Careers Programme

The Sir Robert Woodard Academy is committed to providing our students with a programme of careers education, advice and guidance (CEIAG) for all students in year 7 to 13.

Our Careers Leader is Mark Monahan (mmonahan@srwa.woodard.co.uk 01903 875501) and our Careers Adviser is Anne Squires (asquires@srwa.woodard.co.uk)

Our links and connections with the local business community mean that we can deliver an excellent programme. We believe a well structured and inspiring careers programme can play a role in the way the Academy prepares our students for the world of work and further education.

We want to highlight and provide exposure to a wide range of careers including women in STEM, all backed by clear information about progression routes and access to local labour market information.

Our membership of the Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce is sponsored by Prosperon Networks in Worthing. Finance director of Prosperon, Kathie Crane is a former Enterprise Adviser Academy Councillor. Matt Marchant, a current Academy Councillor works for the Adur & Worthing Council and provides the Academy with additional support for our careers programme. 

By the time students leave us, they will have been exposed to the world of university and further education, and will be well informed about a variety of careers, vocational and academic courses and apprenticeships. Every student will have the opportunity to meet many business people during a range of events, including our Aspire Days and Careers Afternoons.

Unifrog

Every student has access to the Unifrog website, that allows them to explore jobs, find out about education pathways and find about qualifications, pay rates and opportunities in different industries. It contains live data about local and national trends in different industries.  

Unifrog brings into one place every undergraduate university course, apprenticeship, and college course in the UK, as well as other opportunities This make it easy for students to compare and choose the best university courses, apprenticeships or further education courses for them. 

Additionally, the platform helps students successfully apply for these opportunities by writing their personal statements, applications and CVs and guiding them through the process.

Students log in using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage you to use the platform with your child so you can support them through the process of deciding their next step.

As a first step, support your child in signing in and taking their first steps. The platform will guide them through some initial activities to help provide personalised recommendations and suggestions. 

We will also log careers activities that students engage in during their time at the Academy, in order to build a locker of careers related l

We have also set up a parent login so that you can use Unifrog as if you were a student yourself, allowing you to truly support your child. The form code you need is SIRWParents and you can sign up here: www.unifrog.org/code

We know that you will find this tool helpful, and we will continue to update you with this as the year goes on. At any time, you can find the link to Unifrog under the quick links on the SRWA Website.

Students can login here.

Widening Participation in University

We are part of the Widening Participation Programme, and we work very closely with the Universities of Brighton, Chichester and Sussex. The initiative and the aim is to increase the number of students from under-represented groups participating in higher education. The universities come in to support and work with the students in order to raise their awareness and aspirations.

Alumni

We have a strong alumni programme with many former students returning to share their experience and knowledge with our students.

Did you go to SRWA or Boundstone Community College? Join our LinkedIn Alumni group.

Careers information for families

Every two weeks we publish a Parental Communication Bulletin which includes regular information about our careers programme, links to Labour Market Information, job opportunities and details of carees activities that are going on within the academy. 

What we offer

A programme is available for every year group and the aim is to inspire students and to provide them with employability skills to accompany their qualifications. We actually work with our feeder primary schools and run aspirational sessions with partner universities for year 6 students.

Year 6

Professor C-Gull - students visit the Academy, learn about progression routes from GCSE to university, employment and apprenticeship. Mini graduation at the end of the day for parents and carers. Event delivered by the University of Brighton.

Year 7

All about me, the focus is skills and qualities, future goals and dreams and how they link to jobs. Assemblies and tutor sessions to explore aspirations and careers.

Various taster days at the University of Sussex across the year, including engineering, media, languages, and creative writing.

Year 8

Careers Afternoons

The Making Choices Programme for up to 40 students, with a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and Arts. All students have a campus tour, followed by three academic events, which have included: medical, engineering, art history, electronics, robotics, law and media. The objective of the Making Choices programme is to help students think about the subjects they like, to experience university life and think about future career prospects.

The final day is a graduation for the students and parent and carers are invited.

Further taster days at the University of Sussex are held across the year.

Year 9

The focus is careers and how to explore job skills and research dream jobs, using the online careers programme Unifrog. A range of assemblies and tutorial activities run to support students in the GCSE options process.

University Widening Participation teams often come in and work with the students on a bespoke programme in order to support students with their option choices.

Careers Afternoons - students are able to take advantage of lunchtime meetings with local business people. It is an opportunity to speak with business people and explore their routes into the world of work as well as find out about the skills and attributes employers look for.

Year 10

Workplace and Futures Day

As part of our Activities Week we give students the opportunity to visit a workplace and see the different kinds of jobs people do. It is not work experience as such, but a chance to visit a selected business for a day and explore the world of work.

Many of our local business partners are keen to host our students, including The American Express Stadium and many more. Some of the visits would run as trips and others where students would contact an employer to arrange the visit - a work-related skill in itself.

We run a day where students can hear from a range of employers about their workplaces, and what their average day looks like. 

We also offer sessions on hearing from apprenticeship providers, learning about Post 16 options, university and the skills needed to search for and apply for employment. It is a great way to get students ready for the next steps and wider choices when they get to year 11. 

