Careers’ Master Class

Jon Ryder – Assistant Headteacher

Starter task – look at the grid on your tables. What does this mean to you?

Outcomes

• To understand the range of qualifications available to young people after year 11

• To make connections between qualifications and careers

• To identify strategies for supporting your children in their careers choices

AFTER Y11

Year 9 – GCSEs chosen. Choose the ones you love!

Year 11 – A levels chosen. Choose the ones you’re good at. Think degree.

Year 13 – degree chosen. Choose your passion. Think career

Step 1 – year 11 interview with senior teacher. Post-16 options identified. Expression of interest In SKHS VI form made

Step 2 – 2nd year 11 interview with senior teacher. Firm up post-16 options and choose A levels if staying at SKHS

Step 3 – results day!

What is your young person’s next step?

• A levels• BTEC• Apprenticeship• Work• Other (please state)

And then…?

• Work• Degree• Further other study?• Gap year?

What are … A levels?

• Academic route• Level 3 qualification • Split into 2 – AS and A2• AS sat in y12, A2 in y13 (normally)• Very academic – even for practical subjects

like DT and Art

SKHS entry requirements for A levels

• 5 A*-C including English and Maths• B grades in subjects your young person wants to

study at A level • A grade in Maths • To study 2 Sciences students require 2 As at GCSE in

Science• To study further Maths students require A* in Maths • Subjects not studied at GCSE (e.g. Economics,

Psychology) normally require a B in English GCSE• Other colleges are available!

Know your child’s gradesBTEC PE

Bus stud.

DT Grap

Eng Lang

Eng Lit

Mat Medstud

RS Sci 1 Sci 2

Min. grade

Pass D D D D C D E C C

Curr. Grade

Pass D B D D B D D C C

Pred. Pass C3 C3 C3 C3 B1 B2 D2 B3 B3

Your homework

• Which A levels are you considering?• Why have you chosen those ones?• What job are you thinking about? • How well do your A levels fit in with those

aspirations? • Do you plan to study 4 A levels?• Which one would you consider dropping in year

13? • Is Seven Kings the best place for you?

What are … BTECs?

• Vocational route• Less academic, more practical – linked to work• BTECs can be studied at Entry Level (pre-GCSE)

right through to Level 7 (post-graduate)• There are different types of BTECs…

BTEC Firsts

• Level 2 – the same as a GCSE• Normally taken alongside other qualifications

like GCSEs• Equivalent to 1 or 2 GCSE passes at C grade

BTEC Nationals

• Level 3 – the same as A Levels• Recommended for young people with a strong

inclination towards a specific vocational route • Can be used to get access to university and

attracts UCAS points in the same way as A level • More traditionally used as a route into

employment• These are currently not offered at SKHS

Qualifications comparedLevel Traditional Vocational

3 Advanced3 A levels2 A levels1 A level1 AS level

BTEC Level 3 Extended DiplomaBTEC Level 3 DiplomaBTEC Level 3 Subsidiary DiplomaBTEC Level 3 Certificate

2 IntermediateYOU ARE WORKING TO ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL NOW!

5 GCSEs (A*-C)2 GCSEs (A*-C)1 GCSE (A*-C)

BTEC Level 2 DiplomaBTEC Level 2 Extended CertificateBTEC Level 2 Certificate

1 Foundation Up to 5 GCSEs (D-G) BTEC Level 1 Awards Certificates and Diplomas

Entry Level National Curriculum levels 1-3

BTEC Entry Level Awards Certificates and Diplomas

BTEC at SKHS Sixth Form

• SKHS offers a limited range of level 2BTECs in the Sixth Form

• These are normally taken alongside GCSE Maths and/or English retakes

• Some students also take one or two A levels as well, but only if they meet the entry requirements

• They are only taken in year 12 – BTEC students have to leave at the end of year 12

• Currently we are offering STEM and Business at BTEC Level 2

Your homework

• Why do you want to study BTEC?• Have you got a specific job in mind?• Why this job?• Is this job going to be around in 15 years?• Where is the best place to study this BTEC?• If SKHS, why SKHS?• Do you want to go to university?• Which one?• How will BTEC impact on this?

