1. Jon Ryder – Assistant Headteacher
Careers’ Master Class
Jon Ryder – Assistant Headteacher
Starter task – look at the grid on your tables. What does this mean to you?

2. Outcomes
To understand the range of qualifications available to young people after year 11
To make connections between qualifications and careers
To identify strategies for supporting your children in their careers choices

3. AFTER Y11

4. Year 13 – degree chosen.
Choose your passion. Think career
Year 11 – A levels chosen.
Choose the ones you’re good at. Think degree.
Year 9 – GCSEs chosen.
Choose the ones you love!

5. What is your young person’s next step?
A levels
BTEC
Apprenticeship
Work
Other (please state)

6. And then…?
Work
Degree
Further other study?
Gap year?

7. What are … A levels? Academic route Level 3 qualification
Split into 2 – AS and A2
AS sat in y12, A2 in y13 (normally)
Very academic – even for practical subjects like DT and Art

8. SKHS entry requirements for A levels
5 A*-C including English and Maths
B grades in subjects your young person wants to study at A level
A grade in Maths
To study 2 Sciences students require 2 As at GCSE in Science
To study further Maths students require A* in Maths
Subjects not studied at GCSE (e.g. Economics, Psychology) normally require a B in English GCSE
Other colleges are available!

9. Your homework Which A levels are you considering?
Why have you chosen those ones?
What job are you thinking about?
How well do your A levels fit in with those aspirations?
Do you plan to study 4 A levels?
Which one would you consider dropping in year 13?
Is Seven Kings the best place for you?

10. What are … BTECs? Vocational route
Less academic, more practical – linked to work
BTECs can be studied at Entry Level (pre-GCSE) right through to Level 7 (post-graduate)
There are different types of BTECs…

11. BTEC Firsts Level 2 – the same as a GCSE
Normally taken alongside other qualifications like GCSEs
Equivalent to 1 or 2 GCSE passes at C grade

12. BTEC Nationals Level 3 – the same as A Levels
Recommended for young people with a strong inclination towards a specific vocational route
Can be used to get access to university and attracts UCAS points in the same way as A level
More traditionally used as a route into employment
These are currently not offered at SKHS

13. Qualifications compared
Level
Traditional
Vocational
3 Advanced
3 A levels
2 A levels
1 A level
1 AS level
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma
BTEC Level 3 Diploma
BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma
BTEC Level 3 Certificate
2 Intermediate
YOU ARE WORKING TO ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL NOW!
5 GCSEs (A*-C)
2 GCSEs (A*-C)
1 GCSE (A*-C)
BTEC Level 2 Diploma
BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate
BTEC Level 2 Certificate
1 Foundation
Up to 5 GCSEs (D-G)
BTEC Level 1 Awards Certificates and Diplomas
Entry Level
National Curriculum levels 1-3
BTEC Entry Level Awards Certificates and Diplomas

14. BTEC at SKHS Sixth Form
SKHS offers a limited range of level 2BTEC in the Sixth Form
These are normally taken alongside GCSE Maths and/or English retakes
Some students also take one or two A levels as well, but only if they meet the entry requirements
They are only taken in year 12 – BTEC students have to leave at the end of year 12
Currently we are offering STEM and Business at BTEC Level 2

15. Your homework Why do you want to study BTEC?
Have you got a specific job in mind?
Why this job?
Is this job going to be around in 15 years?
Where is the best place to study this BTEC?
If SKHS, why SKHS?
Do you want to go to university?
Which one?
How will BTEC impact on this?

16. What are … Apprenticeships?
Work-based training programmes
Trainees receive a NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) at Level 2 or Level 3
Normally trainees spend most of their time in work and are released to do training in college or another setting
There are 250 different types of apprenticeship
This is a massive growth area – the government LOVE work-based training
Trainees get paid a minimum of £2.60 an hour

17. And there’s more!
Entry requirements vary – normally employers want at least 5 A*-Cs including English and Maths but this is not a requirement
Trainees must find their own employer
There is a website that can help with this

18. Apprenticeships at Seven Kings
We have a link with a local organisation that is funded to match students to apprenticeships
Students in year 11 and 12 can go onto this programme – we will run it after Christmas in school
You can me if you’re interested
The only rule: your young person MUST want to do an apprenticeship INSTEAD of coming to our Sixth Form

19. Your homework Why an apprenticeship? Where will you study?
How are you going to find a job?
Is this job going to exist in 15 years?
Why not college then university?

20. Into University? For individuals For society Achievement matters
Increased lifetime salary (13% for a degree)
Improved health (half the number of disabled years)
Longer life (1.7 years of life per extra year of schooling)
Lower criminal justice costs
Lower health-care costs
Increased economic growth
(Hanushek & Wößman, 2010)

21. Into university?
Achievement matters

22. The Russell Group This is the group of best universities in the UK
It includes Oxford, Cambridge, and UCL
Over 37% of our students went to Russell Group universities last year
47% of our students got offers from Russell Group universities

23. Russell Group – Facilitating Subjects
Maths and Further Maths
English Literature
Biology, Chemistry, Physics
History
Geography
Languages (modern and ancient)
For Music and Art most Russell Group Universities require these courses
Lots of Russell Group universities require Art for Architecture

24. Choosing the right A Levels
Universities will want to see A Levels that make sense for the degree course chosen
History degree – History, English, MfL, Social Science, etc
Maths degree – Maths, Further Maths, Science, English
Science degree – two Sciences, Maths, English
Design degree – Design, Art, English, Maths
Remember: most students drop one A Level in year 13
All students receive advice and guidance from a senior member of staff about their A Level choices on two occasions in year 11

25. Did you know?
Universities can charge up to £9k a year for degree courses – 14 universities in the top 20 charge the full £9k
One university (Buckingham) charges £11,250!
40% of jobs available to graduates do not require a specific degree
You do not need a Law degree to be a lawyer (50% of lawyers studied History)
‘Soft skills’ are often as important to recruiters as the degree studied
You have to have at least a 2:2 to study to become a teacher

26. Financial help for going to university
Maintenance grant
Household income
How much?
£25,000 or less
Full £3,250 grant
Between £25,001 and £42,600
Partial grant, depending on your household income
More than £42,600
No grant

27. Maintenance loan – available to all Living with parents Up to £4,375
Studying in London and not living with parents
Up to £7,675
Studying outside of London and not living with parents
Up to £5,500
Living and studying abroad for at least one academic term
Up to £6,535
Anyone can get a loan to pay for tuition fees

28. Your homework Are you planning to go to university?
Do you have any ideas about which university?
Which course are you thinking of studying?
How does this impact on you’re A level choices?
How does this link with your career pathway?
What do you know about the entry requirements for the course you want to do?
What do you understand about the funding arrangements for university?

29. Top 5 Growth Industries Engineering Health and Social Care Mechanical
Chemical
Automotive
Health and Social Care
Medicine
Nursing
Pharmaceuticals

30. Top 5 Growth Industries - continuedIT
Design
Programming
Business analysts and data experts
Finance and accountancy
Credit control
Auditing
Purchasing
Energy
Electricity, gas and oil
Green, environmental

31. Conclusions University education matters, despite £27,000 tuition fees
Change is afoot, though
Best degrees are vocational
Sciences
Engineering
Business, accountancy, economics
To be successful you have to be savvy, streetwise and switched on!