For Parents, Students, Teachers and Employers
In the sixth form, whilst the key focus is on applications to university, we provide students with information on all their options. These are:
- to pursue further education at a college
- higher education at university
- advanced, higher, degree apprenticeship
- employment
- gap year – deferred entry to university, organised gap year, employment gap year prior to entry to university, travel gap year travelling independently.
Sixth form students may ask for a careers interview, mock university interview and/or practise interview for employment. They can arrange this via the sixth form office or ask Miss Halls, the Careers Co-ordinator.
There are lots of useful resources provided on the noticeboard facility on Google Classroom, including news and other careers related information, so make sure you check these regularly.
Who can I speak to?
Miss Halls, Careers Co-ordinator – email: shona.halls@sjwms.org.uk
The Careers department at SJWMS
There is a comprehensive careers education programme for all year groups delivered through Life Skills lessons, tutorials and across the curriculum. This includes activities on self-development, career exploration, and career management and explores further and higher education options. Students are also engaged in work related learning, including work experience in year 12. Impartial (unbiased) careers guidance interviews are available for access by any student and appointments can be made via Head of School or directly using the link below to contact Miss Halls, the Careers Co-ordinator. The Careers Office is in the Life Skills block (opposite room 1). Impartial advice can also be accessed from Medway Youth Trust and the National Careers Service, which helps adults too. Use their callback facility. In addition, students can access a variety of careers related information in the library and on the careers tab on all year group Google Classrooms. The latest news, including labour market information and job alerts, is posted onto Google Classroom. Unifrog enables students to check their skills, compile a CV and personal statement and to track their career plans. In 2019, SJWMS achieved the Investors in Careers Award. This demonstrates that we have achieved a quality standard for the management of careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) and we have demonstrated a commitment to provide impartial and independent CEIAG to all of our young people. Less than one third of secondary schools have achieved this prestigious award.
Student Entitlement
Through your time at SJWMS, you should get:
- Clear impartial advice and information about all the options available, so that you understand what they involve.
- Support and guidance to help you make choices and complete a career plan for the future.
- Regular support and information on how well you are doing.
- Help to decide what to do when you leave the school, including further learning, training or employment.
- A programme of careers education helping you develop skills and knowledge to make choices and the transition to work and learning
- An opportunity to set out an individual learning plan
- An opportunity to learn about the world of work
- Help at the appropriate time
Booking a Careers Interview
You can arrange a Careers Interview via your Head of School or by contacting Miss Halls. Your career interview is a confidential, impartial discussion with a qualified Careers Guidance Adviser. Don’t worry if you have no definite plans. We are here to encourage and support you while you are making decisions about your future. Depending on your needs, it may be helpful to have several discussions, so don’t think of your career interview as a ‘one-off’ event.
The school is an affiliate member of the Careers Development Institute (CDI) and the Careers Co-ordinator abides by their code of conduct.
Investor in Careers Award
May 2022
We are proud to announce that the students and staff at Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School are committed to the assessment for Investor in Careers. This Quality in Careers Standard award is a kite mark for quality in Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) and is recognised nationally across the country. It is awarded to schools who have demonstrated a commitment to provide impartial, independent CEIAG to young people, to improve students’ awareness of opportunities, to raise their aspirations and to work with them to ensure they achieve their full potential.
Assessment is based on standards required by legislation or nationally produced guidelines on good practice, so we are not asked to do anything that is not already established as being of value to our students. The Award has been written and revised by careers education and guidance professionals, teachers and senior managers in schools.
The Award is structured around four key elements relating to the management of CEIAG:
- Commitment
- Organisation
- Delivery
- Evaluation
For more information about the Award please visit Quality in Careers (https://www.qualityincareers.org.uk/) or please contact Miss Halls, who will be leading the assessment for the Quality in Careers Standard, on shona.halls@sjwms.org.uk
