Putting the Mock Examinations into Context 5 th February 2014
The Mock Examinations An indicator of current performance level They need to be taken seriously and lessons learned Are students actually working hard enough? Or are they fooling us/themselves?
Relating AS performance to Post – Sixth form Choices Predicted grades and references will be based on AS examination results this summer! Statistics tell us that students who are re-sitting exams have less chance of improving the overall grade.
Post-Sixth Form Parent Information Evening 5 th February 2014
WHS post-sixth form trends Most sixth forms / colleges have to work hard to encourage their students to aspire to university. At WHS we experience the opposite. The significant majority of WHS tend to assume university is their only option. We try to encourage all students to fully consider all options available to them – as “trying” university carries a cost.
HE application figures Increased tuition fees led to a drop in HE applications in 2011 and 2012. However, this figure rose 6.6% in 2013 when 495600 people were placed into HE by UCAS – the highest number ever recorded. WHS UCAS applications did not drop despite the fee increase. Last year there was an increase to 85% of the Year 13 cohort applying to university. At the time of the recent January deadline, 83% of the current Year 13 cohort had applied. Managing this volume of applications is a complex process – requiring parental support to be fully effective.
Useful sources UCAS Parent Guide: published by UCAS. Please order online. www.parentadviser.co.uk: a new independent website specifically aimed at supporting parents. Covers finance, league tables, the process, course choices, etc. You can also sign up for their regular newsletter updates (free).
Post degree prospects… Degrees are no longer the “passport to guaranteed success”. However, in April to June 2013 the graduate employment rate stood at 87% which was higher than the employment rate for those educated to A level standard (83%), A* to C grade GCSE standard (76%)and the rates for those with other qualifications (70%) or no qualifications (47%) ( Office for National Statistics ) So … graduates still have the competitive edge overall BUT a degree is now more a “licence to hunt” as opposed to offering any guarantees for the future. Nearly half of employed recent graduates were working in a non-graduate role according to the 2013 Office for National Statistics report. Students must try to differentiate themselves . According to a BBC News report from 2013, around 85 graduates are competing for each graduate position.
What does this mean for our students? They should not make assumptions about their future post-sixth form. It is crucial that students are extremely proactive . They must take the time to fully research and explore their options to ensure that they have a long-term strategy. We must share the “real world” picture. They should focus not just on academic study but also on developing the skills that will help them in the future.
What are HE & employers looking for? General knowledge and awareness of issues impacting the world around them. Personal Learning & Thinking Skills (PLTs): - team workers - independent enquirers - self managers - reflective learners - effective participants - creative thinkers The “5Rs”: readiness, resourcefulness, resilience, responsibility, reflectiveness.
Long term motivations? Money? Non-financial rewards? Intellectual challenge? Active, hands-on career? Working as a team? Leading others? Security?
Study or earning? Do I want to study for a further three, or more, years? Does this excite me? Would I rather be more “hands on”? Do I want to start earning my own money now? Should I explore employment training opportunities, such as apprenticeships? www.apprenticeships.org.uk If I want an apprenticeship, am I prepared to travel? (E.g. Trafford, Crewe.) Our students tend to think traditional HE is the only option – many see it as the “easy option”. More than ever, this is an unwise assumption.
What if I choose not to go to university? Additional advice and guidance is given to students who decide not to apply for university on: Other FE routes: college, part time courses, foundation degrees. Applying for jobs: searching, applying, CVs, interviews. Applying for apprenticeships. How can the National Careers Service website help me? The timing of this tends to be later. www.notgoingtouni.co.uk
Not going to uni? Be proactive! Students not applying through UCAS have less of a defined process to follow so need to be more proactive to identify the opportunities. Prestigious organisations are seeing students deterred from applying to university as an opportunity to secure some bright young people early in their careers. Recent success stories include students securing apprenticeships with organisations companies such as IBM and McCann Ericsson .
Work experience: who needs it? Relevant work experience is extremely useful, both to help decide on a future path and to give “competitive edge”. Students considering employment/ apprenticeships should seek relevant experience to increase their chances of securing a position. For vocational degrees (nursing, teaching, medicine, physiotherapy, etc) evidence of work experience is an integral part of the selection process: students without relevant experience are likely to be unsuccessful. Students must allow sufficient time to set up work experience.
Work experience: practicalities Independent learning fortnight – Monday 30 th June – Friday 11 th July (inclusive) Opportunity to spend one or two weeks on one or more placements. Documentation and checks need completing. Can you help? drogers@wilmslowhigh.cheshire.sch.uk Students can arrange work experience for Wednesday afternoons. Any other work experience must be arranged for during school holidays. A note for the future: work experience during university degree is now essential for competitive edge on graduation. The degree itself is seldom enough anymore.
Why go to university? Are they seeking academic challenge? Are they seeking to develop as a person? Do they want to develop independence? Is it their own decision or aspiration? Do they have a medium/long-term career plan? This must be the right decision for the individual student, not for other people.
And the not so good reasons... “Everyone else is going.” “I don’t know what else to do.” “I’ll earn a lot of money afterwards.” “My parents will be disappointed in me if I don’t go to university.” “I can’t be bothered researching other options; it seems like a lot of work.” “It’ll be a laugh.”
Is a university degree needed? For a number of industries and careers, a degree is neither required nor necessary; practical experience and “on the job” training may well be preferable. If a degree isn’t required, students may still wish to go on to HE, for the educational and personal experience, but should be clear regarding the practical benefit afterwards. Most students assume that they need a degree to succeed. Research is crucial.
Where to start? The important thing is that students don’t wait for these questions to resolve themselves. Every year, students aimlessly drift along and then submit a university application because they haven’t thought of anything else. This is not a good idea… Taking proactive and decisive action will help them to make the right decisions.
Where to start? PHSCE day 6 th February: introduction to post- sixth form choices programme and presentation on decision to go to university from Llinos Williams. Use the course search function on www.ucas.com to check entry requirements . UCAS fair 12 th March: Manchester “Gmex” “Post - Sixth Form” support booklet to be covered during tutor time starting in March.
All courses are not equal There are often huge variations in graduate and lifetime earnings depending on the degree subject studied. Our students often assume that “any degree” will be an advantage to them in the future; this is not necessarily the case. Research is key: www.unistats.com is very useful to help compare % of students securing graduate jobs from various degrees.
Researching university options Type of course? What subject to study? Course requirements in relation to predicted grades? Open Days? (Be selective and sensible) Independent Learning Fortnight is a good opportunity to attend – opendays.com Reputation of the university for a particular course? (E.g. use broadsheet league tables) Area of the country – stay near home or move far away? Cost implications of this?
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