Year 9
The GCSE Choices Programme:
In the spring term, a short programme of tailor-made lessons is designed to help the girls gain a deeper understanding of their strengths, their career wishes, the choices on offer and the best ways to research future careers. The programme is delivered by the Head of Careers and the girls' form tutors who know their students really well. If need be, other subjects teachers and the Head are always happy to discuss any subject specific matters with the individual student and her parents. Girls also have ample opportunity to askolder girls about their experience of subjects at GCSE level.
Guidance:
Great care is taken not to influence the girls in any particular direction but to allow them to find their own path with the help of their teachers and, of course, their parents.
Choices:
At the end of the spring term, the girls, with the approval of their parents, are requested to commit to a choice of 3 GCSE option subjects.
Rethink??:
As the selection process is done so carefully we very rarely encounter the case where a girl reconsiders switching in the autumn term of Year 10. However, should this case arise then all efforts are made to find a solution thatis in the best interests ofthe student.
Year 10: Who am I?
Aptitude:
At the end of Year 10, girls are invited to take an aptitude test which is designed to continue the exploration of their strengths, talents, preferences and abilities which began in Year 9. The test is designed and delivered by "Cambridge Occupational Analysts" (maybe have link to that company at this point ??), a company which specializes in this type of test and has been working with us with very good results for many years. Although this test is not prescriptive, almost all our students choose to participate.
Confidence:
The results are, of course, confidential. It is also worthwhile to mention, that this is not an IQ test in any way, it is not competitive or comparative at all and it cannot be failed. Instead, the emphasis is on each individual girl to help her gain a deeper insight into herself in order to make future careers choices with more self-knowledge and confidence.
Year 11: More choices to be made and the working world is drawing closer!
Results:
At the beginning of the autumn term, experienced interviewers from "Cambridge Occupational Analysts" visit our school to give each girl her individual results report and to talk her through the findings. They are also more than happy to discuss any careers questions the girls might have at this point. The girls tend to find this interview enjoyable and reassuring.
My Curriculum Vitae:
Although most girls will not have any or very little work experience at that age, every girl gets started on her C.V. with the help of the head of careers, as she will be needing this information in the near future.
A-Level Choices:
Choosing your AS-Level subjects can be daunting especially with regard to the new subjects which are not part of the GCSE range. To help the girls with their decision we offer plenty of information on the subjects available and lots of opportunities to discuss their choices throughout the autumn and spring term. At various points of the year the Head, the Head of Sixth Form and Sixth Form students and the Head of Careers will talk to the girls and answer their questions. In September they will be given a brochure with detailed information on all the subjects taught at our school. At the beginning of the spring term, all the subject teachers offer talks about their subject at A-Level. There are 2 parents' evenings, one in September and one in the spring term, to discuss their options with the teachers, the Head and a specialist careers advisor. The final choice has to be made by the end of the spring term and every effort is made to ensure each girl can study her combination of subjects.
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