In Latymer’s Careers Department we understand that for many students, making decisions about the future can be a challenging task. Our goal is to provide students with the best support and advice to guide them through the decision-making process from GCSE and A Level choices to university or apprenticeships and beyond. We want to help our young people discover the subjects that they are passionate to learn more about, to have confidence in their unique strengths and to open their minds to all that is possible.
The Careers Department at Latymer Upper School offers an excellent service to its students, supporting their decision-making process and helping them to develop the skills they will need to succeed in the globally connected world of work in the 21st century.
Our department is consistently working towards meeting the guidelines for good career practice as outlined in the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. These benchmarks define the best approach to careers provision in schools:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
Careers information and advice is led by a specialist team and delivered holistically by all staff at Latymer. Subject teachers, tutors, the Academic Mentoring Department, Careers staff and other support staff all play their part in guiding student decision-making and progression, both formally and informally.
The Careers Department is also supported by the Careers Task Group: a non-executive board of alumni, parents, students and staff.
Principal staff includes:
- Head of Careers
- Careers Coordinator
- Head of International University Applications
- Oxbridge Applications Coordinator
- Medical, Veterinary and Dental Applications Coordinator
Provision
Our offer to students and parents comprises two parts: the core provision accessible to all, and a progressive curriculum of optional learning experiences. This means that students have access to quality sources of independent and impartial advice whenever they need it and are exposed to a range of opportunities for personal growth.
Careers curriculum
One-to-one career appointments: all students and their families may make appointments to talk to the Careers team about any issues relating to qualifications or post-school options. This can be through self-referral, the pastoral team or following identification of an interest by a specific department.
Independent careers advice: External careers providers, EC Careers, provide independent advice and guidance for our Year 11 students. All Year 11 students take the Morrisby psychometric test that generates an in-depth report on their career options. This is followed up by a 20-minute, one-to-one interview, with an independent careers advisor. This program helps students to support their decision making and refine their options as they progress into Sixth Form.
Work experience: in Year 11, all students undertake work experience for at least one week after their GCSEs. Students are encouraged to be pro-active by approaching companies independently or drawing upon their friends and family networks to find a placement. The Careers Department can also advise and guide students on finding placements by utilising Latymer’s parent and alumni network.
Ad hoc career support: parents and alumni provide bespoke advocacy and support for specific areas of interest.
Monthly lunchtime talks: this series of talks by speakers from the Latymer community and external organisations covers a wide variety of areas such as medicine, engineering, advertising and marketing, finance, IT, publishing, TV production and development aid.
Key Stage 3 pupils (Years 7-9): KS3 pupils engage in various career-related activities to broaden their understanding of the world of work. Year 7 pupils attend workplace visits in the summer term, Year 8 attend a careers talk evening and Year 9 have tutorial sessions focused on their GCSE choices delivered in the Careers Department.
Annual Careers Fair: this is open to students from Year 10 – 13 and provides the opportunity to meet alumni and parents who provide advice, guidance and expertise on their chosen career fields. Previous years have seen careers represented such as architecture, finance, acting and law.
Sixth Form: All Sixth Form students have access to personal guidance regarding their potential post-A Level destinations, whether that destination is a university or an apprenticeship.
Mr C Couch, Head of Careers, careersadmin@latymer-upper.org
Access to Careers resources:
- Careers library
- Careers displays
- Firefly (student intranet)
- Free and subscription-based digital services
- Monthly Careers bulletin