Careers and post-18 outcomes

Reigate Grammar School has a dedicated careers team which is available daily offering guidance to students and answering questions from parents.

Reigate Grammar School’s careers programme begins in the First Form and solid foundations are built upon in every subsequent year.

First Form students receive lessons via the PSHEE programme on decision-making as well as understanding self. They are also invited to take part in the scholarship enrichment programme and departmental clubs and societies.

From the Second Form onwards, students are invited to attend wide-ranging careers talks and events. They also have careers lessons in form time on choices and on making use of Unifrog to understand labour market information (LMI). The GCSE information evening helps students to make subject choices for the next three years.

Third and Fourth Form students are able to take part in careers lessons covering CV writing, key competencies, A Level/BTEC choices and LMI research using Unifrog.

In the Fifth Form, students attend the A Level information evening and receive presentations which assist with A Level course selection. Students have the option to take part in a careers profiling test including an interview with an external careers expert. Later in the year, students and parents have a futures meeting with a member of the teaching or pastoral staff in order to help with post-16 decisions.

Once in the Sixth Form, the focus turns to post-18 choices. In addition to the many talks and careers events, the Higher Education evening includes a presentation from an admissions expert from a prestigious university and the chance to take part in a Q&A with former students who are currently at university. UCAS days, UCAS lessons and presentations on alternatives to university and applying abroad provide further insight. Students have access to Unifrog to help them with their decision-making and are able to take a university course profiling test with a follow up interview with an external careers adviser. The academic enrichment programme exists to help students prepare for interviews and admissions tests at the most competitive universities. The Medical Discussion Group runs each week to help students to prepare for Medicine, Vet Medicine and Dentistry.

Upper Sixth students are guided through the application process for university or apprenticeships and are offered interview practice for standard 1-1, panel and for multiple mini interviews (MMI). There are lessons and presentations on areas such as student finance and budgeting, moving away from home and life skills in order to help students prepare for life after RGS. Students receive guidance on their final university/apprenticeship decisions, and then, again, on A Level results day and beyond should they need further assistance.

The Careers department is always happy to help students who have left school with decisions and applications.

Further advice and information about RGS’s careers programme may be found on the Careers website or follow us on Twitter (@RGSCareers)

RGS students can access this Sway presentation which hosts links to many Careers talks and evenings that have been held over the last three years including all of the subject talks from last year’s Higher Education Convention.