At Burntwood School we deliver a comprehensive and full  programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance to support our Year 12s and 13s as they progress on to higher education and employment.

An independent Careers Adviser is available throughout the year to meet with students one on one and provide advice and guidance on all areas related to careers and Higher Education.

Throughout the year, weekly PSHE sessions, tutor periods and one on one careers meetings provide support to students with their career exploration and university and apprenticeship applications. In Autumn of Year 12 students focus on exploring their subject interests and awareness of careers, as well as developing their employability skills. A year assembly introduces the students to the importance of being proactive in maximising the huge number of opportunities and third parties such as the Early Careers Foundation are invited to provide employer mentoring . In Spring, they are introduced to Unifrog, a platform that helps students with the entire progression process - from exploring their interests, to recording all that they have done in Year 12, finding education, training and apprenticeship opportunities, to drafting their applications.
An Introduction to UnifrogStudents are encouraged to visit their university choices in June and September. They are finally led through the process of registering and completing a first draft of their personal statement for finalisation in Year 13 Autumn Term and / or applying for gap year experiences or apprenticeships.

Special interest groups - Students with identified interests or strengths are guided through various application preparations such as for Medicine, Dentistry, Oxbridge, Law as well as for School Leaver Programmes. Students who articulate particular interests are targeted with specific opportunities. Oxbridge students are notified of Autumn and Spring Oxbridge taster days, invited to a school talk from an Oxbridge representative and supported in their interview preparation. Potential Russell Group candidates are invited to a motivational talk given by a Russell Group university. Law students are invited to visit legal firms, informed of taster days, university open days, London undergraduate mentoring programmes and work experience opportunities. Medical and Nursing students are supported with medical work experiences programmes at local hospitals, voluntary experience opportunities, specialist speakers on personal statement writing and interviews. Art, Drama and Dance Students are assisted through their particular application process. Similar opportunities exist for other industries including Computer Science, Business and Media.

Newsletter - Our regular online opportunity updates on Microsoft Teams alert students to a regular flow of ideas and opportunities for enrichment and career exploration for Year 12 and 13.  Students can find insight events, workshops, higher apprenticeships and school leaver programmes, summer schools, work experience, post 18 and Higher Education, university insight and taster days and parent information.

We have an extensive programme of weekly speakers who visit the school to talk to students about their various career paths. Students are encouraged to request speakers if they have particular interests. These talks and careers activities are supported with professionally researched information sheets on different career and course pathways.

Students are also encouraged and supported to find work placements and voluntary opportunities as well as prepared for university or school leaver programme interviews with specialists e.g. science teachers for medicine, or other subject teachers and careers adviser for others.