Sixth Form Careers

Sixth Form Careers Support

The door is always open for our Sixth Form students which allows us to develop close, positive relationships to help students in their final two years at school to make informed choices about their next steps. The Head of Careers, Ms Harrowes, and the Careers Coordinator, Ms Ali, are very much part of the Sixth Form team and contribute to the daily life of the students, including a weekly update on careers in Briefing and tutor time. It’s essential that our students take the lead in their own career journey, however we provide students with the best possible support to cultivate their ambition.

University preparation

University entrance is a priority for many of our students; nearly 90% of our sixth form apply to university, with more than 60% receiving offers from Russell Group universities. Our dedicated Careers team supports students through the UCAS application process. This includes gaining places on sought-after pre-university access and outreach courses, a popular student-led Med Soc, visits to universities and an annual trip to the UCAS Fair. Year 12 benefit from Future Planning Week in July, whilst Year 13 students value the unusually high level of 1:1 support when writing their personal statements, and for Oxbridge students, we offer additional free expert coaching from our partner independent schools St Paul’s and St Paul’s Girls.

We work hard to build students’ wider subject expertise and insight. We frequently share ideas for reading, lectures and events that will help their UCAS applications stand out from the crowd, as well as directing them towards applications for summer schools, open days, work experience and apprenticeships. The Insight Programme introduces them to speakers on a weekly basis who share careers, ideas and connections.

Apprenticeships & employer engagement

We encourage students to think carefully before choosing to go university; there are lots of positive reasons to take an alternative route and we ensure that those who opt for an apprenticeship or first job get the support they need to find opportunities and make successful applications.

We run a range of seminars and workshops to help students secure competitive apprenticeships, offering personalised coaching in CV writing, interview practice and other key employability skills. Our strong links with our sponsors and businesses give our sixth form students multiple opportunities to engage with employers, with access to internships and work experience; in the last year we have helped sixth form students gain work experience in law, accountancy, medicine, engineering, architecture and advertising.

Personalised careers guidance for each and every student

We remain in touch with many students long after they leave the school, discussing options, providing references and inviting them back to share their experiences with younger students. We take particular care in helping SEN students to navigate individual needs and challenges of moving from school to higher education or work.

Careers guidance is at the heart of our Sixth Form offering and our students relish the personalised care and support that they get. Just getting them through A Level and BTEC qualifications does not constitute a successful education. Claudia Harris, CEO of the Careers & Enterprise Company, has noted that “the fast-changing world of work puts an ever-greater demand on all of us to support young people in making a successful transition from education to employment, helping them to identify and choose career opportunities that are right for them”. At Hammersmith Academy we take this responsibility seriously. Good careers guidance ensures that our students leave HA well-prepared for the outside world, with the employability skills that they need to find success and do well in life.