Careers Information for Parents

1. Careers Information for Parents Aim To give an overview of the key issues impacting upon student in yr. 10-13

2. Stakeholders Who makes the decision about your child’s future? How do they make that decision?

3. KS4 6th Form Employment Vocational Further Education Colleges Apprenticeships University Key decision points

4. Wednesday 18thJune • Key Themes • Context of Yr. 10-11 • U-Explore • College, 6th Form and Apprenticeships- Raising the Participation Age • University • Outline Business Week • Introduce Work Experience • Outline careers fair

5. What were our experiences of careers advice? • Careers interviews • Parents • Grandparents • Teachers • How have you got to where you are?

6. How has my perception of careers advice altered over my teaching career? • In time at Ashcombe taught • Premier League footballer • BBC actor • An ex head boy who supported Barrack Obama • The youngest chocolatier in the country • Musicians, Artists, Millionaires, Entrepreneurs, Dr’s, Lawyers… • Exceptional examples but there are many more • Key ethos- ambitions can be achieved through hard work, self belief, reflection and accurate information • Mantra for business week-”It is an exciting world and there is a place for you”

7. Key dilemmas • 1) I keep saying that you will never make anything of yourself without qualifications • 2) I’m so concerned that they have no idea what to do • 3) It’s all very well be interested in …. But there aren’t any jobs. • 4) We don’t need to think about careers as we know that … will do A-Levels and then Uni.

8. Evening for parents • Key Issues for parents • 1) Encouraging children yet risking accusations of interfering • 2) Complexity of range of qualifications • 3) Quality Information about career pathways • 4) The fear of the cost of University • 5) Rapidly changing job market- expansion of creative jobs is of particular importance • 6) Vocational V academic- apprenticeships and school leavers programmes are altering the face of apprenticeships

9. Added pressure of 2014 context • Youth unemployment and number of NEETS • Uncertain employment patterns particularly compared to when we were growing up • University tuition fees • Constant pressure and belittling of student achievements • Rising Participation Age • Qualification changes

10. Consequence • High level of parent anxiety

11. Encouraging children yet avoiding interference • Children will remember comments particularly regarding expectations and careers • Mr Ketley described the solution focussed approach- all students want to do well and some find it more difficult to succeed • Students need to discover their own identity and be affirmed in it, they are unique and valued whatever their grade point average • Key- everyone has strengths and talents and it is our role to try and find them and affirm them • Students have to have ownership • The more we make the decisions for them and protect them from the consequences, the more we stop them from growing up. • Parents need to help in supporting the conversation, information gathering and practical organisation

12. Easy things to do • Get an Uncle, Auntie, or family friend to discuss careers • Talk about your own experiences at this time- are you happy with the choices you made • Find out when open days and events are • Offer to help with application process • You know your child better than anyone – help with writing a personal statement that describes them not someone else that they think is perfect • Listen to ideas even if they don’t fit in with your career path or perception • Recognise that a lack of motivation is often a result of panic and fear and an inability to get started

13. Where do you go to find out about careers and education- Stage 1 • U-Explore • http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/ • Children will have log in details • Can use to search careers and courses • Can save findings • Good exercise to see what jobs are available • Get in touch if you have problems with this

14. Stage 2- other useful websites • https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx • Lots of services including phone line- • Call 0800 100 900

15. Stage 3- Careers Interviews • Sarah Comerford is here tonight • All students hopefully get an interview • We will send invite in post- gives ideas of preparation that will help the interview • comerford.sarah@ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk

16. Stage 4- Tutor and school programme • Students currently doing a PSE programme on careers • Colleges will visit school • Students will have the opportunity to visit colleges • 6th form summer programme: UCAS, Strengthscope, Stamford Test,

17. Stage 5- Ashcombe careers fair- 15thSeptember- 6-9pm • 2013- over 150 exhibitors including Universities, Colleges and parent volunteers • This year- Universities include Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, Nottingham, Exeter, and London • All local colleges • School Leavers Programme including, Civil Service, BDO, Hendersons, • 100 or so parent volunteers • Preparation sheets will come out before the summer • No other school I know of is doing something on this scale

18. Stage 6- Schools careers webpage • http://www.ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk/04-info/06-careers.shtml

