Careers
Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School has an on-going commitment to ensuring that all our students have access to good quality impartial careers advice, thereby ensuring that each student has the best possible foundation on which to base their future choices and pathways.
It is the policy of this school that all pupils should be given the opportunity to:
- Know and understand themselves better and develop their capabilities.
- Investigate education, training and career opportunities.
- Implement their career plans by making informed choices, in a supportive atmosphere, about their own continuing education and training.
Our careers team offer a wide range of activities and resources, which help our students make good informed decisions about their future as they progress through the school.
Careers lead: Mrs S Roberts
Careers support: Mrs A Hamilton
They can be contacted on careers@bcs.hants.sch.uk or by calling the school office.
Sample programme of extra-curricular career activities
The table below shows the range of extra-curricular activities and events carried out for each year group during an academic year.
This will vary slightly year on year and does not include subject specific activities or those aimed to meet specific individual needs.
DUE TO COVID VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL AND EXTERNAL VISITS ARE CURRENTLY NOT POSSIBLE. WE ARE INSTEAD COMPLETING A RANGE OF VIRTUAL EVENTS.
| Year group | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Autumn term | Assembly on life after Challoner
Winchester university workshops (Successful Start) |
National enterprise day | Career pilot
Work place visits Engineering Employer Workshop in school |
One to one careers interviews
Maths Meets Medicine (Reading Uni) Choices Performance (probably in Y9 if again) |
College assemblies
Mock interview evening Pre NEET intervention |
| Spring Term | Cadet Taster Session | Health reach day
LMI lessons |
Work place visits
Careers fair ( Basingstoke consortium) Business Speed Networking LMI lesson |
One to one careers interviews
Work Place Visit LMI lessons |
College interviews |
| Summer term | 3 workshops on Skills Strengths Interests
One to one careers interviews(NCOP students) Work place visits School Careers Fair TEEN TECH Big Bang |
CV building
Writing a personal statement One to one careers interviews School Careers Fair BCOT Taster Day |
Information for Employers
Bishop Challoner Catholic secondary school is committed to creating and maintaining quality relationships with employers from the local area and has a number of links with a range of different companies who support the school in issues related to careers advice and guidance. This support ranges from STEM activities to career insights as well as attendance at career fairs and enterprise days.
Any employer wishing to discuss how they can get involved should contact Mrs A Hamilton in the first instance either by emailing careers@bcs.hants.sch.uk or calling 01256 462661.
Information for Teachers
All teaching staff at Bishop Challoner Catholic secondary school are committed to embedding careers information into the curriculum. In addition to this, all staff are involved in career related PSHE lessons. Year group tutors deliver a programme of activities on a range of topics, including careers, during tutor time and control the feedback forms completed after all career related activities. Staff undergo training in aspects of careers Gatsby Benchmarks regularly.
Information for Students and parents
The Library
The library holds a wide selection of college prospectuses and career option information. This literature is constantly updated and available for students to take home as they please.
School Careers Advisor
Michael Stockwell is in school every Tuesday holding 1:1 Post 16 Option advice sessions for year 10 and 11 students in their final 12 months at school. Although all students will be offered an appointment, students may request appointment by speak to either Mrs Roberts, Mrs A Hamilton or though their tutor.
Post 16
Quick guide to post 16 Qualifications
Y10 Summer Term
College Open Evenings are advertised in tutor time, on the school website and on posters on Careers Notice board and Career area within the library in preparation for Y11 college applications.
BCOT hold Taster Days for students to attend and students attend on a voluntary basis.
Student receive a one to one careers session with are career adviser Michael Stockwell.
Y11 Autumn Term
College/Apprenticeship Assemblies given by all local colleges, QMC, BCOT, Peter Symonds, Andover and Sparshot.
We advertise the open Evenings dates in tutor time, posters around school and on the school website. In addition to this the colleges attend Y10/11 Parents Evenings.
College application are completed by the students in their own time, however, QMC and BCOT provide application workshops for students at lunchtime (in school) to support them with the process if needed.
For those students who are still unsure of their path, they are offered a second Careers adviser interview.
This year due to COVID-19 restrictions, students have power point presentations/youtube videos from colleges instead of assemblies and all the colleges are providing virtual open evenings.
Measuring & Assessing the Impact of the Careers Programme
After each careers event we obtain student, staff and visitor feedback. This is evaluated for future reference and feedback acted on. This information is then feed into the action plan for the following academic year.
- >Careers Education Guidance 2021
- >Careers Provider Access Policy
- Pupil Career Entitlements Outcomes
- >Careers Events
- >Careers at BCS
Apprenticeship Advice & Guidance
>Parents-Pack-September-2021-1
The information in the above guide really breaks down the steps students need to take to try and secure an employer for their apprenticeship. The guide is aimed at parents to help them know what they can do to support a child wanting to do an apprenticeship.
College Information
College Open Evening Dates 2021 -2022
BCOT
College Presentation in school – Thursday 23rd September
Open Events
Tuesday 3rd May 4.00pm – 8.00pm
Apprenticeship Events
Monday 20th June 4.30pm – 7.00pm
QMC
College Presentation in school – Monday 13th September
Open Events
Wednesday 6th October 5.00pm-8.00pm
Thursday 7th October 5.00pm – 8.00pm
Peter Symonds
College Presentation in school – Thursday 30th September
Application deadline 4.00pm Monday 13th December
Open Events
Monday 18th October 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Tuesday 19th October 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Sparsholt and Andover
College Presentation in school – Thursday 16th September
Open Events
| Sparsholt | Andover |
| 10 & 11 students aware that registrations are still open for Sparsholt College’s next open event on Saturday 5 February 2022. At the moment this is an on campus, in person event.
To attend, please register for the event as soon as possible by visiting Experience Sparsholt – Sparsholt College Hampshire as our events do fill up quickly! At this event students will have a tour of the subject area they are interested in at a specific time which they will book in advance. |
10 & 11 students aware that registrations are still open for Andover College’s next open event on Wednesday 16 February 2022, 4.30pm – 7.30pm. At the moment this is an on campus, in person event.
To attend, please to register for the event as soon as possible by visiting Open Events – Andover College | Hampshire as our events do fill up quickly! |
| Saturday 5th February 10.00am – 2.00pm | |
| Saturday 5th March 10.00am – 2.00pm | Wednesday 16th February 4.30pm – 7.30pm |
| Wednesday 4th May 4.00pm – 7.00pm | Wednesday 11th May 4.30pm – 7.30pm |
| Thursday 16th June 4.00pm – 7.00pm | 30th June 4.30pm – 7.30pm |
| Thursday 17th July 3.00pm – 7.00pm |
Farnborough College of Technology
Open Events
Wednesday 2nd March 4.00pm – 7.30pm
Aldershot Construction Campus
Thursday 3rd March 4.00pm-7.30pm
Farnborough 6th Form College
Open Events
Alton College – timings TBC
Open Events
