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Careers

Kingswood's career guidance programme is designed to support the School’s philosophy of "establishing the development of character, talent, responsibility and independence as the important foundation for adult life". We encourage students to become self-aware and to use their understanding of their strengths and interests to help them make informed choices about their future career options. The programme also helps students to understand and experience the working world, as well as to learn key employability skills.

Kingswood’s career guidance programme includes access to online career information resources, career planning lessons, skills workshops, one-to-one career guidance meetings and a wide range of events and activities, including career seminars, career fairs and, in the Sixth Form, a work-experience week. The Heap Library also houses a well-stocked careers area where students are able to access a wide range of publications, including university prospectuses and books that help students identify possible future careers.

Each year, Kingswood students take part in a number of tailored careers activities that are designed to provide a smooth transition from one year to the next. These activities help to address the academic options that students face at key moments during their school career, including GCSE, A-Level and post-18 options, such as apprenticeships and higher education.

Teachers, parents and Kingswood alumni, as well as carefully selected career agencies, work alongside the Head of Careers to support the delivery of the programme to Kingswood students.

Careers Seminars (Lower Sixth)

During the first term of the Lower Sixth, students attend a number of Careers Seminars. These are led by professionals from a wide variety of career areas who speak about their employment journey and the challenges and rewards of their workplace. The seminars also provide students with an opportunity to benefit from training in how to ask questions and how to network effectively.

Work Experience (Lower Sixth)

In the summer term, all Lower Sixth students leave the Kingswood campus for a week to undertake work experience. They are encouraged to undertake a placement which closely matches their intended university course and to focus on improving their knowledge and understanding of the particular career area with a view to highlighting this in their higher education applications.

Many students use their own personal networks of family and friends to help them to secure a work experience placement, while others take advantage of the School's strong links with a range of local employers to secure the experience that they are looking for.

Students fill in a reflective log book during work experience to help them to focus on key areas of personal development. At the end of the week, students are asked to reflect on how their knowledge and understanding of the workplace have been strengthened, with a particular emphasis on how their employability skills have developed.

Additional Careers activities (Lower and Upper Sixth)

  • Preparing for interviews workshop
  • Networking and personal impact workshop
  • Alternative Pathways and apprenticeship information session
  • Coordinating attendance at Medlink and the Royal United Hospital Sixth Form Conference for those students interested in pursuing a career in medicine or related careers