We are incredibly proud of the maturity, initiative and dedication shown by our Year 12 students who embarked on their work experience placements last week.  Once again, our students organised experience in a wide range of industries to either get a taste of working in a field they were interesting in pursing, or to build up their transferable skills in any industry so they are ready for work in the future. It was very rewarding for our tutors and the Sixth Form team to visit as many students as we could on placement and see them impressing their employers, working hard and representing the school admirably.

VETERINARY SCIENCE

Our two aspiring vets have been taking part in multiple placements. Emilia has stressed the importance of a range of experience and has committed herself to long term voluntary experiences to broaden her skillset, including working at veterinary practices, farms, stables, pony clubs and dog hydrotherapy centres.

Emily has worked in two veterinary clinics recently saying how much she as loved treating a variety of animals and observing professionals in theatre. She has also seen some of the more heart-breaking realities of the job, comforting patients who are losing animals they love. 

SCIENCE

A number of our students have a great love of science and have been enjoying placements with practical hands on work. Chloe D. has been working with the Chemistry Department at University of Warwick as she prepares for a career in biomedical science. She is also planning further experience in the research department of a hospital.

Lewis W. has explained that his time working with electrical engineers at Rolls Royce has helped him to advance his skills of analysis and that he is seeing the real life application of what he has learnt in his science A levels in school.

Sami W. has enjoyed his placement at a robotics company so much that he is hoping to go back for more experience soon. He has valued his hands-on experience with CAD and PLC programming as this is preparing him for the units he plans to study at university. His employer said “Sami is one of the best work experience students we have had. He is super keen and enthusiastic, asking lots of questions and he has a strong work ethic.”

CONSTRUCTION

Rory D. is pictured at Atlassian Williams F1 in Oxford where he is working with a construction company. He explained: “They are deconstructing the old wind tunnel. On Monday I was in Northampton where they deconstructed a shopping centre. I have learned so much this week about the work environment as I was in the office on Tuesday and Wednesday which was a great experience and has given me great skills. Overall I could not have asked for a better, more enjoyable work experience than the one that I had at Colemans and Co”.

We also spoke with students and their employers on placements within the healthcare industry. Gurleen K. enjoyed what was an “intense but very rewarding” week at Birmingham Children’s Hospital where she was able to experience the Surgery, Cardiology and Paediatric Intensive Care units.

Amrin H. had excellent feedback from her placement at a dental surgery, where she “has been observing surgery and asking lots of questions to make the most of her time with us. She has seen a range of treatments from extractions through to implants.”

At a pharmacy, Neha R. was surprised by how much she enjoyed her placement. Although it was difficult being on her feet all day, she found the job very interesting and has learnt a lot about common ailments and their treatments.

At another pharmacy, Jessica L. gained wonderful feedback form her employer, who said: “Jessica is a very bright student. She always arrives early and ready to work so we have tried to give her as much insight as possible.”

Ibrahim R. managed to secure a placement at a GP practice where he initially worked on reception, building up his communication skills with patients, an important part of his future medical aspirations. However he impressed with his enthusiasm so much that he was able to negotiate shadowing some GP appointments too.

Chenai M. gained experience in a radiography department, seeing the valued work of allied healthcare professionals, observing x rays, viewing fluoroscopy images and seeing the process of how CT and MRI scans are organised and scheduled.

Further impressive work was clear from Adil U. who has been offered a Saturday job following his successful placement at an opticians.

FINANCE

Accounting and Finance is a popular choice for many of our students. Nihal R. has been getting an insight into auditing at Azets Accounting in Birmingham city centre, which has confirmed he definitely wishes to pursue a career in finance. He has further placements in the school holidays at different firms and within new areas to accounting to help him narrow down which area of finance to pursue.

Emily S. has also enjoyed her work with nationwide on the shop floor greeting customers and getting some practical experiences working on transactions.

At an insurance brokers, Haleema K. was set a challenging task by her employer, who said they were “surprised by how she approached it in a really effective way. This has made us consider how we do things in future.”

Manjeevan S. enjoyed experiencing the 9 to 5 of an office environment and gained a varied experience processing invoices and tax returns, supporting with personal and company statutory accounts. 

A number of our students also attended a day at HSBC Headquarters in Birmingham where they discovered more about the apprenticeship opportunities available and gained vital advice on applications, CVs and Linked’In. The day was put together by current apprentices, including Nikita Marwaha, alumna of Barr Beacon School, who started her Finance Degree Apprenticeship with HSBC in 2024. We are very proud of what Nikita has achieved so far and grateful to her for giving back to the next generation. 

