– 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 cabinet and participating in voluntary work. Taking part in an enrichment activity enables the students to acquire a range of skills and experiences in order to succeed in later life. Year 12 students take part in an offsite visit to a UCAS Fair in the Spring Term, allowing them to visit 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. We also work in partnership with AIMHIGHER West Midlands who host an array of workshops and events in partnership with Higher Education Institutions. 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 the University of Birmingham in March where the focus 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 July students visit Worcester University for a Campus Day, where they experience a lecture, visit student accommodation and hear from students who have attended the university. During the summer term Year 12 students are advised on the UCAS and apprenticeship application 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 member of the Senior Sixth Form Team.

Students attend a dedicated Work Placement Week in the Summer Term; students are encouraged to source their own placements.  Virtual Work experience is also advertised to students throughout the year as well as regular work placements that fit alongside the students’ timetable.

Megan – “Having the opportunity to visit Birmingham University opened my eyes to Higher Education. Being able to listen to students and their encounters of university life along with hearing lectures and seeing what a campus environment is really like was a useful tool in my decision making for Year 13”

Useful links:

Summer term sees students partaking in Geek Week, where teachers explore work related applications for their subjects that is not related to the curriculum for example:

  • English – Journalism
  • Drama – Sales/Events
  • PE – Sports therapy/massage
  • Maths – Accounting
  • Business Studies – Practical Issues of running a business

Teachers share their knowledge, outsource guest speakers or organise trips to back up their topic which allows students the opportunity to gain further encounters with employers and career choices.