– CIAG Programme (Hitting Benchmarks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

 
Throughout Year 12 students are introduced to universities and apprenticeships alongside a Lifeskills programme which covers areas such as finance, alcohol, sex and how to use a washing machine.

Students partake in an enrichment programme during their time in Year 12. Enrichment involves activities such as work experience, mentoring younger students, DofE, being part of the school executive committees and participating in voluntary work with prestigious local organisations including the Royal Star and Garter. Taking part in a portfolio of enrichment activities enables the students to acquire a range of skills and experiences in order to succeed in later life. Students wishing to pursue competitive courses can elect to partake in the Pathway to Law/Medicine/ Teaching to support their ambitions. The Enrichment Electives each hold different credit values and each students must complete 10 credits in Year 12. We provide access to hundreds of MOOCs which is also a very popular option.

Year 12 students take part in in-house UCAS conventions and Apprenticeship fairs, allowing them to research a large cross-section of universities from all over the UK who will give advice and information about their institutions and the courses they offer. Student voice on the UCAS conference held off site was not positive enough to justify a day away from the curriculum therefore we established our own event within school that students can access during their free time.

Our in house apprenticeship fair provides a similar experience for students who wish to make alternate pathway applications in addition or in lieu of UCAS. Local and national apprenticeship providers,

including our own alumni, visit the school for our annual convention where other local schools can also benefit from the event.

We also work in partnership with an array of local organisations including the Social Mobility Foundation and Jerrons who host an array of workshops and events in partnership with us here at TG. We aim to give our students access to high quality, exciting and challenging experiences that enhance their careers education, motivate, inspire and provide accurate and impartial information, advice and guidance about higher education.

Students visit universities that are in line with their interests in the Spring term. We offer a differentiated trip where Year 12 can decide whether to visit Warwick University; Coventry University; University of Birmingham or Nottingham Trent, our four largest destinations from previous cohorts. The focus here is to equip them in advance with some strategies, information and insights needed to personalise their planning and exploration of the vast range of higher education choices and critical decisions they face.

During the summer term Year 12 students are advised on the UCAS and apprenticeship applications for them to pursue their personal statements and CV’s over the summer. An introductory assembly to students in Year 12 with Oxbridge level GCSE grades or predicted A-Level grades takes place in the autumn term, these students are supported throughout the application process and have access to a designated Oxbridge Co-Ordinator. We work with the Solihull School Network to provide insight and support to students on this competitive pathway.

Work experience can be undertaken as a weekly placement as one of the enrichment electives. Any student who has not undertaken this placement is allocated a week during year 12 to ensure that they have work experience prior to entering Year 13.

Our Careers Advisor, Helen Cunningham, provides an exceptional service to our young people with advice and guidance to them as they follow their pursuits. We use local data to signpost opportunities to student interests that are collated via Unifrog in the Autumn Term of year 12. This bespoke approach has led to organisations contacting the Sixth Form specifically in order to recruit.

Useful links: · https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/ · https://www.ucas.com/ · https://university.which.co.uk · https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship · https://icould.com

Teachers share their knowledge, outsource guest speakers or organise trips to back up their curriculum area which allows students the opportunity to gain further encounters with employers and career choices. Personal development is integrated into the curriculum so that all potential career opportunities can be spotlighted as students. progress through their A Level specifications.