Student Careers

Overview 

At The Downs School we place a great emphasis on our students having a programme that ensures they are well equipped for moving onto their next step after school, whether that be further education, higher education, an apprenticeship or into the workplace. This starts as soon as they arrive at school in Year 7.  We make every effort to ensure all our students are on the right pathway suitable for their particular skill set and this is done through a rigorous programme and focus on careers throughout their school life.

Careers Leader: Mrs C Wilson-Croombs - careers@thedownsschool.org
PDP Programme Leader: Ms G Winfield.

We are constantly reviewing and improving our careers education and guidance in line with the Gatsby benchmarks.  This programme will be reviewed on an annual basis; the next review will be in July 2023.

The impact of the Careers Programme will be assessed through student evaluation on individual events and a general careers assessment questionnaire used at key transition points. Destination Data of our Year 11 and Year 13 students will be used to assess the impact of our Careers Programme. 

Year 7 Careers Entitlement

• Students are introduced to the careers resources available to them, in particular Unifrog and eClips, and informed how to use them.
• Individual profiles are created on Unifrog  and students are encouraged to use this platform throughout their school life to record careers activities and to access resources that support their careers education.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader.
• Students will have the opportunity to engage with local employers during assemblies and workshops this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Students will have access to local employers through curriculum or interest talks, this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Through the Personal Development Programme students will start to consider what their future career will look like based on their interests and abilities, and what skills they need to get there.

Year 8 Careers Entitlement

• Students further develop their Unifrog profiles and become more aware of the career focused resources available to them.
• Careers education continues to be recorded on their Unifrog profile.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader.
• Students will have the opportunity to engage with local employers during assemblies and workshops; this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Students are introduced to providers of technical education and apprenticeships to get an understanding of the education and training options that they can offer them.
• Students will have access to local employers through curriculum or interest talks, this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Through the Personal Development Programme students will build on personal strengths and begin to link skills to specific careers, enabling realistic and informed decisions using labour market information.

Year 9 Careers Entitlement

• Students further develop their Unifrog profiles and become more aware of the career focused resources available to them.
• Careers education continues to be recorded on their Unifrog profile.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader.
• Students will relate potential GCSE/BTEC option choices to the World of Work, hearing from business volunteers who will talk about how different subject choices have helped them with their careers.
• Students will have access to local employers through curriculum or interest talks, this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Students are introduced to providers of technical education and apprenticeships to get an understanding of the education and training options that they can offer them.
• Through the Personal Development Programme students will build on personal strengths and begin to link skills to specific careers enabling realistic and informed decisions at transition stages. Students will be encouraged to challenge stereotypes within the world of work and traditional job roles.

Year 10 Careers Entitlement

• Students further develop their Unifrog profiles and become more aware of the career focused resources available to them.
• Careers education continues to be recorded on their Unifrog profile.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader.  T
• Students will participate in careers activities during tutor time, which will include activities involving business volunteers and apprenticeship/education providers.
• Students will have access to local employers through curriculum or interest talks, this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Students are introduced to providers of technical education and apprenticeships to get an understanding of the education and training options that they can offer them.
• Through the Personal Development Programme students will review their skills and interests and link these to career choices, start to plan next steps and produce a CV.
• Students will be allocated two days to undertake a Work Shadowing Placement.
• Students identified as needing extra support to think about career options and next steps will be offered additional advice, information and guidance.

