Supporting a wide variety of aspirations
The Futures Department supports all pupils to prepare for life beyond the College. Careers lessons are built into the curriculum for all year groups and covers everything from understanding the 21-century workplace and skills for success to preparing for work, apprenticeship or university.
Events such as our careers convention, networking evenings provide a wealth of information about the potential options available to pupils after school. We work with excellent independent careers advisors and are proud to be a Unifrog School. This comprehensive resource underpins all of our careers lessons and provides support to pupils and parents during their time here.
The Careers Programme
Careers interviews
Pupils are offered three one to one careers interviews during their time at the College, to help them prepare for their next steps. Two interviews take place in Year 11 to support with post-16 choices and GCSE examination preparation and one interview takes place towards the end of Year 12 to help pupils consider their options post 18.
SKILLS PASSPORT
All pupils are encouraged to work towards their bronze, silver or gold skills passport award. The skills passport focuses on the the key core skills we believe are essential for future success and pupils have opportunities to develop these skills through all aspects of college life, from the classroom and sports pitches to contribution to house communities and participation in a wide range of other activities and challenges.
FUTURES Convention AND NETWORKING EVENTS
The annual Futures convention is attended by pupils in Year 11 upwards and over 70 delegates, many of whom are former pupils or parents. It provides an opportunity for research and informal discussion.
Networking events across many sectors provide continued support and social opportunities after pupils leave the College and for current pupils to learn from the experience of recent (and less recent) leavers. These include banking, insurance, marketing, sports, media, journalism and medicine.
Interview and employability skills
The Eastbourne College Skills Passport encourages all pupils to develop the skills they will need to successfully transition into the world of work. The Unifrog platform provides a space where pupils can log the skills they are developing with suitable evidence to help create CV’s, apply for work experience, college or university applications and employment. In addition, pupils in Sixth Form are offered the opportunity to really focus on their formal interview skills through a number of activities.
Gap years
For those pupils considering a gap year plenty of advice and support is on offer to explore options and prepare for applications to gap year positions. Ongoing support is provided to pupils on a gap year to help with applications to university.
Alternatives to university
While the majority of Eastbournians go on to university, an increasing number are exploring alternatives including degree apprenticeship and school leaver schemes, often, alongside a university application, to give themselves as many options as possible. Pupils are supported to find opportunities, apply and tackle interviews.
Higher education
The majority of pupils at Eastbourne submit a university application. Although most are applying to universities in the UK an increasing number are considering applications to the US, Australia, Hong Kong and the Netherlands as well as or instead of a UK application. The Sixth Form Futures Programme ensures all pupils are prepared for this important step with termly workshops, one to one meetings and year group presentations. Pupils participate in a Futures Day at the end of Year 12 to hear from a range of speakers and advisors. Additional support is given to those who need it, for example those considering applications to highly competitive institutions including Oxbridge and those applying to medicine or other allied health programmes. Support continues into Year 13 to ensure pupils are submitting the best application material they can. The Futures Department is open on exam results day offering tailored advice and support.
