Careers Guidance

At Oasis Academy Coulsdon we are committed to supporting our students with their future career path. The links on the next page will help support you with your applications.

For further information about our careers programme please contact Mr Pelling.

Click here to view our Careers Provider Access Policy.

 

Sacu - a unique career quiz used by students at thousands of UK schools and colleges; offers independent and impartial careers information

National Apprenticeship Service - information on the range of available apprenticeships

How2become - guidance on how to write a CV, complete an application form, pass psychometric tests and succeed in interviews

Careerpilot - explores choices at 14, 16 and 18 and combined study and work options

Not Going to Uni - info and guidance on apprenticeships, gap years, distance learning and jobs

Study & Careers Magazine - secondary & sixth form educational and careers magazine with tips & advice to help students excel

 

Choosing which path to take at the end of Year 11 can be confusing for many students.

The following pages offer guidance and support when thinking about this crucial next stage of your education.

Croydon post-16 links:

• Technical college
• Croydon post-16 prospectus

Sixth form colleges:

• Croydon College
• John Ruskin College

Support post-16 for students with special needs and disabilities:

• Post-16 information for students with special needs
• Preparing for Adulthood - transition leaflet for young adults with SEND

Coulsdon College

Post-16 provision can be  based at Coulsdon College under our Partnership agreement. Partner School status means that Oasis students who apply to Coulsdon College will be guaranteed a place and any course that they are qualified to do (provided they apply within the published application deadline and meet the minimum standards for entry). 

Over recent years there have been some significant changes at Coulsdon College. Indeed, the College’s recent Ofsted Report once again graded them as 'Good' and highlights that 'Teachers and managers set high expectations for learners' and 'Staff are strongly committed to supporting learners in having clear aspirations of what they want to achieve'.

(Click here to read the College's comments on the recent Ofsted Report and their vision for the future).

 

All students could enjoy other benefits from this partnership including:

• Oasis Academy Coulsdon will be placed in a higher admissions category than is currently the case, which will in effect give a degree of certainty of a place, subject to prompt application and satisfying entry requirements.
• Coulsdon College involvement in the Key Stage 4 Pathways process
• Careers advice
• Year 10 assemblies
• Year 10 ‘taster days’ at Coulsdon College
• Year 11 assemblies & advice
• College Open Events

Finding out about work can be daunting but there are lots of useful sources of information to help keep you informed about where to work and different ways of working. Check out our useful links to get you started.

Once you have gained employment it is important to understand your contract and employment rights, ACAS is a good place to check the information.

Since the government introduced the Apprenticeship Levy, more employers are offering an alternative to university by learning on the job.  You can find out more here.

In Croydon and surrounding areas most jobs are in the following industries:

• Science & Technology
• Administration
• Wholesale and Retail
• Health & Social Care
• Information Technology

 

Useful links:

Borough profile - Croydon Local Strategic Partnership's 2019 borough profile

Coast to Capital - how Croydon fits into the Coast to Capital programme (includes the Gatwick 360 strategic economic plan)

NOMIS  - free access to the most detailed and up-to-date UK labour market statistics

LMI For All - combines government information with vacancy data from various sources

Skills Match - features labour market information (LMI) for the whole London region

icould - accessible labour market information

National Careers Service - career profiles organised by industry featuring local opportunities

Start - a digital careers platform featuring designed to connect you to your future career

 

Oasis Academy Coulsdon is partnered with the Reed Enterprise Careers programme.

The London Enterprise Adviser Network helps young people to build the skills and experiences they need to lead successful futures. It does this by connecting businesses with schools and colleges. This ensures that young people are aware of all the career pathways and opportunities available to them.

Oasis Academy Coulsdon is part of the few schools in Croydon chosen to be on the LEAN network. Linked with Enterprise Advisor Bryony Williams, the Head of People at an Accounting Firm and Enterprise Coordinator Phil Seruwo (pictured), Oasis Coulsdon is working together with the LEAN network to improve the Academy’s compliance with the Gatsby Benchmarks.”

All students at Oasis Academy receive Careers information and advice.

Careers education is part of each Family Group’s Life Skills/PSHE programme.

Year 8 students spend time thinking about careers when they choose their KS4 options. Their subject tutors and mentors are there to advise them so each student makes an informed choice about their future studies.

Careers workshops and assemblies are provided to students – delivered by parents and local businesses/companies from a wide variety of professions and industries.

During Key Stage 4, every student receives a ‘one-to-one’ careers interview with an experienced Careers Advisor.

Our partnership with Coulsdon College  gives students access to their full-time Careers department.  College staff also deliver assemblies and provides career-focused tutorial resources to help guide our students on their post-16 choices. 

We also have a contract with Cfbt Careers Service. The Advisor is with us one day a week and also offers a ‘drop-in’ service as well as scheduled interview times for students. She attends events such as Parents’ Evenings and our Post-16 Guidance Day.

Year 10 students take part in a week long work experience programme during the Summer Term. They are fully prepared for this beforehand and shown how to make use of the skills they have learnt when they return to school. 

Year 11 students are informed of the Post-16 opportunities available to them and supported in their applications to Colleges and to other Further Education centres or apprenticeships of their choice. They are given detailed information about this process. They also receive information about financial competency from Barclays Bank.

Students are also given the opportunity to participate in the national ‘Young Enterprise Scheme’ and ‘The Duke of Edinburgh Award’ and are also encouraged to take up volunteering. Students are advised as to how these activities will all help towards their future employment.

We are committed to the future of our students and ensuring they understand the routes into employment armed with knowledge and resilient to the realities of the current market.

We are determined to deliver excellent careers guidance and prepare our students to gain meaningful employment or training enabling them to find their best Post-16 pathway. 

For further information about our careers programme please contact Mr Pelling.

 

University options:

How to apply through UCAS for a university place.

Apprenticeships:

You can find out more about what an apprenticeship is at Success atSchool.  If this is the right route for you, find out more about apprenticeships here.

Employment:

Not going to Uni is a fantastic place to find jobs looking for school leavers and those choosing not to study straight after school.

Reed offer a CV template to help with your applications.

Calling all parents/carers!

Do you or a friend offer work experience placements?

If you are able to help, please contact our careers coordinator Tamzin Moore.

Neil Williams, former student at Oasis Academy Coulsdon.

Neil left school at 16 years old and went straight into work on a school leaver programme in London, from there he studied AAT and ACA and went on to become a partner at the same accounting firm.

Now a successful accountant dealing with a range of clients including many in the media sector.

Neil’s advice to current students: find something you enjoy doing as it makes working life easier, if you’re not sure what to do, find a training programme where you can learn and grow into a role.