Careers & Alumni

East Barnet School > School Life > Careers & Alumni

Careers Education

At East Barnet School we want our students to be able to make informed choices about their future. We want them to understand the variety of opportunities available to them and we are there to support them every step of the way.

Older pupils are particularly complimentary about careers information, advice and guidance. There are a wide range of talks on offer which help them think about their future.

Ofsted, 2017

The school has a dedicated web-based Careers Resource which is being constantly updated and is accessible via https://eastbarnetschool.sharepoint.com/sites/EBSCareersSharedResources; this has guidance for students and parents with interactive tools and direct links to useful websites. Students will need to login with their Office365 credentials to access this resource.

homepage of ebs careers sharepoint

  • careers shortlist badge 2019
    This careers resource was shortlisted in 2019 for an award at the UK Career Development Awards. These awards identify and promote excellence in career development and so just being shortlisted was an amazing achievement for our school.

As part of the Careers and Work Related Learning programme, we offer several events for our students, with different activities aimed at different year groups. We positively advertise external events to our students.

Careers Department

Contact Information

S. Direk
Work Experience & Careers Coordinator
Library, 3rd Floor

S. Wald
Careers Advisor
Library, 3rd Floor

careers@eastbarnetschool.com
020 8344 2139

Careerometer

Careerometer can be used to explore and compare key information about occupations, help you learn about different occupations and identify potential careers. It provides access to a selection of UK headline data relating to pay, weekly hours of work and future employment prospects for different occupations, as well as description of the occupation.

logo for the gatsby benchmark

EBS Careers and The Gatsby Benchmarks

In 2013 the Gatsby Foundation commissioned Sir John Holman to research what actions could improve career guidance in England. From this he developed the eight Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance, which define world-class career guidance. At EBS, we have taken onboard all of the recommendations of the research and use it to as a framework structure for our careers education.

1

A stable careers programme for all years

The EBS Careers Programme is embedded into our ethos and curriculum. We provide guidance to all stakeholders and support students with a constant stream of career information and experiences from Year 7. 

2

Learning from career and labour markets

At EBS we regularly share information about upcoming activities and opportunities with parents/carers and students either through external publications or social channels, and school displays and tailored sessions.

3

Addressing the needs of each student

Our in-house Careers Advisor provides tailored advice to all students. Our aim is to help students break down barriers and pursue the careers that excite them, which underpins our careers approach of equality and diversity.

4

Linking curriculum learning to careers

Teachers talk to students about how different modules and aspects of a course can lead to various careers. We promote these careers on faculty webpages and within course booklets when it comes to choosing options.

5

Encounters with employers and employees

At EBS we have a long established ‘Lunchtime Career Talks’ programme where we invite professionals to meet with students and to talk about the routes they have taken to their career. These are varied sessions and are open to all students.

6

Experiences of workplaces

In Year 10, all students have the opportunity to attend a week of work experience. This can either be organised by the student themselves, or through our extensive catalogue of varied contacts. Teachers support students with phone calls and visits during the experience.

7

Encounters with further and higher education

At EBS, we are proud of the links we have with local colleges and national universities. Students visit and receive visitors from these establishments and take part in various sessions to encourage involvement and opportunity.

8

Personal guidance

Students can seek careers advice throughout their time at EBS. In addition, appointments are created for every student with our in-house Careers Advisor when they are looking to choose subjects at the end of Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 and during the two years they are in Key Stage 5.

Annual Whole School Career Programme

In addition to careers advice within subjects, our Careers Education Programme is embedded into the PHSEE programme throughout the years, with more tailored focus for the older year groups. 

Year 7

FOCUS ON: Qualifications, jobs, pay and lifestyle choices/future careers.

Looking at different types of job sectors and types of employment as well as matching lifestyle aspiration with actual employment sector pay and the qualifications and skills needed to achieve it.

Introduction to careers and registering on Start Profile careers resource.

Head of Year/Form Tutor check-in dates to monitor access and progression to Start Profile careers resource.

