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Life after CSGS
Careers Education, Information and Guidance
Careers Education, Information and Guidance (CEIAG) offers a planned programme of careers activities from Year 7 through to Year 13. Students leave equipped with the skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding to manage their lifelong career and learning so that they are as prepared as possible for their adult life in the real world.
Careers is a key component in our students’ learning journey, where, through a planned programme of careers activities from Y7 through to Y13, students leave equipped with the skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding to manage their lifelong career and learning so that they are as prepared as possible for their adult life in the real world.
The Careers Programme is designed to ensure a progressive and individually tailored development of careers skills, knowledge and understanding in all students. The aim of the programme is ‘Inspire’ at Key Stage 3, ‘Allow planning’ at Key Stage 4 and ‘Ensure focussed and appropriate action’ in Key Stage 5. This is managed by a highly skilled and experienced Careers Team who have years of experience in industry as well as education.
We are one of only a handful of schools in the South East who have been awarded the prestigious ‘Quality in Careers’ Award for providing a comprehensive programme of Careers Education, information, advice and guidance from Year 7 to Year 13.
Please see some video links below to assist you with careers and future planning.
Careers Activities from Year 7 - 13
Please see information below for `Careers through the years at CSGS'.
The principal staff responsible for the delivery of our Careers Programme are:
- Mrs Helen Everett - Careers Leader - helen.everett@csgrammar.com
- Mrs Kirsty Humphryes & Mrs Sarah Blackie - Careers Co-ordinators - careers@csgrammar.com
The school offers a very comprehensive programme of Career education, information, advice and guidance which has been developed after reference to the industry guidelines and frameworks detailed below. The programme is reviewed internally by the Careers Leader annually, after gaining feedback from students, staff, parents, external providers and governors and is reviewed by an independent external careers provider once every three years.
Post 16 Careers Guidance
Careers at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School has always been a central component of our curriculum. The school is one of only a handful of schools in the UK who have been awarded the ‘Quality in Careers’ Award, the industry benchmark for outstanding careers provision.
The careers programme is designed to ensure a progressive and individually tailored development of careers skills, knowledge and understanding in all students. The aim of the programme aims to ‘Ensure focussed and appropriate action’ in Key Stage 5. This is managed by a highly skilled and experienced Careers Team who have years of experience in industry as well as education.
Post-16 Information
Please see information below from the London Borough of Bexley on alternative educational providers in Bexley:
Please click for the Bexley Decisions Post-16 Directory Leaflet 2023-24
Please find some video links below to assist you with careers and future planning.
Apprenticeship Insight Evening
Exploring your Career Options in the Sixth Form
How to Apply for Apprenticeships
Careers Support in Year 9
Year 9 Careers Information
Please find below a video recording of our Y9 Careers Information Evening on 23rd January 2023
Careers Support in Year 10
Year 10 Careers Information
Please find below a video recording of our Y10 Careers Information Evening on 8th February 2023
Careers Support in Year 11
Year 11 Careers Information
Please find the links to the presentation shared at our Y11 Careers Evening on 23rd January 2023 and a video recording of the live.
Year 11 Parental Careers Information Evening Presentation 2023
Careers Support in Year 12
Careers staff are available for advice as needed throughout the school day. We provide training sessions on CV writing; interview skills; applying for university; applying for apprenticeships; networking; how to present yourself. One-to-one careers interviews are also given to all Year 12 students who are new to the school and any Year 12 student who wants one. Throughout the year we have assemblies on a whole range of careers areas including: the current jobs market, studying abroad, the graduate market, how the world of work is changing and student finance. We also host talks from visiting speakers and ex-students on apprenticeships and university. Year 12 students also embark on one week’s compulsory work experience. Finally, we offer evening training sessions for Year 12 students and parents on: higher education; apprenticeships; student finance; career management.
Careers Support in Year 13
From June in Year 12 through to October in Year 13, careers staff and form tutors give help and guidance on selecting the right course at the right university and on completing UCAS applications. However, we also advise on applying for alternatives to university including: where and how to apply for apprenticeships/school leaver programmes; one-to-one advice on completing applications for jobs/apprenticeships; one-to-one practice interviews; group assessment centre practice. In the autumn term, we also provide workshops for parents and students on managing finances at university.
Apprenticeships
Higher and Degree apprenticeships are an increasingly important alternative to students going to university. Students will receive information in assemblies and workshops about what is involved in applying for and then undertaking apprenticeships throughout Year 12 and Year 13. The vast majority of students who apply for an apprenticeship will do so in January to March of Year 13 and the school provides one to one coaching on how to apply and be successful in interviews in Year 12 and 13.
The Higher Level Apprenticeships Information Evening is the start of the formal process of making an apprenticeship application. This is continued throughout the remainder of Year 12 and Year 13
Please click for the CSGS Year 12 Apprenticeships Presentation - Summer 2022
National Apprenticeship Week takes place from Monday 6 to Friday 10 February 2023. If you’re interested in apprenticeships, this is the best time to find out more about them and begin to look and apply for apprenticeships to start after your exams. Bexley’s Apprenticeship & Participation Event will take place on the evening of Monday 6 February 2023 at the Civic Offices in Bexleyheath. More details and event registration will be available from mid-January 2023 at www.bexley.gov.uk/apprenticeshipevent
Please see some video links below to assist you with future planning:
Work Experience (WEX)
At the school, it is compulsory for all students to undertake one week’s work experience during the summer term of Year 12 and students are encouraged to find and secure their own placements. We are here to assist and guide them through the process to ensure they obtain a safe, beneficial and enjoyable work placement.
