Careers & Higher Education

In addition to providing an excellent education, we want to provide our students with the necessary skills to succeed in life after Dunottar. Through a tailored programme of activities, we aim to inform and support out students in their choice of post-18 education, support them in the application process and instil them with the confidence they need to fulfil their future ambitions.

All Sixth Form students are encouraged to gain work experience, as this supports UCAS personal statements and job applications.

Students are also encouraged to participate in Morrisby Profiling, a series of aspirations and aptitude tests, to help them investigate options at 18+. Students are invited to book a session with our careers advisor, to help students consider options available to them and discuss various pathways.

We also use Unifrog, an online platform which brings together a wealth of information to allow students to make the best choices about their future pathways. Both students and parents have access to Unifrog.

MOOC

Alongside their A-Level subject choices, we recommend sampling at least one free Massive Online Open course (MOOC). These courses either provide a deeper understanding of the careers that students wish to pursue or showcase their interests as individuals. Whichever course they elect to study, they will stand out from the crowd.

Careers Events

A series of careers evenings are held throughout the year where high-profile speakers from a wide range of backgrounds present to our students and answer any questions they may have. The interactive workshops cover a range of industries from Digital and STEM, to Business, Sport and Creative Arts, providing students with real-life insights into the qualifications required to access jobs in these sectors, as well as providing guidance on work experience opportunities.

Preparation and Support

Our bespoke UCAS programme starts in the Spring term of Year 12. Pupils receive individual support and guidance from their subject teachers, tutors and the Director of Sixth Form to help them throughout the application process. During the summer term of Year 12, pupils take part in a range of activities designed to prepare them for making informed decisions about the next step in their educational journey including:

• Visiting a University and Apprenticeship Fair
• Attending presentations and workshops designed to help them choose the right course and
  university
• A three-day UCAS programme in June focusing on how to write their personal statement
• A two-day work experience programme
• Hearing from external speakers to support the application process
• Regular one-to-one support meetings to help with the personal statement and making decisions about their next steps

All Sixth Form pupils are encouraged to gain additional work experience and to take their learning beyond the classroom to enhance their university application. We know that universities expect more than just academic knowledge, and this is an area we support and encourage our pupils to focus on and develop throughout their time in the Sixth Form.

Year 13

• Support with UCAS application, particularly the personal statement
• Writing of UCAS references
• Mock interviews