Year 8

FOCUS ON: Start Profile Careers Education Resource.

Dedicated sessions of using Start Profile career resource. With the support of a trained member of staff, students work through a series of modules that are age and year group appropriate to help develop a greater understanding of the careers available to them locally and nationally as well as the educational pathways required to succeed.

Soap Challenge Enterprise event: We invite up to 30 employers into school to participate in the challenge and interact with and advise student to provide a meaningful encounter with students as they consider what skills and knowledge are needed to a business.  The event includes preparation time to consider the themes of self-employment, business start-up and employability skills. 

Head of Year/Form Tutor check-in dates within form and PSHEE sessions to monitor access and progression to Start Profile careers resource.

Access to a career interview with an impartial Career Advisor.

Year 9

FOCUS ON: The changing workplace skills needed to succeed.

Building on learning from the Soap Enterprise Challenge in Year 8, looking at self-employed and self-start ups. Future technology job opportunities/working worldwide/further and higher education.

Anyone who has not registered and accessed the Start Profile careers resource, will do so, and students will continue to use it on their journey in career discovery as an invaluable resource, particularly in relation to GCSE options.

Option assemblies and options evening: Each subject department introduces a subject specific/careers overview to all of the year group in an assembly to help prepare them for option choices. This culminates in an evening event for students and parents.

Option booklet with advice on educational pathways at 14 and beyond, focus on STEM and future career choices.

Head of Year/Form Tutor check-in dates within form and PSHEE sessions to monitor access and progression to Start Profile careers resource.

Access to a career interview with an impartial Career Advisor.

Year 10

FOCUS ON: Preparing for work experience. 

External work experience placement for every Year 10 student. Teacher and employer led pre-planned sessions help to prepare them for the placement. Students focus on developing employability skills including interpersonal skills, interview skills and CV writing.

Anyone who has not registered and accessed the Start Profile careers resource, will do so, and students will use this resource in relation to the subjects they are now studying and the pathways that are open to them.

Work Experience: One-week placement with employers and organisations. Reflective journal kept for the duration of the placement with a focus on developing employability skills and to ensure it is a meaningful encounter with an employer. Evaluation of the placement upon their return to school also includes employer feedback and target setting to foster aspiration and build resilience to achieve their goals.

Head of Year/Form Tutor check-in dates within form and PSHEE sessions to monitor access and progression to Start Profile careers resource.

Access to a career interview with an impartial Career Advisor.

Year 11

FOCUS ON: CV writing/employability skills/Post-16 choices.

Anyone who has not registered and accessed the Start Profile careers resource, will do so, and students will use this resource in relation to the subjects they have been studying and their post-16 options.

KS4-5 Transition career interview with Impartial Careers Advisor for every student: All students have a one-hour interview and a career action plan is created for them to access and help them finalise their decision for their post-16 provision.

RPA and minimising NEET: A designated destination coordinator liaises with the Head of Year and other pastoral staff members and using information from the Impartial Careers advisor’s report identifies student who are at risk of becoming NEET (a student Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Sixth Form college applications: To aid the transition between leaving EBS and starting college, support is offered to all students considering an application to another Sixth Form college or external provider of training. This can include accompanying students with specific needs on visits to prospective institutions.

Sixth Form Open Evening: Opportunity to meet with subject teachers to discuss Sixth Form option choices.

Head of Year/Form Tutor check-in dates within form and PSHEE sessions to monitor access and progression to Start Profile careers resource.

Year 12

FOCUS ON: All students visit to Royal Holloway University.

Takes place during UCAS Week (March) and students attend workshops that introduce them to life at a university.

Students have opportunities to visit University Open days of their choice throughout the academic year.

Anyone who has not registered and accessed the Start Profile careers resource, will do so. Students are now being prepared for further study or the world of work, and this resource is an invaluable asset to make informed choices upon leaving the EBS Sixth Form.

Interview skills workshop: Six week programme that aims to develop students employability skills. Includes writing CVs, culminating in mock interviews with external employers to help them develop and improve job applications and interview skills.