Year 11 Careers Entitlement

• Students further develop their Unifrog profiles and become more aware of the career focused resources available to them.
• Careers education continues to be recorded on their Unifrog profile.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader. 
• Students are offered a careers interview with an independant and impartial Careers Advisor.
• Students will be encouraged to use their time when not in school (e.g. evenings, weekends or school holidays) to gain experience of the workplace, attending virtual opportunities and if viable work shadowing with a local employer. 
• Students will have access to local employers through curriculum or interest talks, this may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Students are introduced to providers of technical education and apprenticeships to get an understanding of the education and training options that they can offer them.
• Through the Personal Development Programme students will finalise potential options for after Year 11 and improve their study skills.
• Students are helped with post 16 choices and encouraged to consider all their options. Speakers from the The Downs School Sixth Form, local colleges and employers will present to students during assemblies or tutor time about potential options.
• Future destinations are discussed with their tutor during a Careers Mentoring Day in January.
• Students will have the opportunity to hear from Year 13 students, and those who have recently left The Downs School, about A Level/vocational courses and alternative options.
• Students will participate in Sixth Form Taster sessions, focussed on subjects only new subjects that will be available to them.
• Students planning to attend college after Year 11 will have support to complete application forms.
• Students are encouraged to attend careers talks, fairs, college open days and taster days with employers or attend on-line virtual sessions.
• Students are kept up to date with post 16 deadlines.
• Students identified as needing extra support to think about career options and next steps will be offered additional advice, information and guidance.

Year 12 Careers Entitlement

• Students will have access to local employers through interest talks, may be in person or by video conferencing.
• Students will be encouraged to participate in opportunities to attend work place events offered by local employers, either in person or virtually.
• Students will continue to use Unifrog and are introduced to new resources and tools tp support future planning and University/Apprenticeship applications.
• Students will attend a variety of talks/video conferences offered by local employers during tutor time, assemblies or the Personal Development Programme.
• Students are introduced to providers of technical education and apprenticeships to get an understanding of the education and training options that they can offer them.
• Students are given specific support with preparing UCAS applications and applying to university from a dedicated UCAS Manager within school.
• Students applying to Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Studies are idendified and given additional support by the UCAS Manager.
• Students are given specific advice on apprenticeships and are supported with applications from the Key Stage 5 Student Manager within school.
• Students will attend a focused careers day, which will include talks/workshops on the variety of options available after leaving school, including University, Apprenticeships and Gap years.  
• Students are encouraged to attend university open days, mock interviews, careers interviews and meet potential employers to discuss future options, including virtual opportunities.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader.  
• Students will have the opportunity to attend external Careers Fairs.
• Students can apply to undertake the Morrisby Profile, psychometric assessment tool to assist with career choices.
• Students are given support and encouragement to undertake a Work Experience Placement (may be completed in Year 13).
• Students identified as needing extra support to think about career options and next steps will be offered additional advice, information and guidance.

Year 13 Careers Entitlement

• Students will attend talks given by local employers, apprenticeship providers and university admission teams to provide information on Post-18 options.
• Students will be encouraged to use their time when not in school (e.g. evenings, weekends or school holidays) to gain experience of the workplace, attending virtual opportunities and if viable work experience with a local employer.
• Students can apply to undertake the Morrisby Profile, psychometric assessment tool to assist with career choices.
• Students develop their use of Unifrog to finalise their future planning and University/Apprenticeship applications.
• Students will attend a variety of talks/video conferences offered by local employers during tutor time, assemblies or the Personal Development Programme.
• Students are introduced to providers of technical education and apprenticeships to get an understanding of the education and training options that they can offer them.
• Students are given specific help from Sixth Form staff with preparing UCAS applications and applying for apprenticeships.
• Students applying to Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Studies are given additional support by the UCAS Manager.
• Students are encouraged to attend university open days, mock interviews, careers interviews and meet potential employers to discuss future options, including virtual opportunities.
• Students can access careers advice through the Careers Leader.  
• Students have the opportunity to attend an apprenticeship workshop.
• Students identified as needing extra support to think about career options and next steps will be offered additional advice, information and guidance.

The decisions you make from an early stage at school can have a big impact on your future career choices and happiness.  It therefore makes sense to start thinking about your future as soon as possible.

Remember, exploring and understanding your future options is a key part of preparing yourself for success: there is lots of support available so make the most of the careers opportunities provided.

The kind of questions you will be asked to think about.

