Careers Education | Highcliffe School

Careers Education

The word Career can be described as “The individual’s journey through life, learning and work”. 

Highcliffe School is committed to raising the aspirations of all our students through the provision of varied and high-quality careers guidance, supporting them in making and managing choices and transitions that affect their futures, as well as preparing them for the evolutionary world of work. We intend to improve social mobility, develop employability skills, and enhance knowledge of labour market information whilst providing them with access to a wide range of career pathways.

Our intent is to ensure students become effective independent careers learners, fully prepared for their transition into adult life and the ever changing world of work.

MyFuture is the school wide careers programme which is led by Miss Swan (Assistant Headteacher: Student Ambition and Aspiration) and Mrs Wilson (Level 6 Careers Adviser), Alternatively, if you have any queries about work experience, Year 9 options or student destinations, please contact Mr Hallam (Subject lead for Careers, Ethical and Personal Development). The above staff members can be contacted on 01425 273381 or email careers@highcliffeschool.com.

As a school, we work with the Dorset Careers Hub, BCP council, Our Enterprise Adviser. Unifrog and Careers South West help to arrange quality work experience placements. 

We provide a range of opportunities for students from Year 7 all the way through to Year 13 to engage with the world of higher/further education, training, and work. Opportunities such as external speakers, talks from business professionals, university visits, work experience, enterprise days, mock interviews, and our wide range of extra-curricular activities ensure that our students develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to thrive once they leave our care. The opportunities, experiences and events are tailored to suit the varied needs and interests of our students.

Our Alumni Network

Are you a former Highcliffe School student? Return to Highcliffe School to inform our current students about what life beyond school is really like. We are working to create a thriving alumni network on LinkedIn. 

Visit: linkedin.com/school/highcliffe-sixth 

Please complete our Alumni Questionnaire here: 

  • CREATE A LinkedIn PROFILE ACCOUNT (If you do not have one already)
  • In the education section of your profile add ‘Highcliffe School’ along with your start and leaving dates.
  • Go to our school’s LinkedIn page and hit the ‘Follow’ button (Inset linked in link)
  • Spread the word with any former school friends – the bigger the network the bigger the benefits for all of us!
  • If you are a former student and able to offer us your support in any way, for example by mentoring current students, giving a talk in a subject linked to your career, conducting a mock interview etc. then please do get in touch either through our LinkedIn page or by emailing Mrs Wilson or Miss Swan on careers@highcliffeschool.com

Work Experience

All students in Year 10 undertake 8 days work experience placement to give them an exciting opportunity to enter the world of work and which gives them a deeper understanding of skills required in the workplace. These placements can be organised by the students themselves, allowing them to focus on areas of interest in pursuing their career paths and the opportunity to draw on the support of family networks. Alternatively, students can make their own selections from a pre-approved list of placements that are sourced and supported by Careers Southwest. Students benefit from completing detailed logbooks where they collaborate with their employers to track their experiences and progress and evidence their achievements.

All students in Year 12 undertake a week’s work experience placement in the spring term. It is the responsibility of the student to organise their own placements to promote independence, organisational skills and to build their network of useful contacts. Students sourcing their own placements means that they can secure placements in areas of their interest and broaden their experience in specific career pathways.



    Owned by: LSN | Last Published: 15/02/2024 10:04:34 | Next Update: N/A