Access to a post-KS5 career interview with an impartial Careers Advisor.

Year 13

FOCUS ON: UCAS application process and personal statement writing.

All students will work with a designated tutor to develop their UCAS Personal statement.

Student finance awareness tutorials: Learning about the financial support available as well as other ways to finance higher education.

Anyone who has not registered and accessed the Start Profile careers resource, will do so. Students are now being prepared for further study or the world of work, and this resource is an invaluable asset to make informed choices upon leaving the EBS Sixth Form.

Access to a post-KS5 career interview with an impartial Careers Advisor.

External Provider Access

A number of events, integrated into the school careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to students and/or their parents/carers. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Autumn Term: Sixth Form Transfer Evening
  • Spring Term: Year 9 Options Evening
  • Summer Term: Whole School Careers Fair

Granting and Refusing Access

Provider access will be granted on the merits of each application and the benefits such a visit will bring to the students. Each request will also be measured-up against our Safeguarding Policy and suitability of the opportunity, as some industries may not be appropriate for students. We are keen to invite providers from a wide range of industries, whether offering career opportunities, apprenticeships, higher education, or work and study. If a provider is refused access, we will explain in detail the reasons why and whether there are steps that can be taken to improve future access. The decision to grant or refuse access is made by our Careers Leader, however, a provider may appeal a decision to the Headteacher. We have strong, positive relationships with all of our current providers, and we look forward to welcoming new providers on board in the future.

Premises and Facilities

The school will make available, an appropriate space for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available AV and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team. Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature to be uploaded to the school’s online careers resource centre: EBS Careers SharePoint, which is managed by the Careers Administrator.

Management of provider access requests Procedure

A provider wishing to request access should contact the Careers Leader via the contact details on this page.

Further information can be found in our Careers Policy on our Policy page.

How do we Measure and Assess the Impact of our Careers Programme?

The school will use destination data at key stage transitions as well as regular feedback from students, parents, teachers and employers to measure the impact of our careers programme.

How Often do we Review the EBS Careers Programme?

We will conduct an annual review of our programme and actively seek feedback from students, parents, teachers and employers to help improve the teaching and learning of careers education.

Careers Noticeboard

Information about other educational and training providers will be advertised on the school careers noticeboard.

Bite-Size Lunchtime Career Talks

The school hosts regular lunchtime career talks for students to attend and ask questions. For more information on our previous careers talks, please scroll through and click on the relevant image below.

Staying Up-to-Date

The school will regularly update its SharePoint page on the school intranet. This facility is the live careers page that enables students to access further information about careers education. We will also inform students and parents of updates via the school newsletter, Twitter account and school noticeboards.

Careers Resources

Below are identified career websites that students can use to access careers information about:

  • Choosing and researching a range of different career options.
  • Choosing GCSEs and A Levels.
  • Choosing further and higher educational courses.
  • Writing a CV and completing job applications.

Useful Links

If you have a link that you think would be useful to share with the EBS Community, please send an email to careers@eastbarnetschool.com and if it is suitable, we will add it to our list of useful links. 

If you have any questions about the links provided, again, please contact the Careers Leader on careers@eastbarnetschool.com.

InvestIN

InvestIN provides inspirational career-experience programmes to students who aspire to break into some of the world’s most-desirable professions. On our programmes, we aim to create the ‘ultimate work experience’ through interactive simulations, seminars, networking sessions, and career coaching guidance. Around 25,000 students from 71 countries have attended our programmes since our inception, and our movement is gathering pace at an exponential rate.

Skills London

Skills London is the UK’s biggest jobs and careers event for 15-24 year olds and their families, taking place on 26 & 27 November 2021 at ExCeL London. The event attracts over 33,000 visitors and 240 exhibitors including top employers, colleges, training providers and advisers.

This two-day event provides visitors with the opportunity to discover careers through interactive, inspirational activities and demonstrations, and helps young people visually bridge the gap between what they enjoy doing and what they could potentially do as a career. In addition to being free to attend, schools and colleges are also offered a travel bursary to help with transport costs.