There is life after school.  To prepare for it, there are a number of questions you will be encouraged to think about whilst you are at The Downs School. The answers you come up with to these questions will inform your subject choices for GCSE and what you choose to do when your leave school.

• What are you most interested in? What do you like doing?
• What are you best at? What skills do you have?
• What sorts of careers interest you? What do they involve? What skills and qualifications do they require?
• What can you do to find out more about careers that interest you?
• What can you do whilst at school to make future employers more likely to hire you?

What help you can expect whilst at The Downs?

All students at The Downs School are entitled to have access to careers guidance from Year 7 up until the age of 18.

• We provide impartial and independent careers guidance which includes a range of careers-related activities.
• We help you to meet with local employers/work-based education and apprenticeship providers, to gain valuable work experience and insight to the world of work.

Students can arrange to meet with the Careers Leader, Mrs Wilson-Croombs, at any point throughout their time at The Downs School. 

The Unifrog Careers Platform.

The school uses Unifrog as it's main careers platform to help students get the best out of our Careers Programme.  All students have their own individual profile on the platform which they can use to track their career activities during their time at The Downs School.  Unifrog offers:

• Indvidual Student Profiles: Students can build on their profiles from Year 7 until they leave school at either Year 11 or Year 13. This offers them the chance to reflect on how their careers education has evolved and how their career thoughts and chioces have changed over the years. 
• Quizzes and Activities: Students are encouraged to use a range of interactive quizzes and activities to help them understand which education and career paths are the right option for them.
• Employability Skills: Skills are at the heart of Unifrog with tools for students to reflect on their skills and learning as well as the ability to log skills as they are developed or required.
• Careers Resources: Unifrog provides a complete careers library for students to access containing useful resources to help students with think about their next steps whether that be moving into Sixth Form, applying for a university place or taking on an apprenticeship.

Choosing GCSE and A levels.

When choosing GCSE, A level and other further edcuation qualifications, having at least some idea what sort of careers you might be interested in can be very helpful.  When deciding which subjects to study it is important that you do your research as some careers will require you to gain specific qualifications.

The school will provide you with plenty of support when it comes to making your choices.  There are also lots of sources of information available online.

Apprenticeships.

The school’s Careers Programme will provide all students with an understanding of Apprenticeships and advice on how to explore the opportunities they offer as either a post-16 or post-18 option.

An apprenticeship is a real job with training which would allow you to earn while you learn, whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification. Apprenticeships take between one and five years to complete and are available in 1,500 occupations across 170 industries varying from construction to manufacturing through to IT and the creative and digital sectors.

There are various levels of apprenticeship you could apply for depending on your interests, current skills and qualifications.

All apprenticeships will include elements of on the job and off the job training leading to industry recognised standards or qualifications. Some apprenticeships will require an assessment at the end of the programme to assess the apprentice`s ability and competence in their job role.

Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16, living in England. There are different entry requirements depending on the sector and job.

Work experience at the Downs School.

Work experience is a fantastic way to learn new skills, see what a real workplace is like and gain confidence. It also gives you the edge when it comes to applying for jobs.

All students in Year 10 will undertake Work Shadowing, accompanying a relative or family friend to their place of work.  The fundamental reasoning behind this programme is to introduce the wide and varied range of skills required for working life to students, and to boost their confidence in practical and social skills.  We see this as an invaluable opportunity for the student’s personal development and it will help them realise the value of the skills they are learning in the classroom.

Sixth Form students will be given advice and support to gain work experience placements. It is expected that every Sixth Form student will undertake a Work Experience Placement.

Want to find out more about careers?

Please ensure that you keep up to date with information added to the TDS Careers Pages.  Careers TDS Home Page

Here you will find information on:
 Apprenticeships
Further Education and Resources
Useful Careers Links and Information

You can also find all of the latest on Virtual Work Experience Opportunities, Apprenticeships, Webinars, Open Days on the Latest News page

In addition there are lots of excellent free destinations that offer extensive information and guidance to help you think about future jobs.  Some of the best are listed in the Useful Careers Websites section.