What are … Apprenticeships?

• Work-based training programmes• Trainees receive a NVQ (National Vocational

Qualification) at Level 2 or Level 3• Normally trainees spend most of their time in work

and are released to do training in college or another setting

• There are 250 different types of apprenticeship• This is a massive growth area – the government LOVE

work-based training • Trainees get paid a minimum of £2.60 an hour

And there’s more!

• Entry requirements vary – normally employers want at least 5 A*-Cs including English and Maths but this is not a requirement

• Trainees must find their own employer• There is a website that can help with this

Apprenticeships at Seven Kings

• We can help students research and find apprenticeships

• We can provide a careers interview for students who would like advice and guidance about apprenticeships

• We don’t offer any apprenticeship-linked courses ourselves

Your homework

• Why an apprenticeship?• Where will you study?• How are you going to find a job?• Is this job going to exist in 15 years?• Why not college then university?

Lower criminal justice costs

Lower health-care costs

Increased economic growth

22

Achievement matters

Increased lifetime salary (13% for a degree)

Improved health (half the number of disabled years)

Longer life (1.7 years of life per extra year of schooling)

For individuals For society

(Hanushek & Wößman, 2010)

Into University?

Into university?

Achievement matters

The Russell Group

• This is the group of best universities in the UK• It includes Oxford, Cambridge, and UCL• Over 37% of our students went to Russell

Group universities last year• 47% of our students got offers from Russell

Group universities

Russell Group – Facilitating Subjects• Maths and Further Maths• English Literature• Biology, Chemistry, Physics• History• Geography• Languages (modern and ancient)• For Music and Art most Russell Group Universities

require these courses• Lots of Russell Group universities require Art for

Architecture

Choosing the right A Levels

• Universities will want to see A Levels that ‘make sense’:

• A) for the degree course chosen• B) as a group of subjects…

A) for the degree course chosen

• History degree – History, English, MfL, Social Science, etc

• Maths degree – Maths, Further Maths, Science, English

• Science degree – two Sciences, Maths, English• Design degree – Design, Art, English, Maths• Remember: most students drop one A Level in

year 13

B) as a group of subjects…

• Yes• History, economics, politics, English• Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Geography

• No• History, Maths, Art, Biology• Maths, English, DT, Chemistry

Did you know?

• Universities can charge up to £9k a year for degree courses – 14 universities in the top 20 charge the full £9k

• One university (Buckingham) charges £11,250!• 40% of jobs available to graduates do not require a specific

degree• You do not need a Law degree to be a lawyer (50% of

lawyers studied History)• ‘Soft skills’ are often as important to recruiters as the

degree studied• You have to have at least a 2:2 to study to become a

teacher

Financial help for going to university

Household income How much?£25,000 or less Full £3,250 grant

Between £25,001 and £42,600 Partial grant, depending on your household income

More than £42,620 No grant

Maintenance grant

Anyone can get a loan to pay for tuition fees

Living with parents Up to £4,418Studying in London and not living with

parents Up to £7,751

Studying outside of London and not living with parents Up to £5,555

Living and studying abroad for at least one academic term Up to £6,600

Maintenance loan – available to all

Anyone can get a loan to pay for tuition fees

Your homework

• Are you planning to go to university?• Do you have any ideas about which university?• Which course are you thinking of studying?• How does this impact on your A level choices?• How does this link with your career pathway?• What do you know about the entry requirements

for the course you want to do?• What do you understand about the funding

arrangements for university?

Post-fulltime education

• Top 5 growth career industries

• Health warning: other top 5 growth career industries are available!

Number 1

• Health and Social Care– Medicine– Nursing– Pharmaceuticals

Number 2

• IT–Design–Programming–Business analysts and data experts

Number 3

• Finance and accountancy–Credit control–Auditing–Purchasing

Number 4

• Energy–Electricity, gas and oil–Green, environmental

Number 5

• Engineering– Mechanical– Chemical – Automotive

Conclusions

• University education matters, despite £27,000 tuition fees

• Change is afoot, though• Best degrees are vocational– Sciences– Engineering– Business, accountancy, economics

• To be successful you have to be savvy, streetwise and switched on!