19. Year 10- What next • September – October- application for post 16 • Ashcombe offers A levels and a Cambridge Technical in Business • Open Evening • Mr Robinson and 6th form team interview students • Application by December 2014- put application in as you can apply to multiple places

20. Are A Levels the only option • East Surrey College- close relationship- impressive site with growing art and creative facilities • Guildford College • Nescot • All colleges are visited regularly by the school

21. Apprenticeships • Information has been complex • Now have a good working relationship with ALPS • http://www.alpsurrey.co.uk/ • http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/ • Positions are advertised • Will have talk post summer • Talk at careers fair on apprenticeships

22. Post 18- Is University still worth it? • Changing perception amongst some due to tuition fees • Cost • No tuition fees upfront • The main types of finance are tuition fee and maintenance loans (which have to be paid back), and grants and bursaries (which don’t).

23. Student finance • They can get a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,000 to cover tuition fees, while Maintenance Loans and Maintenance Grants help towards their living costs such as rent and bills. How much student finance they can get depends on your household income — that is, the income of you, your partner and any dependants. • There’s also extra support for those with special circumstances, for example, if they have children or adult dependants, a disability, long-term health condition, mental-health condition, or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.

24. Your child won’t have to repay their loan amount until they’ve left university or college and their income is over £404 per week, £1,750 per month or £21,000 a year. They’ll then repay 9% of their income over these amounts. If your child’s income drops below these thresholds, all repayments stop automatically. • Employers deduct repayments through PAYE just like tax and National Insurance contributions. If they’re self-employed, the amount your child repays is calculated through self assessment and is paid directly by

25. Interest is charged on your child’s loan from the day their first payment is made until their loan is repaid in full or written off, whichever is first. • The amount of interest charged is the rate of inflation based on the Retail Price Index (RPI) plus up to 3%, depending on their income. • Any loan remaining after 30 years is written off.

26. Guide to student finance • http://www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/media/494509/sfe_parents_quick_guide_1314_d.pdf • A calculator that suggests the level of the loan students can get • https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-calculator

27. Advantages of University • Likely to earn far more in long term • Vital for key professions • Fantastic experience • Opportunity to really stretch individual academically • The debt is at a low level of interest

28. Issues • What course is being studied- needs to be a considered choice • Will some be more intimidated by debt? • What are you getting for your money? • How much do tuition fees cost in other countries- eg In Netherlands 1835 Euros • Key- research • http://www.ucas.com/ • University Guide • http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings • Guardian Table • http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/table/2013/jun/03/university-league-table-2014

29. Art and creative areas • East Surrey College and Art Foundation • Music Colleges • Large number of students have gone down this path to considerable success

30. Options at Post 18 • School Leavers programme • Rapidly expanding alternative • Number of companies involved including major accountancy firms, engineering, IT… • http://www.studentladder.co.uk/School-Leaver-Programs/school-leaver-programs.html • Big feature of our careers fair • Learn and earn

31. Apprenticeship • Increasing number of post 18 apprenticeships

32. What to do regarding post 18 options? • Phone University admissions in relation to A_Level choices • Look through the websites • Go to Open Days now • Speak to the Universities at the Careers Fair • Look at which companies are doing the School Leavers programme • What would you say if your child came back and said they wanted to do something you regarded as wrong?

33. What else do we do in Yr. 10 and 11 to prepare students for work? • Business Week • July • Students take part in 3 business games • Interview by volunteers on Wednesday • Students will be applying for a post in one of the business games • Have several guest speakers into outline various aspects of business and finance • Key- please don’t spend large amounts of money for the Wednesday interview

34. Work Experience- February 2015 • Letters will be sent home outlining process in two weeks • Large number of schools now don’t do this • Feedback from students is very positive • Works well when students get a position that is linked to their strengths • Cost of work experience

35. What to do if you do have questions and concerns • I am around after the talk along with Sarah Comerford • E-mail panting.chris@ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk • ketley.stuart@ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk • comerford.sarah@ashcombe.surrey.sch.uk • Phone National Careers site • Look at U-Explore

36. Conclusion • Hopefully people now have an idea of where information is and what the school are doing • School is providing guidance • Careers Fair is fantastic opportunity to find out more • Key- careers reflection is a long process and needs to be on-going • Children can panic about the future and need support • The best choices allow students to match choices to their strengthsand values.