• General, all-purpose careers sites with a wide range of advice and links;
• Careers quizzes to help you explore what careers might best suit you;
• Careers Information & Job Profiles;
• Information about Apprenticeships and current vacancies;
• Higher Education & University courses & information;
• Work Experience & Volunteering opportunities;
• Guidance on writing a CV; and
• Guidance on interview technique

The decisions young people make from an early stage at school can have a big impact on their future career choices and happiness. Parents and carers have a vital role to play in this career journey.

Guide for Parents/Carers.

We have created a guide designed to provide an overview of how you, as parents/carers, can help support your student with these important choices.  Please click here for the information.

Future Learn has produced free Resource for parents to Prepare your Child for University.

Learn about the UK's university application process and how to prepare your young person for university and the student journey.

Sign up for courses - FutureLearn

Success at School has produced a FREE careers guide for parents and carers

From university and apprenticeships to work experience, Success at School's careers guide for parents is packed full of advice to help you steer your child through the confusing world of careers choices.

Get Your Downloadable Parents' eBook (successatschool.org)

Parent, Guardian and Carer Guide to support Children with Higher Education choices
Guide by Which

Paths to Professional Careers – A Parents Guide 2020
Parents Guide to Professional Careers

Volunteering - The Downs School Careers Network.

The Downs School Careers Network is a key element of the Careers Programme at The Downs School.  The Careers Network brings together individuals and organisations outside the school – parents, alumni, and local employers – who want to support students at The Downs School.

If you’d like to join the Careers Network and support students at The Downs School, or if you’d like to explore other ways you or your employer could help, please contact the school’s Careers Lead - Mrs Wilson-Croombs:  careers@thedownsschool.org

Apprenticeships.

Apprenticeships provide young people with a wide range of opportunities, but understanding recent developments can be confusing.  For further information see the below guide:

Parents Guide to Apprenticeships (Full Edition 2019/2020) Full Parents Guide 2020

Immersive Career Experiences.

InvestIn provide students aged 12-18 a head-start in their futures through our immersive career experience programmes. The Downs Schools students can obtain 10% discount on any of these experiences which include:
Architecture — Art — Computer Science — Dentistry — Engineering — Entrepreneurship — Fashion Design — Filmmaking — International Development — Investment Banking — Journalism — Law — Management Consultancy — Marketing — Medicine — Music — Politics — Psychology — Publishing — Veterinary Science

All programmes can  be viewed here
https://investin.org/collections/all
Please contact the Careers Leader if you need any support.
careers@the downsschool.org

Recent Blogs and Advice for Parents  From Parents Guides 

Get competitive – competitions to help your teen stand out

How stress affects teens and what you can do to help

Engaging the senses to get more out of life for you and your teen

Virtual work experience – why your child should take part

EPQs - For Year 11s going on to Sixth Form, now is a good time for them to consider whether they’d like to take an EPQ and, if so, what they’d like to focus on. We’ve written this blog so parents know why and how an EPQ can be valuable.

Aspire Guide for Parents and Carers

The Aspire guide will help you understand the range of post-school/college options out there, enabling you to help guide your child through an important decision.

Aspire contains everything you need to encourage your child to aim high, broaden their horizons and achieve their potential.

Access your free copy of the Aspire guide

Success at Schools Career Advice Articles for Parents

Key benefits for your organisation.

Supporting careers education for students at The Downs School can be personally rewarding.  But it can also have concrete advantages for your business.

• Ensuring that the future generation of professionals are equipped with the knowledge and understanding of the requirements of your industry.
• Having first hand knowledge of and direct access to potential future employees.
• Developing your own staff, by providing them with opportunities to develop, mentor and coach the future generation.

How you can help.

