As year 11 students move towards their GCSE exam period, I am delighted to say that the majority of our students have applied for their post16 placements.
If any students have not yet done this, it is really important that you do this ASAP to avoid disappointment with any courses that you're looking to apply for.
Furthermore, if students are looking to apply for an apprenticeship, it is advisable to apply for a college course, as a back-up option, until you have an apprenticeship confirmed and in place. Please don't assume that there will be spaces on college courses much nearer your start date, as the most popular courses will get filled quite quickly.
In the coming weeks, year 11 will have the following activities to support with next steps.
OPTIONS AT 16
If you’re in Year 11, it’s time to start thinking about what you want to do after you leave school.
What you can do after Year 11 depends on things like where you live, what kind of grades you’re likely to get, what you’re interested in and what kind of environment you want to learn in.
Until the age of 18 you have to stay in some form of education but you can choose from a range of options. All students in year 11 will receive a 1:1 or small group careers interview, where they will receive information and guidance, to support with their next steps.
Check out this useful, local booklet detailing all the information you need about post16 settings here
SIXTH FORM & SIXTH FORM COLLEGES
Sixth Forms are often attached to a school and sometimes sixth forms are completely separate from any other schools, and teach students from lots of different place. The courses available are mainly A- Level but some do include vocational qualifications like a BTEC too. A levels offer a great route into Higher Education and employment. NA6 is the Newark Academy sixth form and we welcome you to check out our current offer here however, we do have an open evening on 14th November! Put the date in your diary!
FURTHER EDUCATION COLLEGES
Offer a huge range of courses that can help at every stage of life from Level 1 courses through to degrees and professional qualifications. Colleges offer a range of full-time and part-time courses related to a broad employment area such as Business, Engineering, IT, Health and Social Care etc that can lead to a specific job.
APPRENTICESHIPS
Offer a way to learn on the job whilst working for an employer, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money at the same time. If you have a job sector or career in mind then an apprenticeship can be a great choice.
EMPLOYMENT / VOLUNTARY WORK
If you do choose the work / voluntary work route, this will involve you working towards a nationally recognised qualification as well as being employed, self employed or volunteering for 20 hours or more a week.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Think about how each option fits with your other GCSEs. Does a subject go well with your other choices? Or does a subject provide a welcome change? If you’re taking lots of Science and Maths based subjects, it can be good to include one choice which is essay based.
A good place to start planning your post-16 options is to think of these three questions.
Who am I? (What qualifications, skills, and interests do I have?)
Where am I going? (What would I like to be doing in 5 years time – job, living away from home, etc?)
How do I get there? (What course, training or future job is likely to get me where I want to go?)
Of course, at 16, young people may not know the answers to all these questions, but now is the time to start exploring information about careers, jobs and courses.
If you really aren't sure about what you want to do in the future then 'stay broad' - do a broad range of subjects so that you can decide later!
It might also help to get advice from people who know you well (like parents & teachers) or ask your school careers adviser, Mrs Brown - abrown@newarkacademy.co.uk
The NA6 team are delighted to let you know that all UCAS applications have now been sent off and it's been amazing to watch all of the offers for university start flooding in!
Please click on this link to find out what happens next in relation to the UCAS applications.
Also, read here to find out more about student finance.
For anyone not wanting to go to university, we will be having more tailored support for apprenticeships and employment, as we move through this year.
On the WC 20th Jan, we are celebrating Newark Academy's National Apprenticeship Week. We will be talking all things apprenticeships AND other pathways with all of our students.
For full crews, we will be joined by a variety of guest speakers:
If parents are unsure about apprenticeships and want to find out more about them, please check out the Amazing Apprenticeships website, where you can find out everything you need to know.
At Newark Academy we are so proud of our students and their approach to building strong community links and demonstrating a sense of responsibility. Our aim, as a crew, was to raise awareness and support homelessness and child poverty with Newark and the student really pulled together to collect donations for the Newark Foodbank and raising £650 for the Emmaus Trust.
In December, we took our year 12 students to the University of Lincoln to find out more about pathways in Higher Education, to look around the campus and find our first hand from existing students what university has to offer.
Students also took part in a study skills and time management seminar, to enhance their skills to support with future study. In the afternoon, students headed off into Lincoln City center, for some well earned Christmas Shopping - a great day out for all!
