Careers

The school’s careers information and guidance programme is supported by a strong partnership with Hertfordshire Services For Young People (previously known as Youth Connexions (YC) Hertfordshire) and by its membership of the Enterprise Adviser Network run by the Careers and Enterprise Company. This initiative involves the support of the Manager of two Enterprise advisors, one of whom is an employee of th einvestment bank JP Morgan and the other who is an employee of Premier Foods, and the Careers and Enterprise Co-ordinator for St Albans & Dacorum.  Local employers and businesses covering a range of career pathways also support the school with talks, visits, and helping with interviews and applications.

In Year 7 students take part in the following activities:

Work shadowing, Enrichment afternoon – use of Unifrog to build their own career profile, guest speakers, NHS trip, Herts Services For Young People, lunchtime drop in, Learning and Achievement evening, Diversity Day, Parent Consultation evening, Anti bullying week, Mental Health Awareness Day, Children In Need, Safer Internet Day, Creative and Performing Arts display, Geography Field Trip, Sports Day, School Show, Celebration of Achievement.

During Year 8, the emphasis is placed on students making sensible and informed choices of GCSE courses to support their aspirations. Following input from subject leaders and an Options Information Evening for students and parents/carers, students are guided into making appropriate choices for Key Stage 4. Students are encouraged to bear in mind possible pathways through all aspects of education, training or employment. Students take part in the following activities:

Options evening, Enrichment afternoon – Guest speakers, NHS trip, use of careers.startprofile.com to update their own careers profile, Diversity Day, Herts Services For Young People lunchtime drop in, Parent Consultation evening, Anti bullying week, Mental Health Awareness Day, Children In Need, Safer Internet Day, Creative and performing Arts display, The Children of Willesden Lane, Sports Day, School Show, Celebration of Achievement.

In Year 9 &10, students follow a programme to broaden and deepen their understanding of issues to do with the world of work, business, enterprise, and citizenship. In year 10 all students are also prepared for a week of work experience in the summer.

Year 9 students take part in the following activities:

World of Work – Careers enrichment afternoon, Battlefield Trip, Guest speakers, NHS trip, careers.startprofile.com to update their own careers profile, Diversity Day, Herts Services For Young People lunchtime drop in, Parents Consultation evening, STEP work, Anti bullying week, Mental Health Awareness Day, Children In Need, Safer Internet Day, Creative and Performing Arts display, The Children of Willesden Lane, Sports Day, School Show, Celebration of Achievement.

Year 10 students take part in the following activities:

Enrichment afternoon – Careers Carousel, Work Experience week, Herts Services For Young People Interviews and lunchtime drop in, Taster day at Oakland’s College, Guest speaker, NHS trip, Electronic file update, Duke of Edinburgh bronze expedition, Diversity Day, Parents consultation evening, Anti bullying week, Mental Health Awareness Day, Children In Need, Safer Internet Day, Creative and Performing Arts, Sports Day, School Show, Celebration of Achievement.

During Year 11, students update their Curriculum Vitae in preparation for making applications. They also consider the various choices open to them at the end of Year 11, including further study, training apprenticeships or employment. Students take part in the following activities:

Enrichment Day – Revision and Exam preparation, Guest speakers, NHS trip, Diversity Day, Study Support evening, National Apprenticeship Anti bullying week, Mental Health Awareness Day, Children In Need, Safer Internet Day, Creative and Performing Arts, Sports Day, School Show, Celebration of Achievement,  Herts Services For Young People Interviews and lunchtime drop in, Parents Consultation evening and work with regard to CV and Personal Statement writing, Sixth form Induction evening, Study support and CV assembly, Revision and Exam preparation day, Creative and Performing Arts display, UCAS workshops.

Lessons continue into Years 12 and 13, where the programme focuses on planning for life after school either for university, apprenticeships or employment in modern Britain. Advice and guidance provided is broad and comprehensive. It also includes support and practice with applications and mock interviews. Students are encouraged to use all of the valuable careers experience they have gained from younger years in seeking employment, further training, Apprenticeships, Further Education, or Higher Education.

Year 12 students take part in the following activities:

Enrichment Day – Revision and Exam preparation, Guest speakers, NHS trip, Diversity Day, Study Support evening, National Apprenticeship Anti bullying week, Mental Health Awareness Day, Children In Need, Safer Internet Day, Creative and Performing Arts, Sports Day, School Show, Celebration of Achievement,  Herts Services For Young People Interviews and lunchtime drop in, Parents Consultation evening and work with regard to CV and Personal Statement writing, Sixth form Induction evening, Study support and CV assembly, Revision and Exam preparation day, Creative and Performing Arts display, UCAS workshops.

Year 13 students take part in the following activities:

Enrichment Day – Revision and Exam preparation, CV writing, Mock interview morning, Careers action planning workshop, Parents Consultation evening, NHS trip, Mentoring,  STEM trip to KPMG, UCAS work shop, Diversity Day, Herts Services For Young People lunchtime drop in, School Shop,  Army Careers Talk, Children in Need, Senior Citizen’s Party, Pop-up  Peers, Mentoring, Safer Internet Day, Mental Health Awareness Day,  Children In Need, Anti- bullying week, Revision and Exam preparation day, National Apprenticeship Show, Creative and Performing Arts display, Sports Day.

We record all events and share all information with our teaching staff. We carry out student, parent/carer and teaching staff surveys where we deem it to be useful to the planning and improvement of future events. Learning for Life books are monitored by Mrs Maguire and Directors of Learning for Year groups and Governors.

Call the National Careers Service helpline for information and advice about jobs, careers and training if you’re 13 or older in England.

National Careers Service helpline

Telephone: 0800 100 900

Text messages: 07766 413 219

Textphone: 0800 096 8336

Monday to Sunday, 8am to 10pm

Find out about call charges
You can also arrange for a National Careers Service adviser to call you – this won’t cost you anything.