There are a range of very practical ways employers can support careers education.  These include:

• employer mentoring
• enterprise competitions
• 1-2 week work experiences
• careers talks, fairs
• CV workshops
• mock interviews
• work-related learning provided in cooperation with employers
• employer delivered employability skills workshops
• workplace visits
• volunteering

The CBI and the Careers & Enterprise Company have produced a very helpful guide for employers who want to engage with schools https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/sites/default/files/uploaded/careers-enterprise-cbi-employers-guide-schools-v2.pdf

Getting involved – The Downs School Careers Network.

The Downs School Careers Network is a key element of the Careers Programme at The Downs School.  The Careers Network brings together individuals and organisations outside the school – parents, alumni, and local employers – who want to support students at the Downs.

If you’d like to join the Careers Network and support students at the Downs, or if you’d like to explore other ways you or your employer could help, please contact the school’s Careers Lead, Mrs Wilson-Croombs: careers@thedownsschool.org
 

Careers and Enterprise Company

Experiences in the Workplace - Latest Video to encourage supporting Young Adults gain work place experience.

Experiences of the Workplace – Our Guide for Employers - YouTube

 

Where to get advice (including websites that our students are asked to access):

• https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx - National Careers Service
• http://www.eclips-online.co.uk – e-Clips, impartial careers information on over 1,000 jobs and careers.  Password available to all students at The Downs School
• https://www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk/ - advice and guidance to young people
• https://targetcareers.co.uk/parents-and-teachers - information and advice for parents
• https://unifrog.org - Students have log on to their individual profile.

Careers Information & Job Profiles:

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers - Information on next steps and how different subjects can support career pathways
• http://www.careersbox.co.uk - Short videos of different careers
• https://successatschool.org/ - Information on Careers, Employers and University
• http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/explorer.htm - University of Kent Careers Explorer
• https://www.ucas.com/ucas/after-gcses/find-career-ideas/explore-jobs?f=/ - Exploring pathways after GCSE
• Berkshire Opportunities Homepage Details apprenticeships and career opportunities in Berkshire

Careers quizzes:

• http://www.icould.com/buzz - A fun personality test linked to careers
• https://www.16personalities.com/ - More in-depth personality quiz
• http://www.allaboutcareers.com/career-test - Another quiz to produce career ideas

Local and National Courses:

• http://www.ucasprogress.com/ - Search for courses at post-16 colleges, schools and training providers

  Apprenticeships:

• http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk – Search and apply for apprenticeship vacancies
• http://www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk – Information on what to study, how to apply, who offers apprenticeships and more.
• http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk - Alternative career opportunities, including apprenticeships & work based learning (post-18 / Level 3)

• https://amazingapprenticeships.com/vacancies/?utm_source=Apprenticeship%20Champions&utm_campaign=4722e3a064-APP%20CHAMPS%20ISSUE%2019_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2cbcf19feb-4722e3a064-230786757 - a snapshot of apprenticeship vacancies coming up soon

  Higher Education & University courses & info:

• http://www.ucas.com - Explore what university courses are available and their entry requirements
• https://www.unifrog.org/ - University information and applications. Password available to all 6^th Form students
• http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk – Information about some of the top UK universities. Download the “Informed Choices” booklet about 16+ study options and what A Level subjects to study (and not study!) if considering applying to a Russell Group University
• https://unistats.ac.uk/  – Find out how other students rate universities & courses
• http://www.prospects.ac.uk – Postgraduate website – find out what graduates do with their degree
• http://www.ukcoursefinder.com - Do the questionnaire to produce a list of university course ideas
• http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions - Information about applying to The University of Oxford
• https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/- Information about applying to The University of Cambridge
• http://www.highfliers.co.uk/ - Statistics on Universities and the Graduate Job Market
• http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/
• http://www.theguardian.com/education/universityguide
• http://www.studyoverseas.com – information about studying abroad for an international education
• http://ec.europa.eu/education/study-in-europe/ - information about studying in Europe

• https://www.opendays.com/ - calendar of University open days

• https://targetcareers.co.uk/degree-explorer - assessment to help choose degree courses

