Our Careers Curriculum

Students are taught one lesson per cycle in Year 9 by one of the university counselling team to get students thinking about careers and university applications so that they are informed about careers going into their IGCSE years and beyond. Examples of what students learn are: 

• Psychometric testing to help students narrow down career options to suit their skills and abilities

• Delving in deeper to find out more about careers they are interested in

• Guiding students with making their IGCSE subject choices

• Introducing the students to the different global destinations-concentrating on the positives and negatives of each destination for studying at undergraduate level

• Developing skills needed to be successful e.g. communication, collaboration, presenting, creating an effective CV and also interviewing skills

• Completing a plan for supporting university applications between Year 10-12

Students are assigned to a university counsellor in Year 11 who teaches them a series of lessons which take place during their Well-being lessons in Term 2. Students also have a 30 minute one-on-one meeting with one of the university counsellors as part of the curriculum. These sessions/meetings focus is to ensure students are making smart choices in relation to their pathway in Sixth Form and beyond. Examples of what students learn are: 

• Psychometric testing so students understand their strengths and abilities and therefore which careers they are well suited for

• Deepen their understanding of degree courses or other pathways needed to be successful in the career fields they are interested in

• Gaining greater knowledge of the global university destinations they could be suited to

• Guiding students into the best pathway for them from BSJ’s Sixth Form  choices which are the IBDP/IBCP/IB Certificates

• Guiding them to make excellent subject choices within the IB taking into account their aspirations, their global destinations of choice and also their academic ability

In year 12 each student is assigned to one of the three university counsellors who will support them throughout the university process. One-one-one meetings and family meetings span the whole of Year 12 and also the University Counsellors run sessions during the Wellbeing lessons, as well as lunchtime sessions across all 3 terms of Year 12 such as: 

• Ensuring students are happy with their pathway and course choices based on IGCSE results

• Delving into how to apply to each of the most popular global university destinations including the UK, US, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, Europe and Asia

• Deepening knowledge and time frames for external testing e.g. SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests and English Language Proficiency

• Understanding how to effectively use Cialfo (BSJ’s chosen university platform) for supporting university applications

• Gaining understanding of how to write different university essays from the Common Application prompts for the US to the Personal Statement for the UK to the Motivational Statement for Europe, South Korea or Hong Kong

• Deepening understanding of applying to Elite university institutions including Oxbridge and other Elite UK universities as well as the elite US institutions such as the Ivy League

• Registering for university application platforms such as UCAS and how to effectively complete applications

To support the sessions we run for students we also host a huge variety of university visits and fairs for Year 12 students to attend, this is to ensure they are fully informed for embarking on their university applications. 

During Year 13 students have a number of sessions during Wellbeing lessons throughout Term 1, as well as a wide variety of university visits/fairs to help make their choices. The amount of one-to-one meetings increase within Term 1 as applications are finalised. 

• 1:1 meetings and family meetings to finalise the shortlist for university applications 

• Finalising university essays

• Supporting students to complete applications before the external deadlines set by universities

• To help students who have interviews for Oxbridge and Medical Applications through a mock interview schedule

• To support transition to university life

• To support students on IB results day