BUSINESS

Business is another popular choice for our students. Harry P. has been getting a full overview of a business, looking into VAT returns, working on Sage, examining statements and matching remittances. 

Samsher H. and Raghav B. have been working in the food industry with Raghav getting a full overview from working on a farm with the crops, examining the impact of the weather on the crop yields, all the way through to production, identifying the nutritional values of the products and preparing for deliveries.

Milan G. has been working for an electronics business where he has made a good impression on staff with his keen and enthusiastic work ethic, and he has enjoyed supporting customers.

Over in the hospitality industry, Abi S. has been helping create a rota for workers at Marston’s and seeing all of the administrative work that goes on behind the scenes to run a successful pub. Her employer said: “Abi is keen to learn, asks lots of questions and is the best work experience student I have had”.

LEGAL

Many of our students have high aspirations and hope to enter the legal profession, but with such a vast range of specialisms, work experience is essential to help make the right decision. Kareena P. has said: “I’m getting a proper insight of what being a solicitor is really like and I’ve met so many nice people giving me advice. They are trusting me to do actual work so I feel like I’m having a really good experience.”

At a local solicitors, Logan G. has enjoyed the variety of his experience working with different staff to learn their responsibilities and dealing with customers. His employer said: “Logan is a pleasure to work with. We would like to keep him longer!”

Jessica R. has appreciated being able to sit in on appointments with clients and seeing first hand the kind of work she could be involved in as a future solicitor.

Working at a housing association has also given Kaylisia T. legal experience, as she worked with the legal teams on matters with their tenants.

TEACHING

A number of our students have been getting a taste of teaching with placements at local schools. Diella I. has impressed staff with her reliability, punctuality and the way she adapts her communication well to staff and students.

Her placement at a primary school has confirmed that this is the profession for Amelia L. After helping Year 1 with their Maths, English and RE lessons, and supporting the transition day for reception into Year 1, Amelia received exceptional feedback from her employer: “She is amazing. We have had no TAs this week so it has been excellent having Amelia with us. She uses her initiative and does not need to ask where to help. We will be lost without her next week!”

Victor O. has used his placement at a secondary school within their Wellbeing Centre to gain experience that will support his ambition to enter the healthcare industry, within mental wellbeing. It is safe to say he was a hit with the staff and students alike: “Victor is a delightful, positive and polite young man. He has worked one to one with students, helping to re-integrate them back into lessons. He has supported staff in triage and confidently worked closely with senior leaders with ‘on call’ duty. He is a calm presence and the pupils have responded well to him. Victor is an absolute pleasure to work with and we have enjoyed having him.”

AND MANY MORE

Annabelle S. has working with the Music and Creative Arts department of the Salvation Army, putting on a wonderful showcase.

With his work experience at a legal firm taking place in the summer holidays, Royce E. used his time in work experience week to volunteer at a local charity shop.

Joshua S. has been set on pursuing a career with the police for a long time, and has really enjoyed his placement with them. He had the chance to meet the Deputy Commissioner and was even invited out for lunch with the team he ahs been working alongside.

Further to all of this, we have also had students working at a theatre, in gaming and entertainment, as a football coach, within communications and at engineering companies. 

We wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to every employer who offered our students a work placement. It is very generous to take the time to support young people with their first steps into the world of work and give them the invaluable opportunity to build their skillset and experience ready for the future.

Year 12 students are completing a two-day workshop in Finance, with Mrs Shokar run by MyBnk covering all things: sources of income, budgeting, saving accounts, borrowing, credit scores.

Students are having a great time this morning during the interactive session, they have learnt so much already and are keen to learn and prepare themselves financially for their futures. Students will also attain a qualification for completing this interactive workshop which is a Level 1 Award in Personal Money Management. 

Year 9 students had the exciting opportunity to step into the world of work for a day, shadowing a family member or friend in their workplace.

The placements were diverse, offering students a taste of various industries, including aerospace, hospitality, motor trades, dental practices, hair salons, legal firms, and even the police force.

An impressive 92% of students reported enjoying the experience, with 84% feeling more positive about their future careers.

The day also proved to be a valuable opportunity for pupils to develop essential skills for the workplace. Confidence, communication and adaptability were among the strongest areas of growth observed.

For those who couldn’t secure a placement, a special in-school day was arranged. Employers from Unite Living visited to share insights about their careers and challenge students with a hands-on task. The pupils were tasked with designing and building their own towns, carefully considering local needs, environmental factors and budget constraints. Each student took on a role within the company, such as Site Manager; Subcontractor; or Quantity Surveyor, and quickly discovered the importance of teamwork in completing the project successfully. Our guests were thoroughly impressed with the creativity and attention to detail demonstrated by the students as they met the challenges head-on.