  Professional Organisations:
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/professional-bodies-approved-for-tax-relief-list-3/approved-professional-organisations-and-learned-societies - Approved professional organisations and learned societies

Activities & volunteering:

• http://www.do-it.org.uk – search for local volunteering & work experience opportunities

   

  Funding & money matters:

• http://www.direct.gov.uk/moneytolearn  - Information about financial help towards your studies post-16
• www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance - Information about student finance towards your degree
• http://www.studentcashpoint.co.uk - Find funding to cover the costs of going to college or university

   

  Curriculum Vitae:

• https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/get-a-job/cv-sections

• https://www.studentjob.co.uk/info/cv_example

• https://cvmkr.com/

The Downs School Careers Network is a key element of the Careers Programme at The Downs School.  The Careers Network brings together individuals and organisations outside the school – parents, alumni, and local employers – who want to support students at The Downs School.

Goal

The primary aim of the Network is to:

• increase access to careers-related experiences for students of all ages by deepening engagement with parents, and alumni and, through them, their employers;
• to help teachers to continue the development of the links between subject skills/experiences and careers learning through access to business volunteers.

Volunteers

The Network is run by the school’s Careers Leader, but depends on volunteers willing to offer their time and expertise to enhance the career advice and guidance available to students at The Downs School.

Volunteers can support the students by, for example,

• sharing their own experiences at Careers Fairs and related events;
• helping with CV feedback and interview practice;
• offering work experience opportunities; and
• helping teachers introduce career-related case studies, projects and experiences into their lessons;

If you’d like to join the Careers Network and support students at The Downs School, or if you’d like to explore other ways you or your employer could help, please contact the school’s Careers Leader, Mrs Wilson-Croombs: careers@thedownsschool.org

It is difficult to predict the future employment landscape. Awareness of local labour market intelligence – which roles and skills are most in demand locally now and which will be in the future -  can help us understand the skills, qualifications and wider attributes that are needed for the future in the areas where we live.

Economies and policies change – so do students’ aspirations and circumstances – so it is also important that the range of skills and attributes developed are transferrable and will enhance everyone’s lifelong employability.

Labour market information (LMI) is published by the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.  It can help students and their parents understand the local job market.

To view the local labour market information presentation please see the attachments Local Labour Market Information for Schools and Career Opportunities in Berkshire.

Students can also use e-Clips and Unifrog to find out information about specific career pathways – password is available to all students in school.

The latest Thames Valley information on Skills and Careers can be found on this site.
People | TVB Intelligence

Link to our Provider Access Statement can be found here.

The Careers and Enterprise Company (https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/) run a national network that connects schools and colleges with employers and careers programme providers and supports them to work together to provide effective work experiences for young people.

The network is facilitated by Enterprise Coordinators, trained professionals who work with clusters of schools and colleges to build careers plans and make connections to local and national employers.

In turn, these Enterprise Coordinators support a group of senior business volunteers, known as Enterprise Advisers, who they match with one of the school or colleges in the network.

Enterprise Advisers use their knowledge of the local business landscape to support Senior Leadership and Careers Team to develop an effective careers plan and to create opportunities with their business contacts in the area for their school or college’s students.

At The Downs School, our Enterprise Coordinator is Denise Firth who is based in the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise partnership.

We are currently waiting to be allocated a new Enterprise Business Adviser.

The school has joined the newly formed Thames Valley Careers Hub.  This is a group of 20 schools across the Thames Valley who will be working closely together to further improve the range of outcomes for the young people in the local area.  Increased support will be available to the school through a new Hub Lead, working with existing Enterprise Coordinators, to deliver against the Gatsby Benchmarks. The Hub Lead will coordinate activity and build local networks (for example, with employers, businesses and higher and further education providers). There is a central Hub fund that will offer the opportunity to invest in activities which benefit schools and colleges across the Hub, such as apprenticeship events and broader learning and sharing events.

