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.

Barr Beacon School was lucky enough to have a return visit from Randip Bahra, a Chartered Surveyor and Fellow with RICS. A new cohort of students learnt all about the different opportunities in surveying and stepped into the shoes of a Quantity Surveyor and Planning Surveyor, working out the profit margins for a housing project and devising environmental solutions to make their project more sustainable. Students were interested to not only learn about the attractive salaries on offer within these professions, but also to discover the wider reach of housing projects in supporting local communities.

Pupils in Year 10 were visited by representatives from Oxford and Cambridge University to discover more about what studying at a top university would be like. Our speakers explained the differences between their universities, the community feel gained from the college system and the many wide ranging courses on offer. The key message was to always try applying if you are interested, as you never know where it could lead.

Year 12 Students and Year 10 pupils had the invaluable opportunity to attend free first aid training with St John Ambulance. Pupils learnt how to deal with several life threatening situations, including responding to a catastrophic bleed, performing CPR on an a patient who isn’t breathing and placing unresponsive patients in the recovery position.  

The session also raised awareness of the risks of vape spiking and knife crime.

Our Year 12 Students were visited by the team at Ask Apprenticeships to gain advice on pursuing apprenticeships after Sixth Form. Students learnt about the key places to find vacancies and were given top tips for succeeding.