Careers and Higher Education

While academic support is considered a priority for all pupils, we firmly believe in supporting the whole of a student’s learning experience and helping each pupil achieve their full potential. Our careers provision is central to this, as we aim to:

Ensure that pupils are fully informed about the wide range of career options open to them, and how the evolving job market will affect these.
Identify what pupils enjoy, are good at and would like to be doing in the future.
Help them evaluate the different opportunities they have, whether they want to attend university, take a vocational course leading to a career, or go straight into an apprenticeship or employment.
Help pupils develop the transferable skills (such as problem solving, independence, resilience, communication and creativity) that will support their aspirations.

The Ashford School Learning Habits lay the foundation for success not just at school but beyond, and there are many other aspects of school life that feed into students’ career preparation. In their subject lessons, pupils are exposed to real world applications of their academic studies and learn how these connect with future careers. The PSHE curriculum includes specific careers lessons, but also provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their employability skills, as does the wide-ranging co-curricular programme.

Our Head of Higher Education and Careers, Dr Kirsten Dickers, is employed full-time to support pupils with career planning, university and job applications, whether they wish to study and work in the UK or overseas. Dr Dickers runs a programme of careers provision throughout the school, starting in Year 7 and building year on year to help each pupil find the right pathway.

The Careers Programme

Our careers programme has been developed with reference to the Gatsby Benchmarks for good career guidance, adapted to meet the requirements of our unique school community. All pupils receive the following elements:

Lower School (Year 7 - 8)

Year 7

An introduction to the Head of Higher Education and Careers and the school’s careers programme.
A workshop as part of National Careers Week on the changing labour market and what this means for their future. This is followed by a focus on an important local industry (food and drink manufacturing), with a team challenge to design and market a new product.
Lessons in PSHE on: Debunking career stereotypes and aiming high; Multiculturalism; Disability awareness; Protected characteristics.

Year 8

Students take the Morrisby Careers online questionnaire, which matches their interests and aspirations with career suggestions. This is not intended to be prescriptive, but rather to open their eyes to the breadth of opportunities open to them.
A workshop as part of National Careers Week with a focus on IT and technology careers, including a team challenge based on designing an app.
Lessons in PSHE on: Conflict management; Discrimination and prejudice.

Middle School (Years 9 - 11)

Year 9

A workshop as part of National Careers Week on green and sustainable careers, with input from alumni working in this industry sector.
Pupils also receive advice and guidance on GCSE choices.
Lessons in PSHE on: Resilience and reframing failure; Charity Project involving teamwork, leadership, organization and goal setting.

Year 10

Pupils take the Morrisby Profile online assessment, covering aptitudes, interests, personality and work style. This provides suggestions for careers, post-16 and post-18 study. This is followed up with a 1:1 interview with the Head of HE and Careers.
A University and College Day, with a carousel of presentation for students to choose from. These include topics such as: Why go to university; How to apply; Student life; Choosing your degree course; Creative courses and careers; Health and Social care courses; Alternatives to university; Taking a gap year.

Year 11

A Preparing for Work Day, with workshops on finding work experience, CV writing and interview skills, as well as a speed networking event with alumni and an entrepreneurship challenge.
Pupils also receive advice and guidance on the full range of post 16-choices.
PSHE lessons on: Future choices (including A Levels and alternatives); Young people’s employment rights.

Upper School (Years 12 - 13)

Year 12

Students review the Morrisby Profile that they did in Year 10, and update the sections on their interests and aspirations. Those who did not complete the test in year 10 have the opportunity to do so.
Each student has at least one 1:1 meeting with Dr Dickers to discuss their future aspirations and how to achieve these, including setting goals for the rest of the academic year.
Talks on post-18 options, including university study, apprenticeships and gap years, and how to research and apply for these.
Talks for students planning specific university pathways such as applying to Oxford and Cambridge or studying abroad. These are open to pupils from Year 10 upwards.
A personal statement workshop delivered by the Life Skills Company.
Talk on choosing a course and university (delivered by a university recruitment officer).
PSHE lessons to guide them through setting up UCAS Apply accounts.
Super-curricular resource booklet provided in Summer Term of Year 12.

Year 13

Dr Dickers provides individual support with applications to UCAS, international universities, Art Foundation courses and apprenticeships.
Mock admissions tests and interviews as required.
A talk on student finance and budgeting with an external speaker.
MOOC booklet providing details of courses on the transition to university, career and life skills, transferable skills (coding, business and entrepreneurship) and subject-related courses.

For further details of the support provided in the Upper School, please see University and Careers Guidance in the Sixth Form.

Annual Oxbridge Trip

Each year, Dr Dickers organises a trip to either Oxford or Cambridge to help students in Years 11 and 12 learn more about these institutions. The trip is open to high achieving students who are interested in learning more about the unique features of these universities. The day includes a tour of the city, a visit to one of the colleges, an academic workshop in one of the university museums and an opportunity for students to explore independently.

This year, we visited Cambridge and had a tour of Sidney Sussex College (including seeing where Oliver Cromwell’s head is buried). Dr Dickers showed students some of the key sights in Cambridge, including the Senate House, where degree ceremonies take place, the location of the original Physics department where JJ Thompson discovered the electron, the Eagle pub where Crick and Watson announced the structure of DNA, and the college Backs. We also visited the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology for a tour and fascinating discussion of topics such as the purpose of museums and issues surrounding repatriation.

External speakers

Throughout the year, we organise a series of lunchtime talks by external speakers, covering career options, university degrees and specific subject areas. These are organised to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to hear from subject and career specialists and ask questions about their area of expertise. To achieve this, we benefit from our links with many universities and from our alumni and parent networks. In recent years, we hosted talks on:

Studying at Oxford and Cambridge (Cambridge University)
Sports degrees and careers (Cardiff Metropolitan University)
Why study the humanities? (New College of the Humanities)
Studying in Canada (University of British Columbia)
Apprenticeship opportunities in the UK (CXK – Apprenticeship Support Organisation)
Careers in Law (a Managing Partner from Hogan Lovells)
Careers in Diplomacy (an alumna working at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office)

Careers information for parents

Dr Dickers writes a monthly careers newsletter that is sent to all parents. This gives an overview of the careers programme and what has been happening in school, and also gives details of upcoming university open days, conferences, apprenticeships and other job opportunities. Past newsletters are available here:

HE and Careers Bulletin April 2023
HE and Careers Bulletin May 2023
HE and Careers Bulletin June 2023
HE and Careers Bulletin September 2023
HE and Careers Bulletin October 2023
HE and Careers Bulletin November 2023

Careers events

Our next University and Careers Fair will be in March 2024. This provides an opportunity for pupils to meet university representatives, employers, apprenticeship and gap year organisations.

Visit Us

Ashford Prep School
Great Chart, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3DJ
+44 (0)1233 620493
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East Hill, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8PB
+44 (0)1233 625171
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