We adhere to the DfE statutory guidance and follow the Gatsby Framework, to ensure the sixth form students receive the correct support and guidance for their post-18 career pathway.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

Ensuring students have the correct information to make informed choices about their future career paths is vital and students have many opportunities to explore and interact with different sectors while in Sixth Form. Students also receive mentoring from their form tutors to aid their decisions and direct them to further resources and research.

Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study.

An apprentice will:

• work alongside experienced staff
• gain job-specific skills
• earn a wage and get holiday pay
• be given time for study related to their role (the equivalent of one day a week)

Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16, living in England and have no upper age limit. The National Apprenticeship Service is committed to ensuring that high quality apprenticeships are a prestigious option, accessible to all people from all backgrounds. All vacancies will clearly state what the entry requirements are for the job role being advertised.

For further information regarding the different apprenticeships available, go to:

Gov.uk Portal – Find an apprenticeship

R.A.F. Apprenticeships

UCAS – Understanding Apprenticeships

Students who choose going to university have support through PSE sessions from June until December. Students are advised to thoroughly research their universities, encouraged to attend the Open Days, whether virtual or in person and ask any questions they may have regarding a particular university. Students aspiring to Oxbridge will have the opportunity to visit and experience lectures at one of the university campuses, organised by the Creative Education Trust.

Students should start their personal statement as early as possible and hand their first draft into their form tutor before the summer holidays. They will receive instructions on how to write a personal statement and be given guidance from their form tutors. There is also step by step guidance here.

UCAS I At the heart of connecting people to higher education - UCAS connect people to University, post Uni Studies, including teacher training, apprenticeship & internships. Find all the information for your next step here.

Students who are applying for Music, Dance or Drama places through CUKAS should complete and send their applications by the 1st October. Students who are applying for medical or veterinary places should have their applications finished and sent by the 15th October

The UCAS deadline for all applications is the 15th January, but our internal deadline is the Christmas break.

UCAS: Advice for Parents

The university application system can seem complex and can cause parents some stress. However, UCAS offers parents a free guide and quarterly e-mail bulletins to help them through the process. Go to www.ucas.com to register.

One of the biggest concerns for students and their parents is the cost of university.

Your child will typically pay up to £9,250 per year in tuition fees as a UK student and fees don’t need to be paid upfront. Students can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover all or part of their fees. Because of the way the system works, taking out a loan yourself to cover the cost of fees and avoid your child getting into debt will almost always work out more expensive in the long run, so it’s not advisable.

The second loan they can apply for is the maintenance loan, to help towards living expenses while at university, such as accommodation, food, and course materials. The amount they’re eligible to borrow depends on several factors, including where they will be studying and your household income. You’ll need to declare this information to receive the maximum amount available. For example, if they’ll be living away from home (outside of London), a maintenance loan of up to £9,203 per year could be available for households earning £25,000 per year or less. If you’re earning more than this, the loan amount your child is eligible for will be lower, meaning they or you will need to make up any financial shortfall.

Extra support Grants are no longer available, but there is extra support available in certain circumstances:

• Scholarships and bursaries – offered on the basis of academic ability, your income, or for other reasons (for example, if your child has a disability).
• Fee waivers – these reduce tuition fees, either on their own, or in a broader package of support with a bursary.
• Hardship funds – these can help if your child is struggling financially, either before or during uni.
• Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) – if your child has a disability, including a long-term health condition, mental health condition, or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, they might be able to get funds to cover extra costs. How much they get depends on their individual needs, not your household income. DSAs can be applied for alongside the main student finance application and don’t usually have to be paid back unless your child leaves their course early.
• There’s no need for your child to wait to receive offers back from universities to apply for student finance – they can usually do this from February with the student funding body for where they currently live (see ‘Location matters’). To make sure they receive their loans on time, remind them to provide their supporting evidence as soon as possible!

Student loans are only repayable after graduation, once your child is earning over a certain salary. Any queries regarding student finance can be answered on the students finance website www.gov.uk/apply-online-for-student–finance. There is also a calculator to give a rough estimate of how much your child could be entitled to.