University Preparation and Careers
Ashbourne students receive expert guidance and support to help them find the right degree course or career pathway that bests suits their ambitions and potential.
Ashbourne students receive expert guidance and support to help them find the right degree course or career pathway that bests suits their ambitions and potential.
At Ashbourne we work closely with every student to help them create an individual education programme that best reflects their passions and aptitude so they can build the confidence they need to succeed in their A levels and pursue the right career pathway.
Head of Sixth Form, Sean Pillai, oversees Ashbourne’s career development strategy, including individually tailored university or alternative application preparation, with Personal Tutors as well as the Careers and Events Officer, Catherine Tang. It is designed to help prepare students for a variety of post-A level options such as university entrance, degree apprenticeships, foundation courses, internships and direct employment.
The majority of our students go on to further education with around 63% of our graduates gaining places at top UK Russell Group universities.
Ashbourne’s careers programme is designed in accordance with the eight Gatsby Benchmarks and aims to offer each student the support and guidance necessary to develop their own university or career pathway.
“Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. They receive expert and individual guidance. Students in Year 13 have a tutor dedicated to the university application process. This helps them gain places at top universities.” Ofsted report 2021
Every A level student has a dedicated Personal Tutor who offers university and careers advice and guidance to support them throughout their time at the college. GCSE students take part in weekly PSHEE sessions that incorporate careers advice and skills development.
Every year Ashbourne organises a full-day event where our students get the opportunity to take part in university and careers-focused workshops and meet with a range of ex-students currently pursuing their undergraduate studies or apprenticeship as well as industry professionals.
Insight from Ashbourne Alumni
Ashbourne Alumni from our most popular University destinations, including Imperial College, King’s College, LSE, UCL, UAL, Durham, Manchester and Cambridge, are invited back to the College to give talks, sharing their first-hand experience and providing insights for Year 12 students.
During these talks, alumni offer a glimpse into the academic challenges and opportunities they faced, the transition from school to university, and how they adapted to new environments. They often discuss the realities of their chosen fields of study, shedding light on what students can expect from specific courses and institutions. Alumni also provide practical advice on managing workloads, navigating campus life and making the most of the resources available at university.
Realistic planning for university
In addition to academics, these sessions delve into the wider university experience, including budgeting, social life, extracurricular activities, internships and opportunities that helped shape their career paths. Alumni candidly discuss how their time at Ashbourne prepared them for higher education, highlighting the skills and values they carried forward.
The interactive nature of these talks allows students to ask questions and seek personalised advice, creating a dynamic and engaging atmosphere. Hearing directly from individuals who have successfully navigated the journey from Ashbourne to prestigious universities not only inspires but also provides a realistic perspective on what lies ahead.
This initiative is a cornerstone of the College’s Careers Programme, fostering a sense of community and continuity while empowering students to make informed decisions about their academic and professional futures.
First-hand knowledge from professionals
Ashbourne also invites guest speakers from a selection of different industries – architecture, business management, finance and banking, law, engineering, medicine, film and media, computer science, art – to present their careers to students. This creates the opportunity for students to encounter employers and employees, gaining first-hand knowledge of the skills, qualifications and pathways needed for success in these fields.
These talks are designed to be both informative and inspiring, offering students an inside look into the day-to-day realities of various professions. Speakers share their career journeys, including the challenges they faced and the milestones they achieved, providing valuable context to the academic and personal decisions students will soon be making. They also discuss emerging trends and innovations in their industries, giving students a forward-looking perspective on the opportunities and challenges of the modern workplace.
Inspiration and practical guidance
In addition to delivering presentations, every guest speaker engages in Q&A sessions where students can ask detailed questions about specific roles, industries, or career paths. This interaction helps students clarify their interests and identify potential career aspirations. Professionals aim at equipping students with actionable advice.
By exposing students to a wide array of industries and professional journeys, Ashbourne’s Careers Programme ensures that they are well-informed about the broad spectrum of possibilities available to them. This initiative not only broadens students’ horizons but also encourages them to take proactive steps toward achieving their ambitions.