In November 24 Christine Wright, our Chair of Governors shared her career journey with NA6 Geography & Politics Students. After studying Modern Foreign Languages and Humanities, and being really interested in global affairs & travel, Christine applied to and joined HM Diplomatic Service. She explained that after a rigorous selection process, British diplomats first of all work in the Foreign, Common and Development Office in London, and then do 'postings' to British Embassies/Missions around the world. The purpose of British Diplomacy is to promote & protect British interests, values, prosperity and people, so like other public sector jobs, there are many opportunities that people looking for a varied career with the possibility of international travel to explore!
In Christine's case she went from Denmark, to Nigeria, the Balkans, Latin America and then to NATO - and more, learning 7 languages along the way! Depending on the security situation, it is common for Diplomats to be accompanied by their families, moving every few years, learning different languages skills - from political analysis, to dealing with the consequences of terrorist incidents and traumatic accidents which affected British citizens, to project management and economics. There are opportunities not just in the UK Public Sector, but also in international organisations such as the UN and NATO - see links below.
• Diplomatic Service Office - Explore careers / National Careers Service
• Working for FCDO - Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - Gov.UK
• Diplomatic & Development Scheme / Civil Service Careers GCS Advance: Apprenticeship - GCS
• GCS Advance: Apprenticeship - GCS
•Civil Service careers (24 departments!) Home / Civil Service Careers
•United Nations - UN Careers
•NATO - NATO - Careers at NATO
For our STEM Week in November, Mr Thomas from our Science department delivered our full crews and students engaged really well with this.
Lincoln College came in to talk to our year 11 students, ensuring they have all information needed when considering their post16 applications.
We also invited in a special guest speaker to talk to our year 8 students. Neil Chettle is a STEM Ambassador and spoke to our students about his vast experience in the STEM industry, working for Rolls Royce.
We welcome individuals in from many different areas of work, so it would be great to hear from any parents / carers that would like to deliver a talk to our students, please get in touch! abrown@newarkacademy.co.uk
Joe Hunt from Active4Today came in to talk to our students in year 12 about the range of roles on another within their local service, which was of a particular interest to our sport and business students. Joe is joining us again for National Apprenticeships Week, along with one of our Alumni students, Luke Dixon. Luke left our 6th form last Summer to embark on his apprenticeship with Active4Today and is doing amazingly well, together with Harriet Adwick, another Alumni - making us proud!
Y10 and Y12 mathematicians visited the Nottingham Playhouse in November to watch and participate in Maths lectures by a series of inspiring Maths speakers. Topics discussed in the lectures included "Risk and Reward", Maths in video games and making predictions which included a juggling masterclass. Students got to see real-life Maths applications beyond the classroom and have hopefully been inspired to pursue a mathematical career in the future.
During the Autumn term, we held our internal careers fair, which gave ALL students at Newark Academy the opportunity to attend. We had many exhibitors, including local colleges, employers and colleagues from universities.
In addition to this, our year 11 students attended the Newark & Sherwood District Council, for their annual Future First Career Expo. This allowed them all to have another opportunity to speak to exhibitors about their future pathways. huge thanks to NSDC for continuting to run this event and provide transport for our students.
If we have any students who are thinking about pursuing a legal career, please check out the virtual legal apprenticeships masterclass run by LawCareers.Net next Wednesday 5 February at 3:00pm.
In this legal apprenticeships masterclass, they will be discussing what it means to enter the legal profession as an apprentice, the qualifications required to enroll on an apprenticeship and the benefits and challenges of qualifying as a solicitor or paralegal via this route.
With apprentices and recruiters from top law firms taking part in the discussion, this is your students’ chance to come along and ask their questions.
Registration link: here
Please encourage your students to register for the masterclass using the link above. Even if they can’t live attend on the day, they’ll receive an email with the event recording if they register.
The webinar recording will also shortly be available on our You Tube Channel
Following on from the Nottinghamshire Careers Expo for young people, Newark & Sherwood District Council are offering young people in the local area the opportunity to come along and meet the Heritage and Culture Team here at the National Civil War Centre and Palace Theatre, enjoy snacks and drinks, meet our Youth Panel The Creative Influencers and find out more about working in Museums, Theatres and Galleries. The NSDC Artist in Residence will be on hand as will other members of their friendly and welcoming team. Young people can drop in between 2pm and 4pm to take advantage of this opportunity.
To find out more, check out this leaflet - Careers within Culture & Heritage
Newark Academy
Train to teach with the Nottinghamshire Torch SCITT