Careers and Higher Education

Planning for life beyond Chigwell

At Chigwell, we ensure that all students have access to impartial careers advice to help them make informed, independent choices about their future after leaving school; whether that be Higher Education, a degree apprenticeship or other work-based training, or employment.

Our careers programme follows the eight Gatsby Benchmarks.

Careers Stages

Year 7 – Dedicated careers session in PHSE

Year 8 – Dedicated careers sessions in PHSE

Year 9 – Talk by Head of Sixth Form ‘Where are you heading?’; advice on GCSE choices; Careers Convention

Year 10 – Careers Convention, invitations to relevant guest speakers.

Year 11 – Advice on A Level choices, Options evening, Careers interviews/discussions, sign up to Unifrog, Careers Convention, A Level taster day, Sixth Form Open Evening.

Year 12 – Sixth Form induction day, Introduction to Law and A Career in Medicine talks, Unifrog work including university or apprenticeship shortlists, 18+ Pathways Talk, Student ‘University Application Day’, UCAS Options evening, Careers Convention, UCAS applications start, ASK Apprenticeship assembly.

Year 13 – UCAS applications & submission advice, Mock Medical Interview Evening, Careers Convention.

Talks and Competitions

Alongside these year-specific careers activities, there are regular talks and competitions which are open to students across the School. These include the Williams Project (a fortnightly speaker society designed to give Chigwell pupils and staff the chance to learn from experts, outside the classroom and in an informal environment), the Howard and Mitchell Essay Competition and the ‘Meet the Future’ talks given by Old Chigwellians.

Head of Careers

Our dedicated Head of Careers is based in the Sixth Form Centre and is available for students to talk to at any time. All students are introduced to the Unifrog online packaged to help them research their 18+ plans from Year 12 onwards.

Oxbridge and Medicine Applicants

We run a specialised programme for pupils interested in studying medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine. This programme is open to all pupils from any year group with an interest in studying these areas. They are invited along for talks and mock interviews, as well as practicing skills like the Multi Mini Interview (MMI), which is now being widely used by medical schools in their selection processes.

For those pupils who are potential Oxbridge applicants, the Assistant Head of Sixth Form, Charlotte Nairac, hosts support groups and arranges appointments with subject specialist teachers.

Destinations

Our careers guidance can be measured by the pathways our students take after leaving our Sixth Form. Please see more in the table below.