Darrick Wood School recognises the importance of providing students with careers education and advice to prepare them for life beyond school and to give them the skills they need for successful careers development. Students are given the opportunity to gain valuable employability skills as well as providing access to a range of resources to allow them to consider a wide range of options for their future.
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is delivered to all Students in a variety of ways through various platforms, such as the PSHE programme, careers guidance sessions, visits by external organisations and employers, higher education encounters, taster days and various pathway events including our Pathways Careers Fair.
The CEIAG Programme is designed to enable students to:
Darrick Wood School works closely with specialist providers including Independent Careers Advisors who provide impartial advice and attend various events run by the School. Students are encouraged to contact Mrs Collier, our Pathways and Work Experience Coordinator, for support and guidance when making post-16 and post-18 pathway decisions. The Careers and Work Experience Department is HI2 which is located in the Support Corridor between Main Reception and the Maths Department. Students can access information about career choices, further and higher education including prospectuses, work experience, apprenticeships, internships, gap years, and other work-related areas such as CV writing and application processes. Form Tutors and Achievement Coordinators will also be happy to support decision making and discuss future plans.
Mrs Collier, is our Pathways and Work Experience Coordinator and can be contacted by email at l.collier@darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk
Ms Wilson-Hooper, Deputy Head Teacher and Careers Lead can be contacted by email at
office@darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk
Mrs Taylor, is our Independent Careers Advisor and can be contacted by email at careers@darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk
Mrs Collier and Mrs Taylor attend various pathway related school events throughout the academic year including Sixth Form Open Evening, Year 9 Options Evening and Year 11 – 13 Parents Evenings.
Post-16 and Post-18 Qualification Routes
What qualification levels mean: England, Wales and Northern Ireland – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Students studying at KS4 level working towards GCSE qualifications, are studying up to level 2 and progress on to A level or Level 3 courses at Sixth Form, providing they meet entry requirements.
Darrick Wood School is part of the London Local Careers Hub incorporating the London Enterprise Adviser Network East, supported by the Mayor of London, European Union Social Fund, the Careers and Enterprise Company and Local London. Our allocated Enterprise Coordinator is Jenny Beckford. The Careers Hub is designed to bring schools, colleges, employers and apprenticeship providers in the local area together, to support schools in preparing young people for their next steps. The Hub also ensures that Darrick Wood School meets all eight Gatsby Benchmarks as well as meeting current statutory guidance by completing an annual Compass assessment which is a benchmark tool to evaluate Darrick Wood School’s careers provision.
We have established links with local College providers and share information with our students regarding this pathway including College Open Days. We recognise the importance of ensuring that our students are able to make meaningful decisions about their future pathways on results days. We encourage students to consider all of the post-16 and post-18 options available to them, including making multiple applications to a number of various pathways including Colleges.
Apprenticeships are a popular pathway choice for students where they can combine working in a paid job with training in a classroom-based environment such as a college, university or training provider. Usually, an apprentice would spend four days per week working within an organisation and study at a college or a training provider for one day. However, this structure varies depending on the apprenticeship. Apprentices receive a contract, apprenticeship salary and various benefits similar to employees within the organisation that they are part of. The organisation also funds the training element of the apprenticeship. Click here to view video on Amazing Apprenticeships
The National Careers Service website is useful to use as a starting point when researching careers as well as providing young people and their parents and carers with free impartial advice (online, by phone, social media or email) from experienced advisers from 8.00am to 10.00pm seven days a week.
The widget provides key information about various careers and occupations which is a useful tool when considering pathways. The widget includes information relating to the role itself, salary, weekly hours and future employment as well as an indication of forecasting projections of how the role will develop within the next few years.
The widget provides key information about various careers and occupations which is a useful tool when considering pathways. The widget includes information relating to the role itself, salary, weekly hours and future employment as well as an indication of forecasting projections of how the role will develop within the next few years.
The Careers and Work Experience Department can support you with writing your CV or Personal Statement. PSHE sessions in Sixth Form focus on writing Personal Statements as part of our UCAS application support process.
Are you an employer or organisation who could support our students with their post-16 and post-18 pathway decision making? If so, please contact Mrs Collier at l.collier@darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk .
Darrick Wood School
Lovibonds Avenue,
Orpington,
Kent, BR6 8ER
01689 850271
office@darrickwood.bromley.sch.uk