Creating compelling personal statements
Another essential part of the Careers Day is the Personal Statement workshop with the Year 12 Personal Tutors. This session is designed to guide students through the process of crafting a compelling and well-structured personal statement, a crucial component of their university applications. Personal Tutors provide tailored advice on how to effectively highlight each student’s unique skills, achievements and aspirations while aligning their experiences with the requirements of their chosen courses or careers.
During the workshop, students are encouraged to reflect on their academic interests, extracurricular activities, and work experiences, helping them to articulate their passions and goals with clarity and confidence. The workshop also includes practical guidance on structuring the statement, using persuasive language, and avoiding common pitfalls such as clichés or generic phrasing.
Going into Ashbourne I didn’t think I was capable of getting the grades to attend a good university or end up doing a degree apprenticeship at a firm such as J.P. Morgan. Ashbourne quickly proved to me I was more than capable of achieving whatever I put my mind to.
Harry was offered a Finance Degree Apprenticeship with J.P. Morgan after graduating from Ashbourne.
Students will also look into work experience and volunteering opportunities during their Year 12 Personal Tutor sessions that directly relate to their chosen university course or professional pathway. Previous students have undertaken placements at companies such as Barclays, Steelo, LovePR and KCW today.
Hands-on experience introduces students to the world of work and provides a window into the industry they hope to join. It also provides valuable material for students to use in their university applications.
Every Friday, the Ashbourne community – current students, their parents and guardians, as well as all staff members – receive a newsletter in which a specific section is dedicated to careers. This section introduces a variety of supercurricular activities including academic competitions, online and in-person lectures (for example, the Cambridge Masterclasses or the ones at the Royal Institution), work experience opportunities, books and podcasts.
By highlighting supercurricular activities, the newsletter encourages students to go beyond the standard curriculum and engage in pursuits that deepen their understanding and passion for their chosen fields.
Each edition features up-to-date information on opportunities across different disciplines, such as STEM, humanities, arts and business, to ensure inclusivity and relevance. For example, students interested in medicine might find details about virtual work experience programmes in healthcare or insights into medical ethics through recommended books and podcasts. Similarly, aspiring engineers could discover design challenges, robotics competitions, or workshops led by industry professionals.
Every November, the Head of Sixth Form offers an online careers talk for parents of all Year 12 students, in which he explains the process of university application and how to build a compelling and competitive supercurricular profile.
The talk covers the entire university application timeline, from researching courses and institutions to submitting UCAS applications. Parents are guided through key milestones, such as drafting personal statements, obtaining strong references and preparing for interviews, particularly for competitive courses like medicine, law and Oxbridge applications. The session also highlights the importance of predicted grades and the role they play in securing offers from universities.
A significant portion of the talk is dedicated to building a robust supercurricular profile, which goes beyond academic performance to showcase a student’s genuine enthusiasm for their subject. Parents are introduced to various opportunities that can enrich their child’s application, such as attending subject-specific lectures, participating in academic competitions, enrolling in MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and securing relevant work experience. Practical tips are provided on how to identify and encourage these activities, ensuring they align with the student’s interests and aspirations.
Ashbourne runs specialist university entrance programmes for students intending to apply to competitive universities and degree courses including Oxbridge, Medical School, Engineering, Finance and Art & Design.
Lilian is studying Medicine at King’s College London. She graduated from Ashbourne’s Medical School Programme with Biology A, Chemistry A and Mathematics A*.
What attracted me to Ashbourne was the small class sizes and how personal everything felt between you and your teacher. The Medical School Programme gave me the skills and tols I needed to go into the interview and to write a good personal statement.
Ashbourne embraces local authority initiatives and business partnerships to create career-based opportunities for our students whilst they are studying at Ashbourne. This has included, for example, Ashbourne art students loaning their artwork to local businesses. During Year 12 students will explore and research career initiatives and opportunities that suit their individual goals with their Personal Tutors.
Ashbourne teachers integrate activities and material in their lessons that help broaden students’ understanding of how subject knowledge and skills can apply to the real world and particular professions as well as offering a wide range of super curricular activities.
