CAREERS dePARTMENT
The Careers Department in Down High School is a forward thinking department. It has introduced new initiatives (and continues to do so), built and maintained links with local businesses, colleges & universities and piloted new programmes of study within the curriculum. It is this continual effort to keep ahead of the game that ensures we provide an excellent careers education and guidance service to the students of Down High School, which will help them make the various transitions throughout their school career, onto Further & Higher Education and into the world of work.
The Careers Team
| Head of Department | Mrs C Johnston |
| KS3 &4 Careers Co-ordinator | Mr I Monaghan |
| Careers Assistant Co-ordinator | Ms S Haines |
| Teacher in charge of Work Experience | Miss L Halligan |
Careers Advisors
| Mr T Woods |
| Mr J Gunson |
| Mrs A Burtney |
| Mrs M Emerson |
| Mrs Eileen Arnold (DELNI) |
Aims of the Careers Department
1. To ensure that all pupils participate in the Careers Education programme.
2. To enable pupils to:
- Develop the necessary skills to make informed decisions relating to their futures.
- Promote their self-development and social skills.
- Develop their communication skills – written and verbal.
- Develop and encourage their social integration within the school community.
- Help them develop independence, tolerance, confidence & sensitivity to others.
3. To provide:
- Information and guidance to pupils and parents relating to subject choices and Further & Higher Education.
- Training and practice as appropriate for pupils, e.g. CVs, Application Forms, Interview Skills and UCAS Apply training.
- Support in preparing University applications, including specific guidance for Medicine, Veterinary and Dentistry courses and for Oxbridge candidates.
- Information and guidance relating to student finance.
- A secure structure for Work Experience to be delivered in a meaningful manner.
- Pupils and colleagues with up-to-date information on developments at government and university level.
- Advice and assistance to pupils on all Careers related matters.
4. To prepare pupils for:
- Adult life through responsibility and work experience.
- The challenges and opportunities of an ever-changing economic landscape.
- Lifelong learning, decision-making and personal development.
The Careers Programme
The aim of a Careers Guidance Programme is to provide pupils with activities, which will help them as individuals to make choices, and transitions, which are appropriate to them.
“Each young person is entitled to the best possible Careers Education and Guidance. It can make the difference between a false start and a successful career.”
(Better Choices, DfEE 1994)
Key Stage 3 (Yrs 8–10)
The Careers Programme in the Junior School is an element of the Learning for Life and Work programme known as Employability. The Employability strand is taught in a 12 week course and deals with:
- Introduction to Employability
- Working in the Local and Global Community
- Employability
- Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Skills
- Option Choices for KS4 (Yr 10 pupils)
Key Stage 4 (Yrs 11&12)
The Careers Programme in the Middle School is also an element of the Learning for Life and Work programme known as Employability.
In Year 11 the course is 12 weeks long and deals with:
- Introduction to Employability
- Working in the Local and Global Community
- Employability
- Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Skills
In Year 12 the course is 20 weeks long and deals with:
- Developing a Personal Career Plan
- Identifying & Developing Skills
- Action Planning
- Careers Research
- Matching Skill Profiles to Jobs
- Further & Higher Education
- Routes to Entry
- Option Choices for A-Level & Further study
- What Employers Want
- CVs, Application Forms and Interview Skills
Students have a workbook, which is used as part of their Pupil Profile – this is kept and used in the Pupil Profile that is issued at the end of Year 12.
Sixth Form (Years 13&14)
In Year 13 Careers Education is taught on a modular basis alongside Religious Education. Students have an academic tutor, access to careers advice and a full programme of support and guidance for entry into Further & Higher Education.
In Year 14 students benefit from UCAS & University Choices workshops at the start of the Christmas term and are given the opportunity to attend an Open Day at Queen’s University, Belfast. There are no designated Careers periods for this year group, although there is a special programme of support for those wishing to pursue a course in Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry & Law delivered by Ms Haines. Oxbridge entrants also receive additional support from the Careers Department and from Mr B Coffey, the Head of Sixth Form, who takes the lead role in this area.
Work Experience
In Year 13 pupils are afforded the opportunity to sample the world of work. This one- week placement provides a worthwhile insight into the world of work and also fosters greater understanding between school and businesses. This provides invaluable experience as pupils gain confidence and an understanding of the working environment in terms of working relationships and structures in action. This is an essential element to successful Career Planning and the experience adds focus to their schoolwork.
Miss L Halligan works with Charter who issue local placements. They establish placements, check that companies are adequately insured and ensure that the placement will offer a genuine work experience. Miss Halligan also organises a team of staff to visit each student during their work placement to monitor and assess progress or indeed any issues that may have arisen. Students keep a diary of their work placement and write a report on their return to school.
