Academic Educational Support Higher Education & Careers
Higher Education & Careers
Higher Education & Careers
A GUIDANCE SERVICE for Pupils and Parents
Millfield is an ‘all-in’ member of ISCO, the Independent Schools Careers Organisation.
In the Summer Term of Year 10, pupils are registered with ISCO when they complete the Futurewise Psychometric Profiling as part of the ISCO Careers & Education Guidance Scheme.
Any pupils who are ‘new’ to Millfield in the Sixth Form will also be registered for the scheme.
Enrolling with ISCO entitles all our pupils to receive free Careers and Education Guidance up to their 23rd birthday.
Telephone: 01458 – 444338 Fax 01458 – 444271 E-mail: careers@millfieldschool.com
Guidance Programme
Year 9
The PSE/Group Tutor lessons concentrate on identifying pupils strengths, talents and skills. Pupils are introduced to the variety of resources available in the Higher Education & Careers Centre.
All parents are sent a copy of the brochure ‘GCSE Options’ and every pupil receives a copy of ‘Which Way Now?’, a booklet that links academic subjects with careers.
Advice is given to pupils on GCSE option choices that are available and the Parents’ Meeting at the Whitsun half-term offers an opportunity for discussion.
Year 10
Emphasis in Year 10 is placed on increasing pupils’ awareness of the world of work and encouraging pupils to organise a period of work experience during one of the school holidays.
Towards the end of the year pupils are prepared for the ISCO questionnaire and psychometric profiling that eventually produces a report that provides the basis for discussion of careers and further education options after GCSE.
Year 11
Pupils receive a summary of the ISCO Futurewise Report in September, following a debriefing session and explanation of the Futurewise website. During the Autumn Term every pupil will have an interview with a Careers Adviser.
Parents are sent their copy of the ISCO FuturewiseReport with a summary of the interview.
Following the Rehearsal Examinations in the January there is a Parents’ meeting in the half-term of the Spring Term. It enables parents to discuss with subject tutors and Careers Advisers the possible options that are available for their son/daughter. All parents receive a copy of the publication ‘After GCSE What’s Next’ and the pupils receive the booklet ‘Its Your Choice at 16+’ which highlights all the possible options available after Year 11.
Follow-up interviews are arranged for those pupils who need further guidance. In the Summer Term pupils are asked to indicate the A-level subjects they would like to study and/or register for a BTEC course. After the publication of the GCSE results Careers Advisers can be contacted to offer advice on Sixth Form options.
Sixth Form
On the Sunday prior to the start of the School Year there is an opportunity for ‘New’ and ‘returning’ students to discuss with Heads of Department the courses they intend to study.
Emphasis is placed on study skills and the need to research post sixth form courses. Students are encouraged to make use of the resources available to them in the Higher Education & Careers Centre.
Students are informed about the ISCO Careers Experience courses, H.E. ‘Taster Courses’, the range of courses at Universities both here and in the USA, Music/Drama/Art Colleges and Agricultural Colleges, and the organised activities available in the ‘Gap Year’.
All students receive a copy of ‘Your Way Forward – Options at 18+’.
University staff and OM undergraduates are invited for informal talks on H.E. courses and their institutions. There is also a special event organised for intending Oxford & Cambridge candidates.
Specific advice is given for those students who intend to apply to universities in both the USA and Canada. Candidates are prepared for the SAT.
All students attend a Higher Education Convention that is held locally. Pupils are then encouraged to attend Open Days of universities that interest them.
At the Lower 6th Parents’ meeting at the end of the Spring Term there is a presentation on university applications including Oxbridge and US options.
Information is distributed to aid students with their university application before the summer holidays.
Students receive a UCAS handbook, explaining in detail how to make their ‘on-line’ application. Oxbridge and American applicants receive further specialist information.
At every stage in the HE application process students can seek advice from staff (subject tutors, group tutor, HE advisers). The school deadline for completing and sending UCAS applications is by autumn half-term.
Practice interview sessions are arranged, general information is initially given to groups and then on an individual basis as needs arise.
After the publication of the A-level results, the Higher Education team of tutors can be contacted if further guidance is needed.
The Higher Education & Careers Centre is open during term-time from
9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday, and 9.00am – 12.00pm on Saturday.
Pupils and their parents are welcome to make use of the reference material and resources available in the Centre. During the holidays there is usually an adviser available to answer queries.
When examination results are published in August the team of tutors are available to provide advice on Higher Education and/or Sixth Form courses.
An appointment for an interview with a particular tutor can be arranged through Mrs. S. M. Lerwill, the Secretary for Higher Education & Careers.
The Higher Education & Careers Team
Mr. P.A. Kelly (Head of Higher Education and Careers)
Dr. D.W. Burton (tutor i/c Oxbridge Applications)
Mr. A. R. Barker (tutor i/c USA University Applications)
Mr D. J. Reid (Tutor i/c Careers & liaison with the Armed Services)
ISCO Futurewise Student Scheme for CAREERS & EDUCATION GUIDANCE
Millfield is an ‘all-in’ member of ISCO – the Independent Schools Careers Organisation, and as such pupils who will take GCSE examinations in Year 11 will be registered for the ISCO Student Scheme for Careers & Education Guidance.
AIM
To provide added information in order to help the pupil answer two questions in particular:- the choice of AS/A2 level subjects or BTEC courses post 16 for Year 10/11 pupils and Higher Education Options for ‘new’ Lower 6th students.
The areas of careers worth exploring further by reading, talking to people and going out into the work situation and gaining personal experience.
METHOD
- Interest Questionnaire
- Psychometric Profiling
- Futurewise Careers Report
- Interview with Careers Adviser
- Pupil’s further reading, research and work experience
- Personal web-space to develop curriculum vitae
Questionnaire (Early weeks of the Summer Term of Year 10)
To be completed in a Group Tutor session. Guidelines will be issued.
The Futurewise Psychometric Profiling
This is to be administered by the ISCO Directors for the South-West Region.
The profiling will take place prior to half term after the Year 10 exams have been completed.
The profiling assesses: abstract reasoning, verbal, numerical and perceptual abilities and when analysed produces a profile of a person’s ability, aptitude and personality.
The ISCO Futurewise Report
The Reports will be available for pupils to read at the start of the Autumn Term of Year 11.
Debriefing sessions will be held in the Meyer Theatre on the first day of term which will explain the content of the Report and how pupils may use the Futurewise website, prior to their interview.
Interviews
A Careers Adviser will be attached to your Tutor Group and he/she will contact you to arrange appointments for interviews with pupils in your group.
Our aim is to complete all initial interviews by the end of the Autumn term.
Follow-up interviews can be arranged via Mrs S. Lerwill in the Careers Centre.
New Lower 6th students
Those students whose parents wish them to join the ISCO Futurewise scheme will complete the Questionnaire by the end of September and take the Morrisby profiling in the week prior to half-term. Reports should reach School no later than mid November.