Careers Programme

The Sir Robert Woodard Academy is committed to providing our students with a programme of careers education, advice and guidance (CEIAG) for all students in years 7 to 13. We believe that a strong and cohesive careers programme allows all students to increase their aspirations, and make sensible and ambitious choices regarding their post-16 and post-18 choices.

By the time students leave us, they will have been exposed to the various options regarding academic or vocational pathways, universities, apprenticeships and T-Level providers. All students will be given the opportunity to meet employers, and have different experiences of workplaces.

Our careers leader is Josh Andain (jandain@srwa.co.uk) and our careers advisor is Anne Squires (asquires@srwa.co.uk). Feel free to contact us if you would like to contribute to our provision of careers guidance, be that by participating in our ‘Futures Fair’ held in July, by offering work experience placements or through talks, mentoring or assemblies. We are very keen to develop our community around careers, therefore we welcome input from all stakeholders. Please click this link if you would like to see our provider access policy.

Unifrog

Every student has access to the Unifrog website, which allows them to explore jobs, and find out about different educational pathways and qualifications. It also contains live data about local and national trends in different industries. 

Unifrog brings into one place every undergraduate university course, apprenticeship, and college course in the UK, as well as other opportunities This makes it easy for students to compare and choose the best university courses, apprenticeships or further education courses for them. Additionally, the platform helps students successfully apply for these opportunities by helping them to write their personal statements, applications and CVs. 

Students log in using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage parents to use the platform with your child so they can be supported through the process of deciding their next steps. We will also log careers activities that students engage in during their time at the Academy, in order to build a ‘locker’ of careers related experiences.

Additionally, we have set up a parent login so that you can use Unifrog as if you were a student yourself, allowing you to truly support your child. The form code you need is SIRWParents and you can sign up here: www.unifrog.org/code
Students can login here.

Alumni

We have a strong alumni programme with many former students returning to share their experience and knowledge with our students. Did you go to SRWA or Boundstone Community College? Join our LinkedIn Alumni group.

Careers information for families

Every two weeks we publish a Parental Communication Bulletin and a Student Bulletin which includes regular information about our careers programme, links to Labour Market Information, job opportunities and details of career activities that are going on within the academy. 

Careers Learning Journey

Below is our seven-year learning journey for all students, mapping out their learning experiences, opportunities and encounters.

Careers Interviews and Progression Support

Each student in year 11 will have a one-to-one interview with a qualified Careers Advisor to discuss their future plans. Students across the academy also have regular conversations with a range of staff regarding their next steps post-Key Stage 3, post-16 or post-18. We believe that providing the space and time for personalised and informed dialogue is crucial in helping students to navigate the transitions through Key Stages.

Colleges and Further Education Information

Students are given information about the local sixth-form providers and colleges, including the courses on offer and the details of open evenings and entry requirements.

Work Experience

Every student in year 12 gets involved in a week-long work placement and learns about the world of work. Students find a placement which links to their programme of study and complete a work experience journal to reflect on the skills developed and the learning from the process. We have links with a wide range of employers in the local area, as well as further afield across Sussex and Brighton.

Summer Schools

We support students in finding and applying to a wide range of summer schools that are held over the summer between years 12 and 13. Many of these are free and provide accommodation, meals and tutorials at university.

Oxbridge Process

Our most able students are counselled to make applications to one of either Oxford or Cambridge. With a wealth of knowledge amongst our staff body and with input from our Woodard partner school, Hurstpierpoint College, students are able to get applications, personal statements and interview practice to prepare for these competitive university places.

For students applying to top universities, we are able to enrol students in a mentoring programme which pairs them with a university student at a university to which they wish to apply, such as Oxford and Cambridge. These mentors meet with students regularly online and provide support with personal statements, interview preparation and broader revision and academic support. It is a great way to support students to get into top universities, particularly those from under-represented groups.

Careers Programme Evaluation

As part of our Careers Leader annual review, we evaluate our assess the impact of our careers programme in the following ways:

• Destinations data
• Student and parent voice surveys
• Student interaction data from Unifrog
• Termly Compass Benchmark Evaluation against the national Gatsby Benchmarks, which is shared with our local careers and enterprise partners. 
   

This information is reviewed on a regular basis and is formally reviewed annually, as part of our commitment to the ongoing development of our provision. This information will next be formally updated in July 2025.