This year’s Careers Department Employer Talks have ranged from crewing on superyachts with OC Minna Peake (A, 2010) to working for the United Nations with OC Matt Ripley (S, 2001) via careers in Psychology with current parent, Dr Justin Havens. Our online university subject masterclasses hosted by OCs studying at institutions around the UK have covered Social Sciences and Engineering and we welcomed more than 30 employers to both the Arts and Creative Industries and Business and Finance Careers Evenings that were attended by nearly 200 pupils from Third Form to Upper Sixth.

Mr John Jones hosted the inaugural Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science Conference which featured key speakers from all aspects of these professions with focus on both careers and university applications. The afternoon session featured hands-on suturing workshops and a presentation on the orthopaedics specialty. We were delighted to host more than 70 pupils from College and our neighbouring schools.

Applications from 168 students were submitted by the Higher Education (HE) team to UK universities and conservatoires. Everyone received offers. We welcomed the Universities of Birmingham and Cardiff to talk to the Sixth Form about choices and what to expect at university and Jane Marshall from Optimising Futures joined us once more to talk about how to write a winning UCAS personal statement.

Mr Andrew Hollingbury’s Oxbridge programme supported 11 students’ applications while Mr Nick Nelson’s overseas university programme generated 45 offers including 18 scholarships to universities in USA, Canada, Hong Kong and Europe, and Mr Jones’ Medicine, Dentistry and Vet programme resulted in nine offers from UK and international universities.

The Young Entrepreneurs’ Club hosted by mentor and current parent, Mr Oli Christie, continued to grow and guide our young business minded Upper College students, and Mr Alastair Eykyn, current parent and sport commentator and presenter, hosted interview workshops for Upper College students looking to improve their self-presentation skills. Alice Tomblin launched the Prothero Architecture Society to support younger pupils hoping to forge a career in Architecture, and organised talks from the University of Bath, an award-winning RIBA practice and OCs studying Architecture at university.

Lower Sixth Futures Week, saw students engaging in four days of careers, higher education, apprenticeship and employability talks and workshops, alongside a year group visit to the UCAS conference in Birmingham and a mock interview for each student with an external volunteer from the Cheltonian Society.

Mrs Rebecca Evans