UNIVERSITY ADVICE AND CAREERS

Sixth Form Years 12 and 13

Weekly lessons in small groups begin after half term in the autumn term of Year 12 and continue until half term of the autumn term in the Year 13 by which time all UCAS applications should be completed. Areas covered during the year are as follows:

Year 12 – Autumn Term

• Introduction to the formal conferences and taster courses run by the universities for potential university applicants in subjects not studied at school such as medicine, veterinary science, law and engineering

• Question and answer evening with recent leavers “The Real Facts about University”

• Discussion of post-18 choices to reinforce and remind students of the non university option to career progression as a viable route for able and motivated students into careers such as accountancy

• Introduction to the resources available on the ISCO website

• Introduction to the UCAS website and handbooks such as Heap’s University Degree Course Offers and The Times Good University Guide

• Interview skills and cover-letter writing

Year 12 – Spring Term

• Focus on researching and booking taster courses and open days

• All students visit Southampton University (Russell Group) or Oxford Brookes (top player in the ranks of the newer, more vocational universities)

• Internet research continues in earnest into subject courses and a university shortlist is prepared

• All prospective university students attend the regional UCAS Convention held at one of the regions leading universities

Year 12 – Summer Term

• Mentoring day with Old Clayesmorians

• Pre-university spreadsheet of subject and destination choices is completed so that reference writing can commence.

• Registration with UCAS “Apply”

• Higher Education Day for parents and students

• Personal statement training with ISCO workshop.

• Talks on GAP years and on finance

• Lecture from Peter Mulligan from SACU

• The Summer Term is a busy time for going to open days and other university visits and events.

Year 13

We aim to complete all applications for university by half term bearing in mind there is an earlier deadline of 1 October for music conservatoires and October 15 for Oxbridge, medical students, dentist and veterinary science applications.

Year 13 – Autumn Term

Weekly lessons continue until half term. They are devoted to:

• Updating the CV

• Writing the personal statement and completing and checking the UCAS forms for complete accuracy

• Ensuring that non university applications are in hand

• Liaising with Sixth Form tutors to ensure applications are realistic and that the grades achievable

• Ensuring that any special tests such as BMAT and UKCAT for medicine and LNAT for Law, have been registered for and taken by the required deadlines.