Careers And Higher Education Programme
Academic > Higher Education and Careers > Programme
Outside the academic curriculum outlined above, guidance and instruction are also given in a carefully structured Careers programme. The school is a member of the Independent Schools Careers Organisation (ISCO) and parents are invited to enrol their sons during their third year at Tonbridge. Details of the services offered by ISCO are sent to parents separately at the end of the Second Year year.
Second Years
In the Lent Term weekly assemblies led by 'in-house' speakers discuss a variety of career areas to help initiate the process of choosing subjects for GCSE, AS and A level and eventual possible career paths.
Third Years
In the Michaelmas Term boys are shown round the Careers Department in House groups to introduce them to the resources available and to show them how to begin researching their futures. All boys are invited to take the 'Morrisby Test', a set of psychometrics ability tests and interest questionnaires, arranged through the Kent Careers Service. This is followed by individual interviews with a KCS Careers Consultant to discuss the results and implications of the Morrisby Test and the imminent AS level choices. The full report also acts as a valuable guide to possible and suitable career areas and is sent to parents at the end of the term to help prompt discussions at home. Later in this term, all boys attend a presentation given by the Headmaster, the Higher Education Adviser, the Careers Adviser and the Director of Studies; this focuses on the following aspects of their Sixth Form choices:
- University courses in relation to the Block system.
- Specific AS and A Level requirements for certain courses of Higher Education and certain careers.
- The importance of extra-curricular activities and interests.
A brochure containing course descriptions and advice on AS and A Level choices goes home with the end of term reports. Then in the Lent Term before the Parents' Evening there is a meeting at which all Heads of Departments are available to boys for individual consultation before the provisional choices are made.
A week of work experience is allocated to the Third Year year at the end of the Summer Term, after the completion of the GCSE examinations.
Lower VIth And Upper VIth Forms
- The Lower VIth Form Seminar Programme includes talks on the Gap Year, Job Applications, CVs and Interviews. The Careers Adviser is available to talk to boys about their career ideas when further use is made of the Morrisby test results and use can be made of other careers-interest questionnaires that are available on computer in the Careers Centre. These are a further aid towards helping boys with their career ideas.
- All boys in the Lower Sixth are encouraged to undertake a week or more of work experience in the Easter and/or Summer holidays. There are also many worthwhile career courses and opportunities for attachments, mainly in the Easter holidays, and boys are notified about these through their houses. For certain careers (e.g. in medicine and veterinary medicine) such work experience is essential. Information on work experience and related opportunities is sent to parents at the end of the Michaelmas Term of the Lower VIth form.
- In the Lent and Summer Terms a series of seminars introduces Lower Sixth boys to all aspects of the UCAS procedure for university applications. In addition, all boys and parents are invited to a Universities' Evening early in the Summer Term at which university admissions tutors offer their advice. There are additional briefings for potential Oxford and Cambridge candidates. In the Michaelmas Term of the Upper Sixth professional interview training is available to all boys. Information is also available on direct career entry and on opportunities open to those who wish to defer entry for a year, as well as for those applying for sponsorship.
Careers Evenings
Every year about five or six Careers Evenings are held. These focus on particular career areas such as Law, Engineering and Science, Medicine, Design and Architecture, The City and Financial Services, etc. Each career area is covered once every two years. Parents of Vth and LVIth Form boys are invited to attend with their sons, and in addition there is an open invitation to all boys in all year groups.
ISCO
For those who join ISCO (Independent Schools Careers Organisation), the Regional Director is also available to interview those boys who have particular problems or whose parents specially request such an interview. This service is available until the age of 23. Parents are invited to enrol their sons with ISCO at the end of the Second Year.