Mock Interview Evening
This provides our Year 13 students with their second taste of ‘real life’ as local business people and employers give up their time to provide an excellent interview experience in line with current recruitment trends. Students give a 5-minute presentation, followed by a 10 question & answer interview session. Verbal feedback is provided immediately and a written assessment is given to students to help them review their technique prior to future interviews. We have an excellent group of interviewers who work in pairs and as a result, we can often match our students to the job/specialist areas of our interviewers, providing the best possible experience. The support that we have for this event from the local community is second to none and it could not function without the time and effort of this generous group of people.
UCAS
The vast majority of students in Down High will apply to university; as a result we have an excellent, well-organised and successful UCAS procedure managed by Ms Haines. All students receive a letter in the summer prior to Year 14 study, which gives details of the UCAS registration process and how to initiate proceedings. Students then attend three workshops at the start of term focusing on:
- The UCAS Apply system and school procedures
- How to Choose a University & Course
- Student Finance.
Students are encouraged to use their free time to research courses and institutions, write their personal statement and complete all details on the UCAS form. Students will be assisted throughout by the Careers Department. This help consists of individual guidance for every student on completing the UCAS application (especially the ‘Personal Statement’ from Ms Haines), an interview with Mrs Johnston and an interview with their Academic Tutor. UCAS forms are only sent once pupils have made and attended these appointments.
Careers Guidance Interviews
In Year 10 every pupil receives a Careers Guidance Interview. Pupils are interviewed in pairs during a session lasting 30 minutes. The pupils have the opportunity to:
- Discuss their needs individually, including subject choices
- Research their area of interest using ICT and literature
- Discuss their skills and qualities which are relevant to the world of work
- Recognise the skills they need to develop
After completing the Employability programme in Year 11 each pupil carries out the Getting Connected survey that is facilitated by DELNI. Students answer a set of questions, which help to gauge how focused they are on a particular job or area of work. At the end of the survey, pupils are categorised as Green, Amber or Red, enabling the Careers Advisors identify the type of guidance each requires. Those in the Green and Amber categories are interviewed by Down High Careers Advisors and those in the Red category are interviewed by Mrs E Arnold from DELNI.
In Year 12 every pupil receives a Careers Guidance Interview. Pupils will be interviewed individually in the Christmas term; this session will last for up to 30 minutes. Pupils have a shorter second interview in the Spring term prior to subject choices. The pupils will have the opportunity to:
- Discuss their needs individually, including subject choices
- Research their career using ICT and/or Literature
- Discuss their skills and qualities which are relevant to the world of work
- Recognise the skills they need to develop
- Seek advice and carry out research on Further & Higher Education courses
In Sixth Form different members of staff (including the Head of Careers, Careers Assistant, Academic Tutors and Head Teacher) interview students at various stages throughout the two years of A-Level study
Our Careers Advisors will never tell a pupil what they should do for a career; they will simply point them in the right direction in order for them to make informed choices. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own future by carrying out individual research and keeping up to date with changes in courses and requirements. This is good practice and an important skill that our pupils continue to use after they leave school in order to make informed decisions about their future as their needs and values change.
Careers Education and Guidance is about being ready for what comes next and taking your place in the world. Students at Down High leave the school ready to take their place.
Careers Library
The Careers Department is based in the Careers Library, which is resourced with ICT facilities, prospectuses, books and magazines. The Careers Library has an open-door policy for Sixth Form students; whilst Junior and Middle School pupils are encouraged to visit during break and lunch time everyday. Miss S Haines is in the Careers Library every day and other members of the Careers Department are on hand in the Library during break and lunch times to provide additional support and guidance for our pupils.
Careers Events
In addition to the core programmes outlined above, other events are facilitated by the Careers Dept in order to support the programme, build links with outside agencies and give pupils an understanding of the world of work.
Event |
Date |
Year Group |
UCAS & University Choices Workshops |
September 2008 |
Year 14 |
QUB University Visit |
September 2008 |
Year 14 |
Preparing for the Cambridge Interview |
November 2008 |
Year 14 |
Interview Skills & Application Form Workshop |
December 2008 |
Year 12 |
Applying to Cambridge |
January 2009 |
Year 13 |
Learn to Earn |
February 2009 |
Year 10 |
Work Experience |
February 2009 |
Year 13 |
Focus On…(new subject information sessions) |
February 2009 |
Years 10 & 12 |
Mock Interview Evening |
March 2009 |
Year 13 |
Careers Convention |
March 2009 |
Year 12 |
Cambridge & Oxford Student Conference |
April 2009 |
Year 13 |
Project Business |
May 2009 |
Year 9 |
Your School, Your Business |
June 2009 |
Year 8 |
Personal Economics |
June 2009 |
Year 11 |
“Experiencing Cambridge” |
June/July 2009 |
Year 13 |
Students are provided with information about other events and encouraged to go to any that are relevant, e.g. Pre-Law Day at UUJ, SERC Open Days.
Useful Links
1. Careers Service - www.careersserviceni.com
2. UCAS- www.ucas.com
3. Job Explorer Database- http://jed.c2kni.net
