Careers advice and guidance at The Stonehenge School
The Stonehenge School is fully committed to delivering a high-quality programme of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG), and work-related learning that meets the needs of all students from Year 7 through to Year 11.
Our careers provision is structured around the updated Gatsby Benchmarks ensuring that all students benefit from a stable careers programme, meaningful employer encounters, and tailored guidance that supports their aspirations and future pathways.
By the time our students leave The Stonehenge School, they will have engaged in a wide range of experiences, opportunities, and personalised guidance that will enable them to make well-informed decisions about their future education, training, and employment. We are committed to raising aspirations, promoting social mobility, and preparing every young person for the rapidly evolving world of work
Careers Contacts
Caroline Colvin -Careers Advisor and Coordinator
colvinc@stonehenge.wilts.sch.uk
Fiona Staker- SLT Careers Link : stakerf@stonehenge.wilts.sch.uk
Louise Sturman and Mark Verbinnen- Careers Link Governors
Information For Parents
Parents and carers play a vital role in shaping their child’s future, particularly when it comes to decisions about education, training, and employment. With an ever-expanding range of post-16 pathways — including A-levels, T Levels, apprenticeships, vocational qualifications, and employment with training — it’s more important than ever that young people receive informed and balanced guidance. In the first instance, we encourage parents to support their child in engaging with our in-house careers support service, where trained professionals can offer personalised advice. Beyond this, we recognise that parents are often the first port of call when a young person is making big decisions. That’s why we want to empower you to have confident, meaningful conversations with your child about their goals and aspirations. Our weekly careers newsletter is a great way to stay informed, and we also recommend the resources below, which provide trusted and up-to-date information across a range of career and study options.
Helpful Resources for Parents:
https://www.careerpilot.org.uk
https://www.ucas.com/explore/what-to-do
By staying informed and engaged, you can help your child feel supported and confident in making choices that align with their interests, strengths, and long-term ambitions.
Teachers
Please refer to the resources on the staff intranet.
Information For Students
Thinking about your future can feel exciting – and sometimes a bit overwhelming! That’s why we offer lots of support to help you explore your interests, understand your options, and start planning your next steps.
Unifrog – Your Careers Toolkit
We use Unifrog, an easy-to-use online platform that helps you explore careers, university courses, apprenticeships, and more. You can use Unifrog to discover what careers match your skills and interests, compare different pathways, and even build your CV. Every student has an account, so make sure you’re logging in regularly.
In-House Careers Advisor
We’re lucky to have our own dedicated careers advisor in school. You can drop in for a quick chat or book a one-to-one appointment if you want more detailed guidance. Whether you’re thinking about college, apprenticeships, work experience or just not sure where to start, our advisor is here to help.
Careers in the Curriculum
Every subject you study connects to the world of work in some way. Your teachers will highlight career paths linked to their subjects and can offer advice about qualifications and skills you’ll need in the future. So, if you’re passionate about a particular subject, don’t be afraid to ask your teacher how it could shape your career!
Other Ways We Support You
- Assemblies and Workshops with guest speakers from different careers and industries
- Careers Fairs and employer visits to give you real-life insight
- Work Experience Opportunities to help you build confidence and develop useful skills
- College and Apprenticeship Support, including help with applications and interviews
- Trips and Visits to Further and Higher Education establishments
Remember, there’s no “one right path” – careers advice is about helping you find what suits your goals, strengths and interests. Start the conversation now, ask questions, and use the tools available to you. Your future is yours to shape!
Information For Employers
At The Stonehenge School, we are committed to building strong and meaningful connections with local employers, businesses, organisations, and parents who are part of our wider community. We believe that by sharing your expertise, experiences, and opportunities, our students can gain valuable insights into the world of work, helping to broaden their horizons, raise aspirations, and better prepare for their future careers.
Your involvement can make a real difference—whether through offering work experience placements, delivering careers talks, supporting mock interviews, hosting workplace visits, mentoring students, or simply sharing upcoming opportunities within your organisation. In return, you’ll have the chance to connect with talented, enthusiastic young people who may become your future employees, apprentices, or volunteers.
We are currently developing a database of contacts and opportunities, and we would be delighted to include you, whatever level of support you can offer
To get involved or to find out more, please contact Mrs Colvin (Careers Advisor) at 01980 623407 or colvinc@stonehenge.wilts.sch.uk
Apprenticeships
An apprenticeship allows you to work with a real employer, gain hands-on experience, earn money, and achieve a nationally recognised qualification — all at the same time. They’re open to anyone aged 16 and over currently not in full-time education. You will learn more about apprenticeships in your PSHE lessons. Assemblies, at the Careers Fair as well as at Appren-T-fest.
You can also find out more from trusted websites such as:
https://www.amazingapprenticeships.com/
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch
https://www.ucas.com/apprenticeships
Remember, apprenticeships aren’t a second choice; they’re a smart choice for many careers, from engineering to business, healthcare to the arts.