Year 12 Students are preparing for their autumn university applications by visiting open days, summer schools and taster sessions. Recent visits to the University of Birmingham Open Day and Leicester University Insight Day were enjoyable experiences that have given students a taste of university life, insightful campus tours and a chance to ask current students and admissions tutors about the courses on offer. There is nothing that beats stepping onto campus and getting a feel for the university in person. Students have also been starting to write their personal statements and crafting their CVs to give themselves the bets possible chance in a competitive apprenticeship market too, with apprenticeship fairs coming up in the early Autumn.

Pupils in Year 8 visited Loughborough University to get a taste of university life. They learnt about the benefits of university from current students and had a tour of the vast campus. Loughborough University is renowned for its excellent sports programmes, but it also offers many other courses too. Nonetheless it was clear to see from their many outstanding sports facilities, where Olympic athletes like Adam Peaty have trained, that sport is a big part of this university. It was therefore the perfect way to end the day, when pupils took part in flag football, being trained on how to succeed from current university students and experts in their field. 

Pupils in Year 9 with an interest in engineering and construction careers took part in a workshop with HS2. The sessions tested their structural engineering skills as pupils built a tower and bridge, designed to meet certain measurements and withstand weights. They also designed and constructed their own train stations. Pupils worked in teams and were able to take on specific roles to ensure their designs were on budget and considered their environmental impact. Throughout the workshop, pupils learnt about the different careers available with large construction projects like HS2 and started to develop the skills needed to pursue these careers. 

A very special trip to Oxford University took place this term, with a group of Year 10 students being granted a unique opportunity to visit Oriel and Keble colleges. As well as having a tour around the two different colleges to get a feel for their differences, pupils were able to meet current students and ask them questions. Pupils also had an informative session on the different courses available at Oxbridge and were given advice on how to start preparing for their applications now, including learning about the importance of super-curricular activities. 

What are super-curricular activities? 

These are activities that many of the top universities in the UK look for in personal statements. While an extra-curricular activity is something in addition to your studies, such as a sports club or the Duke of Edinburgh Award, super-curricular activities are linked directly to the field of study you are interested in. For example, if you are insisted in studying History at university then it is important to research beyond the GCSE and A level curriculum: read a historical book, listen to a history podcast, watch a documentary. All of this will not only help you sell your passion when you are writing your future application, but it can also help you decide if a course is for you. If you find this wider research boring, then the course might not be for you. If you are fascinated to do this research and you find it fun, then you may have just found your dream course!

Year 8 pupils gained a taste of careers in the Police at the National Police Dog Trials. As well as being able to watch the dog trials, pupils visited a number of stations that showcased the many different roles available in the Police Force. Pupils tested riot gear, met armed response officers, learnt how traffic teams keep road users safe, put their running to the test with a bleep test, and even made their own smoothies. As well as this, Ambulance and Fire crews were also able to give pupils an insight into how they work alongside the Police, with pupils getting to explore a fire engine and ambulance.  

We are very proud to announce that Barr Beacon School has been recognised for its outstanding careers work. The school has been awarded the national Quality in Careers Standard at the highest Gold level, awarded under licence by Ixion (Part of the Shaw Trust Group).  The Quality in Careers Standard is awarded to schools and education providers who can demonstrate the importance they place on careers and how they support students to make decisions about their life after school.  

This standard has provided a flexible framework that has enabled us to audit our work on careers and ensure our students are receiving advice, practical support and experience so they are prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training. Achieving the national Quality in Careers Standard shows that we embrace, promote and endorse quality careers education and recognise the part it plays in the overall success of the school and its students.  

The school offers a range of activities to introduce students to the work of work and help them make decisions about life after school. You can find our Careers Plan and details of our Recent Events here.

At Barr Beacon School we are continually looking to improve the chances and opportunities of all of our students and will keep developing our careers programme. If you would like to work with the school, please email postbox@barrbeaconschool.co.uk.  

Recruiters are now using Assessment Centres more than ever before, with traditional interviews being just a small part of the interview process. In order to prepare our students for apprenticeship and graduate job applications, representatives from the Civil Service visited the school to run mock assessment centres.

Our Year 12 students received essential advice on how to succeed, with everything from making a good first impression, to being aware of their body language, through to how to work effectively in a team and communicate ideas professionally.

Students were given two tasks, both used by big apprenticeship employers in their recruitments practises. Each group received detailed feedback on what went well in Task 1 and students were then able to reflect on this and improve in Task 2.

Every student pushed themselves out of their comfort zone, developed transferable skills and said they felt more confident approaching an assessment centre in future.