Careers Education and Guidance

We help them figure out who they are and what they want out of education, career, and life.

Students have individual sessions where a personal analysis of their ideas, feelings and choices is done. These sessions helps us to assess their interests and abilities. Students are made aware of the new and diverse career options available to get a great start in their professional lives.

These sessions empower the students to have a deeper perspective and a sense of career self-awareness. It provides essential support and boosts the morale of a student and builds their motivational level.

 In addition to this students are also guided through the application process and to determine next steps related to admission process.

A new career corner has been added to the schools website. Any information related to careers will be uploaded on this corner. It will keep our students and their parents well informed about any career related activities.

Career news is published on a monthly basis and provides information about the career related events such as education fairs, seminars, talks and deadlines for sending various application forms to universities. The needs of the students are catered through various career related activities such as workshops, guest lectures and interviews. These activities are conducted with an intention of creating a motivated environment whereby the students are encouraged to plan their future carefully.

Through the career counselling service the students are motivated to be focused on improving their academic performance and developing their strengths. This service emphasizes on preparing the students to anticipate challenges and plan ahead to face these challenges with confidence and a balanced composure.

Formal career sessions begin in Year 10 when they make their IGCSE course choices. Wide range of career related resources such as CD ROMs, prospectus of universities, booklets, guides and career related programs at Winchester helps the students to research into their opportunities in Careers and Higher Education.

Follow up with parents about the career plans or subject choices of their child facilitates improved communication and enables the parents and pupils to develop strategies for identifying their preferences, overcome their weakness, build on their strengths and create an awareness of career trends which would go a long way making informed career decisions. 

The primary aim of the Careers Department is thus to provide all students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make important decisions about their career paths.

What we offer

Year 7 & 8 

An introduction to careers through the subject assemblies, dedicated sessions with Career Counsellor, PSHCEE lessons and Dreams & Aspirations week designed to help students find out about themselves and learn about the opportunities and responsibilities of adult life including career making decisions.

Year 9

All students attend assemblies related to choosing options. We also initiated taster lessons to introduce new subjects like Travel & Tourism, Global Perspectives, Economics, Accounting, Business Studies and Sociology to help them make more informed and aware option choices.

The Winchester Career Counsellor is available at Parents Evenings and the Options Evening to support parents and students when choosing their IGCSE options.

Year 10 & 11

All students are supported through their AS level or equivalent decisions and regularly use the Drop-In Sessions with the Winchester Career Counsellor. Varsity connections, an independent schools careers service offer the option for students to undertake Motivation Aptitude Personality Testing (for a fee). Students have the opportunity to speak to tutors, attend information evenings and speak to current sixth form students in order to make informed decisions about their AS level options.

Year 12 & 13

All Year 12 and 13 students are interviewed to discuss their plans for Year 13 and beyond into higher education and employment. A whole range of events, information sessions, work shadowing and resources are available to the Sixth Form students, and through these, the students are given the opportunity to develop their ideas and plans for the future, whilst being encouraged and challenged.

Click here to view option list

Useful Links

General Careers Information

• www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u  - Careers database 
• www.channel4.combrilliantcareers

Higher Education

• www.ucas.com  The UCAS website has an excellent parents section which takes you through the UCAS application www.ucas.com/parents/index.html
• www.ukcoursefinder.co.uk  useful for researching suitable higher education courses in the UK
• www.fulbright.co.uk  for students with British qualifications wanting to study in the USA
• www.collegeboard.com  students register for SAT's required for entry to US Universities
• www.schoolfinder.com  to research university and college courses in Canada
• www.educationau-incanada.ca  
• www.studyoptions.com  covers higher education in Australia and New Zealand
• www.studysa.co.za  covers higher education in South Africa