Careers

Our Aim

The overall aim of the careers provision at Baylis Court School is to provide effective and impartial careers education and guidance to enable our students to manage their own career development successfully, by helping them to acquire the skills, attitudes and abilities they will need to move through life with confidence.  This is done in a variety of ways, not only through the Careers Department, but embedded in the teaching and learning throughout their school life.

Adviza - professional, impartial careers guidance

We work in partnership with Adviza to offer a comprehensive range of careers services. Their qualified professional careers advisers work collaboratively with us, providing impartial, student-centred guidance to help raise our students’ aspirations, motivate them to achieve their full potential and support them to make key decisions.

They have a range of services, products and information that can help parents and students as they move forward in education, training or work.  Please visit their website www.adviza.org.uk for more information.

Introduction to our careers provision

Careers education and guidance plays an important role at Baylis and ensures that the girls make the smooth transition from school through to further education, higher education and employment.

• Years 7 and 8: The girls are introduced to careers education through our Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) programme.
• Year 8:  GCSEs have an impact on career and university choices and this is explored through a series of small group sessions in the Spring Term.  All Year 8 students will have taken part in a session before choosing their Options.
• Year 9:  As part of the PSHE programme, our students visit Slough Careers Fair in February each year.  They have the chance to ask questions, pick up ideas, listen to inspirational speakers and make contact with potential employers, universities and voluntary groups.
• Year 10: Each student in Year 10 will have a one-to-one meeting with one of our careers advisers from Adviza, followed up with a Personal Action Plan. Year 10 students will also take part in a three day Work Ready Conference during the summer term.
• Year 11:  Students are encouraged to think carefully about their future after Year 11.  To help them, each student will take part in group sessions to discuss their next steps. Individual interviews are also planned for those who may need extra help.   Additional support and guidance is also provided by Slough Borough Council, as appropriate.

Each Year 11 student receives a booklet giving advice on choosing colleges or Sixth Forms, how to apply, dates of Open Days for local colleges as well as information on apprenticeships and the National Careers Service.  They may also be given advice through drop-in clinics with Helen Cole from Adviza, details of which are advertised around the school, and via the school email system.

• Year 12: students visit a UCAS Higher Education Exhibition in June each year.  During the summer term 2017, we will be visiting the Exhibition being hosted at the University of Bedfordshire. Here, representatives from every university are available to talk to, and several workshops/talks are available for students to attend.  Further details available nearer the date.

Also during the summer term, every Year 12 student has an individual careers meeting with our independent careers adviser.

All Sixth Form students will visit the Heathrow Jobs and Careers Fair in February 2017, as part of the PSHE programme.

Sixth Form students may apply to visit up to three university open days during the year.  These days are authorised by Head of Sixth Form.

• On PSHE days and on various days throughout the year, students in Years 10, 11 and the Sixth Form have the opportunity to visit external, regional careers fairs and events.
• We provide Kudos and eCLIPS online resources for all our students. A dedicated computer and printer is available for research purposes in the Careers Office. 
• Regular, individual emails are sent to students, passing on relevant, up-to-date information concerning careers, further education, job hunting, apprenticeships, etc.