Labour Market Information
Labour Market Information (LMI) is data about jobs and careers. It tells you things like:
- What jobs are currently in demand
- What skills and qualifications are needed for different careers
- How much you might earn in different jobs
- Which industries are growing or shrinking
- What kinds of jobs exist in your local area and beyond
Why is Labour Market Information Important for Students?
When you’re thinking about your future career, it helps to make informed choices. LMI can help you:
- Choose GCSEs and further study options that link to growing career areas
- Understand what employers are looking for, so you can develop the right skills
- Explore career paths you may not have considered
- Plan for a job market that will exist in the future, not just today
Even if you’re not sure yet what you want to do, LMI can help you explore and start narrowing down your options.
Where Can You Find Reliable Labour Market Information?
There are lots of great websites that provide up-to-date and easy-to-understand LMI for students:
National Careers Service – Explore hundreds of job profiles and career paths
Careerpilot – Especially useful for students aged 11–19, with information tailored to your region
icould – Watch real people talking about their jobs and career journeys
Evaluation Of Careers Programme
We assess our Careers Program termly and after Key events in the following ways:
Compass+ is used evaluate our programme against the eight benchmarks of best practice (known as the Gatsby Benchmarks).
Working closely with the Swindon and Wiltshire Careers Hub
Regular use of questionnaires including yearly FSQs
Scrutiny of destination data and emerging patterns.
Evaluation of the careers element of the PSHE programme at each checkpoint
Parent and Staff Feedback
KS3-4 Careers Learning Journey
Further useful links
T-Levels
T-Level Information for Parents
Local Sixth Forms and Colleges
https://www.bishopwordsworths.org.uk/
https://www.swgs.wilts.sch.uk/
https://www.salisbury6c.ac.uk/
https://www.thewellingtonacademy.org.uk/
Military Recruitment
https://www.army.mod.uk/army-careers/
https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/find-your-role
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers
Healthcare Careers
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/
Support for Year students from Military Families
https://www.forcesemployment.org.uk/who-we-help/we-support-young-people-from-military-families/
Careers Newsletters
Careers Newsletters
Sixth Form FAQ
I am uncertain about which sixth form I should apply to. What should I do?
If you are not yet sure, apply to more than one sixth form provider. Many students submit applications for two or three institutions and make their minds up in the summer.
I have been told that I may not get in to my first choice of sixth form as they may be over-subscribed. Is this true?
This may be true for certain students. However, a good Stonehenge student will have a first class CV and personal statement, will have made use of opportunities from interview experience and will present themselves as exceptionally well prepared. This, in addition to good GCSE grades, will always secure a place. Do remember that as a post-16 student you are worth about £5,000 to any institution.
I have to choose four A Level subjects. I am reasonably certain about three, but I don’t know what else to choose. When do I have to make up my mind?
Schools and colleges will want to know what you think you want to study next September at this stage, so that they can plan their staffing for courses in advance. However, you will not be held to the choices you make now. There are plenty of opportunities to change your mind:
- at any point later in the year, post-application, just contact the school or college and alter your subject request
- in the summer at post-16 induction days it is possible to change courses
- after your GCSE results are published in August you may decide that you want to change one or more of your subjects, based on your exam performance
- during the first fortnight of your A level or equivalent study in September it is almost always possible to make a change if you realise you have made the wrong choice
NB: In the first few weeks of the Autumn term it is also possible to change school or college – one or two students do this every year.
What happens if I don’t get the grades in August?
Contact your chosen sixth form provider and ask about entry. It may still be possible for you to take up your place. Of course, if you don’t achieve a level 4/5 grade in English or Maths, you are likely to be asked to re-sit as a condition of entry to A level courses.
I have put in my application for sixth form. What happens now?
Schools and colleges operate in slightly different ways, but in general the following will occur:
- you will be invited to attend an interview at the school or college. You will be expected to discuss your predicted academic performance, the reasons for your choice of course(s) and other areas of achievement
- you will be given a conditional offer of a place at the school or college, pending your GCSE results
- you may be invited to a taster or induction day at the school or college in June (after the end of GCSE exams). At this point, it is a good opportunity to try out different subjects and hopefully firm up your choices for September
- you may be invited for a final interview after your GCSE results have been published (usually at the start of the September term) so that you can make a firm decision about the course(s) you will begin in September
I’m really struggling to decide on which is the best choice for me. My friends are mainly going to one school but I favour another college. What should I do?
It really must be your choice. Remember that this is a stepping stone to the next stage, whether that is to university, further training or employment. The really important thing is that you decide which institution is going to provide what you need in in order to achieve your goal in the future. Ask to see a list of destinations of leavers and do look at Ofsted reports for schools and colleges, as both can be helpful. Remember to find out:
- If it is a top university you’re aiming for, how many students get into the best universities?
- If it is a pathway to a vocational apprenticeship or a specific career route you seek, what help will you receive from the institution to help you achieve your goal?