If you are a parent / carer of a young person, you are invited to come along with your family and friends for FREE, on either the Friday or Saturday from 9.30am – 4.00pm.  To find out more or to book online, please visit their website.

Smallpiece

Smallpeice offer a wide range of exciting and dynamic events that not only educate but raise awareness among students of how the engineering sector contributes to the general and economic wellbeing of society.

*Please note that all courses/programmes are subject to a charge/fee

Opportunities for Providers

If you are interested in supporting the school or wish to speak to our students about the training/education opportunities you offer, please contact us. You are also invited to volunteer for one of our advertised activities/events at Inspiring the Future.

Alumni

We love to hear from previous students of East Barnet School and are always keen to keep in touch during their onward adventures. In 2011 we celebrated our 75th anniversary and had students from across the decades (even in their 90s!) return for a celebration in our new building.

Alumni Community

East Barnet School has a long and proud history, with only five Headteachers leading the school over a period of over 80 years. Once students join our school, they begin a lifetime’s association with our community, and many come back to work as teachers or support staff, whilst others send their own children (and even grandchildren) to the school, or offer support as mentors, coaches, interviewers, etc. We also offer former students opportunities for work placements so that they can gain experience, careers advice, or just a sense of belonging to such a vibrant and stimulating community. Former members of staff also remain part of our community, and many of them come back for social occasions or even for career advice and support.

The formal opening of our new school building in March 2011, brought together at least one student from every year group since the school opened in 1937, as well as many dignitaries, local headteachers, and friends of EBS; many visitors described it as the most moving and inspiring day they had spent in any school. Former EBS students came from Australia, New Zealand, and from all parts of the United Kingdom. Both of my daughters, who also attended our school, felt very privileged to represent their year groups (a very large number of our staff send their children to EBS), as did many members of staff (about 20 members of staff were former students).

Our welcome letters to Year 7 students always say “we hope your association with East Barnet School will be long and happy” the EBS Alumni is an organisation which has been set up to ensure this is so.

N. Christou, Former Headteacher (1998 – 2018)

Dan James

Freelance Video Editor, BBC

“There is something nice and tangible about being able to create something other people can see. You are producing stuff that goes on BBC1 or BBC2, and people think oh yeah, I recognise that; I saw that the other day.”

Alice Lacey

Doctor

“When I was at school I had to do a lot of work experience to get into medical school in the first place. I had to prove that I was dedicated to it and also make sure I really wanted to do it.”

Samuel Kasumu

Business Owner

“I think having a very clear vision allows you to be inspired, and also who you compare yourself too, also allows yourself to be inspired.”

Tarah Welsh

Journalist, BBC

“I meet people that want to get into journalism all the time, and the advice I would give them is do something else first. I think that working in a bar, a cafe or a golf club; you meet all different people, they tell you their stories; it means that you can network with everyone. It is that experience, I think, that lends itself to being a good journalist.”

So What's It All About?

Whether you are a recent leaver, or you have been away for a while, we are delighted that you have taken this opportunity to keep in touch with us and hope that you will take the time to register as a member of the EBS alumni.

The aim of the EBS Alumni is to offer former students, teachers, parents and supporters of East Barnet School opportunities to maintain an active link with our school. We hope to keep you up to date with developments within the school and planned reunions.

By establishing a network of people linked to the school and to each other, we hope to strengthen links with the working community that we can make connections and provide opportunities for both our current and former students. We plan to offer various opportunities for you to share some (or a lot!) of what you have learnt and experienced so far with our students.

As the Assistant Headteacher in charge of the development of the EBS Alumni I look forward to sharing ideas as to how we can build further connections together to support our exceptional institution.

J. Connick, Assistant Headteacher

Join Us!

The best way to keep in touch with us (and so we can keep in touch with you), is to follow us on LinkedIn. It is also a great platform to meet old friends and see what they have been up to since you all left. Who knows, connecting with an EBS student, could be the next step on your career ladder!