Whilst we do not expect students to undertake work experience in Years 10 and 11, for some chosen professions; Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Physiotherapy, it is highly advantageous for students to find placements in the school holidays in year 10 and 11, as well as undertaking the compulsory placement in year 12. The Careers Staff, based in the Legacy Building are available to provide advice should students wish to find such a placement in year 10 and 11.
Student Experience
AMELIA MILLS
- achieved a place to read Architecture at Cambridge
“When the challenge of determining my next educational steps arose, CSGS was there to provide extensive support, which assisted in every decision and potential hurdle. From finalising my course from a broad selection, to the daunting prospect of interviews, teachers and staff were consistent in their encouragement. In addition, there were numerous enriching opportunities, such as subject-specific lectures, visiting exhibitions and other establishments that enhanced and deepened my learning, aiding any preparation for my university applications. The assistance the school provided, which was tailored to my application process and course, was an integral part to my success in being rewarded with an offer to study Architecture at the University of Cambridge. CSGS ensures a rich and fulfilling education, which teaches beyond the words of a textbook and curriculum: a place where students thrive not just academically, but holistically.”
VAROUNE SHANMUGANATHAN
- achieved a place to read Medicine at Brighton and Sussex
“From being given information on the various admissions tests as well as mock interview preparation, CSGS not only helped further my motivation but also provided me with the confidence that I required when applying to medical school. In addition, the school offered a vast array of other enrichment activities such as a peer mentoring scheme, tutoring younger pupils, as well as awarding me the role of Vice School Captain. These activities strengthened the skills that I would require as a medical student and doctor, such as communication, integrity and leadership. Furthermore, the consistent support I received from my subject teachers and the sixth-form team played a huge role in my success in attaining a place at medical school. Knowing they were always there to give me advice on managing the stresses a medicine application entails, as well as constantly reassuring me helped me immensely at a very stressful time. Entering medical school has always been a big dream of mine; however, the level of difficulty to enter into such a prestigious course was always daunting but with the support that CSGS provided me, I was able to secure an offer from one of the top 10 medical schools in the country.”
LAUREN SILLITOE
- achieved a place to study English Literature at Durham
“The journey from Year 3 – me reading Enid Blyton – to being a Year 13 student accepted into Durham University to read English was a long one. I have always known what I wanted to study in an abstract half-dream of book piles and essays, but when it came to the very real prospect of personal statements and ELAT exams I was overwhelmed. One of the first and most useful opportunities offered to me by CSGS was an Oxbridge conference and trip to Oxford, where we were able to explore what an offer to study at undergraduate level would look like at a competitive university. It was also invaluable in terms of constructing a strong application and the basic Dos and Don’ts that served me very well in the weeks leading up to our application deadline. We also had mock interviews with both the Assistant Head and Subject Head, which proved to be both an enjoyable and critical experience. However, it was not just the nitty gritty of UCAS realities that CSGS prepared me for. In a less quantifiable but more long-term sense, the support and commitment invested by the teachers helped to challenge me beyond the classroom setting. Whether it was extension classes, trips to philosophy lectures or the many hours outside of class my teachers spent debating and discussing with me, I am very proud to have been a student at CSGS. My time here has not just carried me to Durham University, but it will support me to further studies and far beyond, and I will always be indebted to those who made that possible.”
MATTHEW LECOQ
- accepted on a Higher Apprenticeship in Audit with PWC
“I am starting a Higher Apprenticeship in Audit at the Big 4 accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). During the apprenticeship, I will be taking 15 ACA exams to become a qualified Chartered Accountant. The benefit is I will have no university debt, three years of invaluable experience working at PwC and a fantastic starting salary. When joining CSGS for Sixth Form, I was unsure of whether I wanted to go to university or do an apprenticeship in accountancy. CSGS were amazing with the support they gave for students doing apprenticeships, which is why I decided to go for the apprenticeship route. Events such as the Higher Education Evenings, where they brought in other apprentices that attended the school previously, really helped in making my decision. The application process for apprenticeships is different than when applying to university, as you are expected to undertake psychometric tests, verbal and maths tests, and attend interviews. All of this seemed quite daunting at first; however, the teachers who advised me were a great help by setting up practice interviews and explaining what big firms were looking for in their candidates. I am certain that had I not moved to CSGS, I may not have secured my apprenticeship at PwC, so I am very thankful to the school and if you are a student interested in applying for an apprenticeship, you are in very safe hands by being here.”
THOMAS MCBRIDE
achieved a place to read Modern Foreign Languages at Cambridge
“CSGS was very helpful in aiding me to get an offer from Cambridge, facilitating multiple opportunities for practice interviews both internally and externally. In addition to this, the school also organised numerous trips to Oxford colleges for students interested in applying, where we received advice and resources from the university on our application. In terms of the wider teaching environment at the school, teachers were always ready to push students above and beyond in their study, and were keen to aid me in applying to extracurricular programmes.”