Apprenticeships Evening

The world of apprenticeships has changed and every year in June we run an evening to help students and their parents find out about apprenticeships. Local apprenticeship providers and employers set up in a marketplace and are available to speak with students and their parents.

University Taster Days

Sussex University hosts four to five taster days each year. Examples are engineering, media, languages, creative writing, maths and science.

Stand Up For Justice

The University of Sussex runs a criminal advocacy programme and competition for students. The programme gives an introduction to 'legal advocacy' and presenting a plea in court as a barrister. Students work with legal academics and working lawyers to prepare a defence for a fictitious case, which is then presented in a mock court to real judges.

University Summer School

The University of Sussex runs multiple free summer schools. Students are able to select a subject area of interest and get to stay on campus for three days to experience life as a university student.

Year 11

Careers Interview

Each student will have a 40-minute one-to-one interview with our Careers Advisor to discuss their future plans. Students will also get to meet with a member of staff to discuss options at 6th form for progression on to W6 6th form at SRWA.

Colleges and Further Education Information

Students are given information about the local sixth-form providers and colleges, including the courses on offer and the details of open evenings and entry requirements.

Aspire to Achieve Day

During this Year 11 only day, students focus on study skills and future success. Up to 50 local business people are in attendance for an hour speed networking session. Students are able to choose from a wide range of industries and opt to speak with business people working in industries of interest to them.

Apprenticeships Evening

The world of apprenticeships has changed and every year in June we run an evening to help students and their parents find out about apprenticeships. Local apprenticeships providers and employers set up in a marketplace and are available to speak with students and their parents.

Year 12 and Year 13

At sixth form, the careers focus ramps up as students prepare for moving on to further education or the world of work.

Students are supported by the Widening Participation Team, which offers support and advice to students and parents regarding the various university programmes. For those students not wishing to attend university, we work with various apprenticeship teams.

Work Experience

Every student in year 12 gets involved in a week-long work placement and learns about the world of work. Students find a placement which links to their programme of study and complete a work experience journal to reflect on the skills developed and the learning from the process. We have links with a wide range of employers in the local area, as well as further afield across Sussex and Brighton.

University Programme

Students are able to get involved in a wide range of taster days with local partner universities as well as events at Oxford, Cambridge and more. Many subject-specific days are run where students can work with university academics and meet students on degree courses.

UCAS Conference

Each year we take all year 12 students to the UCAS fair in Brighton which gives students a chance to meet with representatives from most of the UK's universities.

Before and after the conference we run a series of enrichment sessions to ensure students get the best from the event and are well prepared to find a university course that interests them.

University of Sussex Campus Tour

Our partner university hosts our year 12 students for a day, with Sussex student ambassadors taking students on a campus tour. Most events include taster courses and support in finding university courses.

Realising Opportunities Programme

A national group of leading, research-intensive universities, operate a programme called Realising Opportunities. It allows students from under-represented groups such as "First Generation Scholars" to participate in a year-long programme, with access to eMentors, residential trips to universities and support in preparing a research-based academic project. Participating students who apply to any of the 14 partner universities are given an entry tariff two grades lower for entry to degree courses at those institutions.

Access to the course is based on GCSE results and is for our most able students.

Summer Schools

We support students in finding and applying to a wide range of summer schools that are held over the summer between years 12 and 13. Many of these are free and provide accommodation, meals and tutorials at university.

Zero Gravity

For students applying to top universities, we are able to enrol students in a mentoring programme which pairs them with a university student at a university to which our student wishes to apply, such as Oxford and Cambridge. These mentors meet with students regularly online and provide support with personal statements, interview preparation and broader revision and academic support. It is a great way to support students from under-represented groups to get to top universities. 

Oxbridge Process

Our most able students are counselled to make applications to one of either Oxford or Cambridge. With our Woodard partner school, Hurstpierpoint College, students are able to get applications, personal statements and interview practice to prepare for these competitive university places.

Careers Afternoons

Each term we host lunches and breakfast events where local employers and business people are on hand to talk about their own careers and the skills and attributes employers look for in their employees.

Employer Talks

We regularly invite local employers into the Academy to talk to students about their career paths and the journey they took. In the past, we've hosted a midwife from St Richard’s Hospital, a doctor from Worthing Hospital, a Pilot from Thomas Cook, architects and lawyers.

Careers Interviews

All students have access to our careers advisor, Ms Squires, and have a one-to-one careers interview. In the final terms of year 13, those not going to university get bespoke support to ensure they have a career plan before completing their studies.

Careers Programme Evaluation

As part of our Careers Leader annual review, we evaluate our assess the impact of our careers programme in the following ways:

• student and parent voice surveys
• student interaction data from Start Profile which identifies the time spent by students exploring careers, and information about career interests and aspirations.
• Annual evaluation Compass Benchmark Evaluation against the national Gatsby Benchmarks which is shared with our local careers and enterprise partners. 

You can view our Compass Benchmark results from:

2020 2019

We review our programme at the end of each Academic year and submit a new Compass Benchmark Evaluation in January.