Careers
The Aspire Careers Programme
Good careers guidance is a vital part of providing students with the best possible chance to succeed in their future. The ‘Aspire Careers Programme’ at St Paul’s Girls’ School is designed to ensure that students get used to thinking about career opportunities and the future world of work from the very start of their time here. The programme starts in Y7 (MIV) and goes through to Y13 (VIII) so that all students can become interested in and excited about careers from an early age. Students are supported with careers education and guidance led by a specialist team and across the school, including through ‘careers in the curriculum’, and receive age-appropriate career information, as well as additional support at key transition points. As part of the programme, students have access to bespoke tools, including Morrisby in VI (Y11) as well as Unifrog in VII and VIII (Y12 and Y13), to assist with career exploration and investigation, accompanied by meaningful interactions with the careers department and employers. Students will have the power and autonomy to design their life and aspire to become whomever they choose.
St Paul’s Girls’ School works towards meeting the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, which are a framework of guidelines defining the best careers provision in secondary schools.
Encounters with Employers and Employees
From inspirational talks from guests including alumnae, parents and external guest speakers about careers of the future to careers forums and conferences, and from professional speed networking events to entrepreneurship competitions and clubs, the students have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace.
Experiences of Workplaces
Students at St Paul’s Girls’ School start to learn about the workplace from Y9 (LV) when they take part in ‘Take your Child to Work Day’ and this is followed in Y10 (V) by the Careers Conference, where the students spend the afternoon on a workplace visit of their choice including Tech, Finance, Law, Engineering and the Arts.
Work experience is the most valuable way to get insight and experience of real-life roles and in Y11 (VI) students start to explore potential careers and employers by undertaking work experience following their GCSEs.
As part of the St Paul’s Programme on a Friday afternoon VII students are invited to take part in a micro internship with a corporate partner. These seven-week programmes designed with clients in finance, law, tech, engineering, media, charities have been introduced for students to learn more about the skills required in the workplace. The students collaborate in mixed teams with a local school from the West London Partnership working on an intern/graduate level piece of work set by the client focused on developing their research, analytical, problem solving skills and the student teams then pitch their solution in the workplace at the end of the micro internship.
Personal Guidance
Every student will have opportunities for independent career advice and guidance meetings whenever significant study or career choices are being made, in order to support their decision making. These individual meetings are carried out by a qualified L7 careers advisor within the careers department.
Alumnae Support
The exceptionally proactive alumnae community plays a crucial part in the careers work undertaken by the school. Regularly attending events within the school such as lunches and careers forums, alumnae also mentor students in the Senior School via OP Connect, an online careers advice community enabling direct contact with over 200 mentors who advise on work experience, university courses and careers. They are excellent role models and constant sources of invaluable advice and direction.
Lower School (MIV-UIV)
What does the world of work look like?
From the very start of their journey at St Paul’s Girls’ School, students are introduced to the careers programme, along with exploring possibilities and learning about self-awareness. The students have a series of talks and workshops about careers and hear from alumnae and parent speakers. The students begin to learn about the world of work through teachers linking curriculum learning with careers.
In the UIV students within Careers in PSHE start to develop a mindset for success introducing curiosity in and beyond the classroom exploring how curiosity nurtures growth connecting the classroom to the wider world in respect of careers and opportunities.
Middle School (LV, V and VI)
What are my strengths and how do these connect to the world of work?
LV students are encouraged to take part in ‘Take Your Child to Work Day’, which is an excellent experience of a workplace for the students. LV are invited to attend the careers forums, which take place after school.
We host lessons in Careers in PSHE focused on Decision Making, Skills and Interests which relate to Navigating GCSE choices including skills developed through studying Latin or Greek, or Philosophy for example.
For V students we work with students to understand “What Makes Work Rewarding?” preparing for their workplace visit during the summer term, students then take part in workplace visits to be able to experience the world of work in a workplace of their choice including Finance, Law, Tech, Engineering and the Arts, as well as being invited to the careers forums.
We also invite V students to attend a Careers Fair which involves an afternoon of career exploration led by alumnae and external professionals from a variety of career sectors including Finance, STEM and the Arts.
At the start of VI, students undertake the Morrisby Profile psychometric tests to help them to focus on aspirations and make more informed decisions about future paths, taking into account their aptitudes, personality, learning preferences and study interests. This is followed by a 1:1 personal guidance meeting with a qualified careers advisor. During the autumn term, the annual Careers Fair for students in VI, VII and VIII, involves an afternoon of career exploration led by alumnae and external professionals from a variety of career sectors including Finance, STEM and the Arts. In the VI, students attend a series of ‘World of Work’ PSHE sessions during the autumn term, which also covers employability and how to organise their own work experience, where they are given advice on CVs and cover letters and attend mock interviews for work experience placements. Work experience is arranged by the students for the summer following their GCSEs. The students are also able to participate in the Working Lunch Programme organised by the VII, the careers forums as well as the entrepreneurship challenge in collaboration with St Paul’s School (boys).
The VI students have 1:1 A level subject choice meetings to discuss their future options within their 1:1 personal guidance meeting with a qualified L7 careers advisor.
Senior School (VII-VIII)
What is my first step in entering the world of work?
As students enter the Senior School more personalised support aims to help each student continue to identify their individual strengths, passions and interests and to navigate the important decision-making process required for the next stage of their education and lives beyond school. This is supported with employability workshops, CV and mock interview clinics, as well as an introduction to OP Connect to enable them to find a mentor and explore alumnae career routes.
Within their weekly timetable VII students are given the opportunity to undertake a micro internship with a corporate partner. The initiative was to create a series of micro internships for VII students at SPGS and state schools within the West London Partnership. These seven week programmes provide students with invaluable exposure to the professional world, equipping them with essential skills for their future careers. Working with over thirty corporate partners students are asked to select a career sector of interest and work in a mixed team on an intern/graduate level piece of work and then pitch their solution to the client. These are transformative opportunities ahead of university or degree apprenticeship routes.
In the VII, a student led ‘Working Lunch Committee’ organises opportunities for students, parents and alumnae to meet regularly to discuss work and career paths within different sectors. Recent themes have included politics, journalism, scientific research, technology, management consultancy, advertising, marketing, finance, the arts and global development. The students within the VII and VIII have weekly Friday lectures from guest speakers who share their career journeys.
The students are also invited to careers forums and speed networking events, as well as opportunities to learn more about the world of work including degree apprenticeship routes.
Students in the VII continue to gain work experience to support their career exploration and add to their appetite to learn about different careers.
Students in the VII and VIII are supported with a 1:1 personal guidance meeting by a qualified careers advisor.