Dame Alice Owen's School

Careers

The school programme of Careers Education and Guidance (CEG) aims to contribute to the development of pupils as individuals through:-

• increasing their awareness of their present and future choices
• enhancing their skills in dealing with transitions
• enabling their access to Higher Education
• developing their employability
• improving their key skills
• contributing to raising their achievement and motivation

Work Experience
Work experience is an important part of the CEG programme in Key Stage 4. All students in Year 11 spend a week with an employer, which is often their first exposure to the working world. Although the placement isn't necessarily a career choice, this often helps the student to focus on their studies and their future options. The work experience week is in the Autumn term, immediately after the October half term holiday.

Parents have the option to either accept a placement through HCS Careers Ltd or organise work experience for their children themselves – in our experience this is split about 50/50.  Some placements are also occasionally offered by our Old Owenians, who volunteer experience in specific careers and students have been asked to apply for these positions.

Support for University Applications
Most of our Sixth Formers apply to university and there are many opportunities in Key Stage 5 for the students to develop their interest in a subject by attending workshops, taster courses, lectures and by obtaining relevant work experience. Our Higher Education programme starts in the Spring term of Year 12 and is delivered to the students right up until they apply in the Autumn term of Year 13.

Careers Talks
In addition, we hold a lunchtime programme of Old Owenians Careers Talks, during National Careers Week in March.  This is when students have the opportunity to listen to speakers and ask practical questions about a wide range of interesting careers and receive first hand guidance on CVs and interviews.  Please see below a list of careers/speakers from 2011 and 2012 and you can read feedback from students and speakers in 2012 here Old Owenians Careers Talks 2012:

2012: Medicine and Drug Development, Roche Products, Marketing Consultancy, Accountancy Practice and Recruitment, Career with English Heritage, including fundraising, BT Recruitment, IT Company Secretary with Civil Service experience, HMRC (Her Majesties Revenue and Customs), Marine Engineering, Merchant Navy, Head of Global Talent, Deloitte, Journalist, The Guardian, Construction, Advertising, Musician with the Gabrielli Consort, Recruitment in Financial Sector, Engineering, Architect for Olympics 2012, Populous, Stage Management, Estate Agency, Local Government

2011: Career with Physics degree, Primary Education, Professional Engineering, Publishing and Art Direction, Retailing, Accounting/Economics, Journalism, Medicine and Science, Working with MP's as an intern, Theatre and Media, Medicine and Drug Development, Trainee Solicitor, Building Industry, Marketing and Public Relations, HMRC and Civil Service, Building your own Business, Life as Junior Doctor, Career in Classical Music, Life as a Surgeon, Law, Government, Digital Advertising, Football Coaching and Education with Spurs.

Resources from speakers are made available in our Careers section of the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment).  After logging on, parents and students can click on “Departments”; click on “Careers” and select the Careers Talks 2012 folder for more information.  Our Science Society also provides lectures from eminent scientists in lunchtime and evening sessions during the year.  These are available to our whole school community - students, parents, staff, governors and Old Owenians and promoted via ParentMail and on our school website in our Calendar and on our Latest News page.

Morrisby Profile Assessment
Information, advice and guidance are readily available to support all students during their time at the school, particularly at the times of transition (Years 9, 11 and 13). For students at the end of Year 10, we also offer the opportunity (optional) to be assessed using the Morrisby Profile.  This is a service which has been specifically designed to help individuals who are making important decisions about courses and careers.  You can read more about this on their website: http://www.morrisby.com/. 

Mrs C Whiter (Sixth Form Manager and Careers Advisor)

Information for current parents and students - extensive information is available on the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) for careers considerations at different Key Stages, with access to links of many useful websites which will help with decisions and ensuring you make informed choices. Log-in via the link above, click on Departments, then Careers. Parents are reminded that they share log-in and password details with their child.

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