Educating for the Workplace

We believe that as well as preparing students for Higher Education, it is important to help them prepare for the world of work.

We aim to support students so that they make informed choices about what is best for them after they leave KES and to provide appropriate skills and capabilities as they prepare for life at university and in employment. The skills we seek to engender are: good communication – verbal and written, teamwork and interpersonal skills, resilience, effective leadership and management, self-management, drive, motivation and time management, planning and research skills, flexibility, relevant work experience and commercial awareness.

We endeavour to achieve this with a varied and thorough programme of events; the academic and co-curricular programme throughout the school does much to support students to acquire necessary skills in effective teamwork, leadership, presentation, time management, prioritisation, future planning, IT, etc. The school, of course, provides opportunities for students to learn about professional etiquette through observation and role-modelling. Independence and personal accountability increases throughout the Sixth Form. In Foundation Studies sessions, all Lower Sixth Formers are shown how to research for suitable university courses and other HE routes such as apprenticeships. They also attend workshops on understanding the UCAS application process, writing their personal statement and on how to make their final UCAS application. Work experience is undertaken in the Sixth Form across an array of possible careers whilst vocational societies provide students with the opportunity to meet those working in various sectors of industry (MedSoc, LawSoc, Economics Soc) and develop new skills (public speaking, teamwork, leadership, networking). Project management and fund-raising experience is also gained through involvement with school clubs and activities. Sixth Form Careers’ lunches provide students with the opportunity to meet people in different occupations (medicine, law, IT, engineering, science, finance, media, etc) and begin networking whilst The Foundation Studies programme of short courses offers insight into different aspects of preparation for life after KES such as presentation skills and basic budgeting. Open Forum is a programme of lectures to provide students with the opportunity to hear from speakers about a range of life experiences, including what it takes to succeed in a range of professions and how to manage stress and mental health. Students also listen to individuals with motivational, thought-provoking and extraordinary stories to tell. The annual HE and Careers Fairs provide the chance for students to meet potential universities and employers, and the Careers Day for all Lower Sixth Formers offers external support for building CVs and a digital work profile. All members of the Sixth Form will undergo a ‘work-place’ practice interview and more tailored practice interviews are offered to all those requiring them for university applications or work experience. Gap year opportunties are also available that enable students to be involved in the workplace. Basic IT skills are developed mainly through using Word, Powerpoint, Excel and webpages throughout students’ A Level research and studies and the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) offers students the opportunity to enhance their research, referencing, time-management and extended writing skills.