness in conjunction with the National Apprenticeship Service to which all are welcome.