The Bridge Careers Service

Careers and UCAS support is offered to all Sixth Form students via The Bridge, run by our Head of Careers, Mrs Whitlock. During Lower Sixth, students are given tools and advice through careers lessons, higher education events, access to psychometric questionnaires and a series of one-to-one meetings, so that they can make wellinformed choices for life after BGS.

Whether students wish to consider university, apprenticeships, gap years or moving straight into the working world The Bridge is there with resources, connections and expertise to help guide and support. From one-to-one meetings, arranging bespoke calls with alumnae and professionals, frequent Lunchbox Lectures, careers events and work experience, The Bridge are always on hand to help students consider their options, passions and aspirations so they take informed decisions.

The Bridge Bulletin

This careers-focused newsletter is issued to students throughout BGS Sixth Form, once every half term to Lower Sixth students, and then once a term to Upper Sixth. The bulletin is divided into three areas: Discovery, Focus, and Action. For each there are links and information to encourage students to explore options, focus on their choices, and act within any forthcoming deadlines.

Unifrog

Unifrog is the name of the online careers platform we use, from Year 7 all the way through to Upper Sixth. In the Sixth Form, students use Unifrog’s huge range of resources and tools to research professional pathways, record skills and work experience, identify courses, shortlist options, and access suggestions for supercurricular development. Tutors can track progress and offer feedback on CVs and UCAS personal statements via the portal, facilitating completion of apprenticeship and university applications.

Ucas Support

There are a number of events and meetings scheduled throughout Sixth Form to support students as they make their way through the UCAS process. Students have the choice to participate in the MyUniChoices questionnaire in the Autumn

Term of Lower Sixth, which can be a useful opportunity to explore options, or reinforce the suitability of an already identified degree course. Then, after the Christmas holiday, students participate in their careers-focused PSHE lessons (which also consider Apprenticeships and the world of work), as well as the Higher Education afternoon, and evening event for parents. These sharpen thinking on preparing to make a university application, including course selection and the transition to living away from home.

Mrs Whitlock conducts one-to-one meetings with each student before the Easter holiday, which further boosts momentum for university research before the summer term, when students attend the UCAS Exhibition and have a dedicated UCAS Day in-school to start their UCAS applications, and get advice on personal statements.

Students also meet with Mrs Woolley and Mrs Whitlock to discuss their intentions, further to the results of their Lower Sixth assessments, and have a further one-to-one with Mrs Whitlock to receive their UCAS predicted grades.

Returning to school in Upper Sixth, students continue to discuss their applications with their Form Tutors and subject teachers, and see Mrs Whitlock during the Autumn Term as they complete their UCAS application.

Attendance At University Open Days

Attendance at university open days usually takes place during the Summer Term of Lower Sixth, and in some cases, the Autumn Term of Upper Sixth. Whilst students are encouraged to attend open days at weekends, this is not always possible, and therefore students are allowed to have a maximum of three days out of school during term time for this purpose. To book a day out of school for an open day, students should collect a ‘Green Form’ from The Bridge, have it signed by the teachers whose lessons will be missed, and a parent or guardian, and hand in to reception at least five school days in advance of the date of absence.

Support Programmes For Oxbridge And Early Entry Degree Course

Any student wishing to apply to Oxbridge or for medicine/veterinary medicine courses is supported with bespoke programmes to guide them through the application process and to ensure they are given the expertise and resources to be best prepared for the additional rigorous aspects of applying for these courses.

Our Oxbridge Coordinator, Mrs Emma Pearl, manages an extensive programme across the Sixth Form to support Oxbridge candidates. This includes: workshops; interview and presentation practises; mock testing; introduction to super curriculum work; course and college selection; and guidance through the application process.

SHORTLAND-JONES OXBRIDGE AWARDS

Due to a generous alumna gift, all successful Oxbridge candidates, who accept their places to study at either Oxford or Cambridge are awarded a small annual bursary for the length of study of their first undergraduate degree.