Statutory Guidance requires all schools to be fully compliant in relation to the eight Gatsby Benchmarks relating to good careers practice in school.  Using the Compass Plus Careers Benchmark Tool issued by the Careers and Enterprise Company, schools are able to track their progress towards these Benchmarks.  A recent evaluation with the Careers and Enterprise Company demonstrated The Downs School is now fully compliant in all 8 Benchmarks. Nationally, on average schools and colleges are achieving 3 of the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks (2019 Careers and Enterprise Company “State of the Nation” report).

Taken from DfE Careers guidance and access for education and training providers, published October 2018:

Destination data is available in the school comparison tables on the website:

https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/110102/the-downs-school

Destinations for those students who left July 2024

Year Eleven

• There were 207 students in the cohort
• 134 students joined TDS Sixth Form (65%)
• 16 students joined other Sixth Forms (8%)
• 49 students joined an FE college (24%)
• 5 students started an apprenticeship (2%)
• 3 students started an international scholarship, dance scholarship or traineeship (1%)
• No students were NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) 
   

Year Thirteen 

• There were 157 students in the cohort
• 111 students accepted a university place (1 accepted an Oxbridge offer, 4 accepted a Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Dentistry course, 53% of students accepted a place in a Russell Group or 1994 Group university)
• 10 students started an apprenticeship
• 33 students began employment, took a gap year, are planning to reapply or continue to search for an apprenticeship.
• 3 students are continuing in Further Education

Alumni

As a school we encourage our past students to keep in contact with us, a number of recent leavers have come back in to school to help with careers events.  If you wish to join our network, please contact careers@thedownsschool.org

Here are examples of what our alumni are doing now:

Hannah Bamford

Downs School Alumni – Sixth Form (2009-2011)

 I started at The Downs School in year seven and stayed all the way through my A-Levels. Back in 2009, when I started at Sixth Form College I wanted to be a lawyer. I had been inspired after winning a mock-trial competition that I had been part of a few years previously, where a group of students were taken to Reading Crown Court to compete against other local schools. My favourite classes throughout my time at The Downs were History and Law and I was very set on what I wanted to do. It was no surprise to my teachers when I was the first in my year to send off my UCAS application. I went on to study History at Warwick University and subsequently completed my Graduate Diploma in Law at Oxford Brookes. However, since then I have made quite the U-Turn and I now have a successful career in restaurant management. Ever since I was 16 I worked in restaurants and hotels and I fell in love with the thrill of service and the camaraderie between staff. I quickly became enthralled by food, wine and great hospitality and thoroughly enjoyed learning the ins-and-outs of the trade. I started working full time during my breaks from university and was gradually offered more senior roles and added responsibility at the establishments I worked in. By the time I completed my GDL I had been promoted to restaurant manager of a local pub with guest bedrooms.

Even though I enjoyed my work and I was pleased with my progression, I was still convinced that I should be following a more traditional career path and become a criminal barrister. I decided to take a year out and move to Sussex before undertaking my barrister training on a part-time basis so I could continue working in hospitality. Two years later I had been offered my first General Manager position, aged 24, at one of Brighton’s best restaurants. It was at this point that I knew I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and I decided to focus on my career in hospitality completely. I have been at my current role as General Manager at a fine-dining restaurant – Heritage in West Sussex - for two years now and despite the difficult year with the pandemic the business has been a huge success. It is a passion project that has been years in the making and I am lucky to have been a part of it since its conception. My role as General Manager encompasses many things; business development, restaurant and event management, social media management, staff recruitment, training and guest relations. One of my favourite parts of the job is learning about wine and developing our wine list, which has led me to travel all over Europe (and hopefully further afield someday) researching and exploring vineyards and wine makers. I have recently undertaken formal wine training, which I plan to continue this year.

As well as my day-to-day work, I am also an ambassador for Springboard, a charity who is dedicated to inspiring future generations of hospitality superstars. I am working on a number of projects to encourage students to consider hospitality as a viable and rewarding career option and I am actively involved in trade discussions about how best to move forward as an industry. I will always be an advocate for those working in hospitality, utilising the many skills I learnt whilst studying law to benefit my team and my peers on a wider scale.

