How do British boarding schools support their students with life after school?
While our school days are to be enjoyed, they are a vital step towards adulthood and independence. Here we feature how a few of our British boarding schools support their students with life after school.
As with most schools, at King’s College in Taunton Sixth Form pupils each have their own tutor as their main point of contact for any pastoral and academic concerns, and to help with UCAS applications and career guidance. Detailed, specific advice in the Sixth Form ensures that pupils make wise and appropriate choices about their future. Weekly meetings inform their decisions, and guidance is provided from the initial selection of A Level subjects right through to possible changes of direction after they receive their final results. There is even a dedicated Head of Futures, who ensures a regular programme of activity and support is in place, including Career Breakfasts that give pupils the opportunity to meet people from different professions and explore their options and interests in more depth.
Trent College has a Careers and Higher Education Centre, with a team that works with students to identify their ambitions and prepare them for the future. For university applications, students are guided through the UCAS process, with tailored support for those applying to Medicine, Veterinary and Dentistry through weekly societies, providing a forum for them to gain skills and experience to aid their access to these competitive courses. There is also support for those considering alternate routes, such as degree-level apprenticeships, and all students are advised on CV writing, application processes and interviews. A Careers Speaker Programme aims to open students’ minds to new career possibilities with engaging talks from a variety of guest speakers. Key figures from national and international universities are also invited into Sixth Form to inform and inspire students.
Truro School also offers a personalised Careers and University Service, which organises events such as psychometric testing, one-to-one interviews, timetabled career sessions, as well as business lunches, allowing students to get a taste of various professions during their time in the Sixth Form. Students are supported in securing places at leading universities or on top apprenticeship schemes, both in the UK and overseas. Advice is available on the changing world of work, as businesses adopt new technologies, ideas and working patterns; and career lunches organised, offering a chance to speak to industry experts in a relaxed setting to help students understand more about different careers such as law, finance, the creative industries, or self-employment. Last but not least, there are timetabled Career Sessions on managing money, interview techniques, gap years, apprenticeships, further study and living away from home, ably demonstrating how British boarding schools support their students with life after school.
We all want to set our children on the right path for a happy and successful future, so why not seek the advice of a British boarding school consultant to help you find the best stepping stone for your child? Please contact me to begin the conversation.