Downs School Alumni (2014-2016)

My name is Mariella Springford and I attended The Downs School in 2014-2016. Upon leaving Sixth Form I gained a place on Bowmer and Kirkland’s (B&K) Sponsorship programme as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor.  B&K is one of the largest and most successful privately-owned construction groups in the UK.

To successfully complete the programme, I attend The University of Westminster for 1 day a week working towards a BSc Honours in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management and spend the rest of the week at work. Upon completion of my degree, I will maintain my position as a Quantity Surveyor at Bowmer & Kirkland with the opportunity to progress further up the career ladder. I am currently finishing my third year of the degree course and feel that it has contributed greatly towards my development as a QS. B+K offer a competitive salary, full sponsorship through University and pay any associated with travel/study fees.

A Quantity Surveyor is similar to an accountant and are responsible for all commercial aspects of a construction project.  I am currently working on a £22m commercial office development in Bristol and my responsibilities include Paying consultants/sub-contractors both fairly and promptly, Understanding Contracts, Managing and forecasting costs, Keeping to a budget, and Managing different trade packages e.g. ceramic tiling and decorating.

I moved to The Downs School when I was 16 and thoroughly enjoyed my 2 years there, especially participating in the sports and social events. 

What I Wish I’d known at School:

You are young and not expected to know what you want to do with your life. The best piece of advice I can offer is to gain work experience in any areas that you are interested in. Contact as many companies as possible and go for a work experience placement – this way you get to know what you may and may not like!

Grades are not the be all and end all. Many employers will agree that an individual’s attitude and experience mean far more than their grades. Grades keep doors open but ultimately, they view you as a person. 

I am a keen ambassador for getting young people to enter the Construction Industry – especially encouraging more females to come into a predominately male environment.  To try and implement this, I have given presentations to students at The Downs School for the last three years and attended various careers fairs.

Sam van Huyssteen
Downs School Alumni (2008 - 2014)

My name is Sam van Huyssteen, and I went to the Downs from year 7 right the way through to year 13. I finished my GCSE’s in 2012, and my A Levels in 2014. I went on to study Psychology at the University of Sheffield. It was my Psychology teacher at the Downs who inspired my ambition to become a Clinical Psychologist! I did some volunteering at University, running support groups for adults suffering from eating disorders, and after University, I knew I wanted to become a Doctor in Clinical Psychology. So I needed to gain some experience. I worked at a secondary school in for a year and a half, whilst volunteering in a hospital’s child psychology team, and realised that I absolutely loved working with children and young people, even more so than working with adults, and so this led me onto my current job!

I am currently working as an Assistant Clinical Psychologist for the NHS in a children’s mental health service for young people up to the age of 17. I do one-to-one work with patients who are experiencing mental health difficulties, and I also run therapy groups that help young people tackle their anxiety, depression, and help them to manage their emotions. I go to schools to see patients too, as sometimes this helps me to see if the school needs to be doing more to support their mental health.

My favourite memories of being at the Downs were House matches – especially Rounders and Sports Day. The friends I made these memories with are still my close friends now.

When I was at school I struggled a lot with my mental health, and at the end of year 12 it was my Biology teacher who helped me realise I needed help. She sat with me after school till about 5pm and just listened to me. That’s the thing that’s helped me most in my career; sometimes just listening to a young person makes all the different in the world. Giving up my time for them when they need it is the probably the most valuable thing I do.

I wish I’d known that my grades and marks would not define the rest of my life. I overworked and became very obsessed with only achieving the highest possible marks, and this made me really unhappy. I could have enjoyed my school life much more if I knew that I didn’t need top marks in order to succeed in my career, or in life. You are more than your grades!

Future Events
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Virtual Open Event to show prospective students and their parents the college. UTC Reading is a college for 14-18 year olds specialising in Engineering and Computer Science.  Please use this link to register for the event:

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