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Parent & Student Information

Parent & Student Information

  • Evidence shows that families have a key role to play in decision-making processes and the general career path your child chooses to pursue. Sometimes it is difficult to know how involved to be. Should you adopt a hands-on role? What is the best advice you can give your child? When do you need to get involved?

    In fact, it is never too soon to think about your child's potential career, skills, and interests, and we encourage all parents/carers to start these discussions from as early as Year 7 onwards. 

    The most important thing we can do to support our child is to keep communicating and provide the tools to help them make their own informed decisions. 

  • Parent/Carer Engagement/Teacher CPD/Student sessions - A series of informative webinars for teachers, careers advisers and parents that will provide an abundance of tips, advice, and information around the topic of apprenticeships. Each webinar lasts between 30 – 60 minutes and takes place on Zoom. Participants are required to sign up before the session and will receive an email confirmation and a reminder an hour before it begins. The webinars are recorded and shared with all registrants after the session: https://www.amazingapprenticeships.com/workshops-webinars/

  • Parent/Carer Engagement – a great resource for your website - A great resource for all Careers Professionals to read through and share with key stakeholders: November 2024 - Choices

How you can influence your child:

  • Regularly speak to your child about various careers that you encounter on a daily basis
  • Highlight the skills that your child possesses
  • Set a good example (socially, personally and professionally) for your child
  • Share positive attitudes, views and values
  • Support your child to adopt high aspirations regarding their education, career and life
  • Provide and enable students to take opportunities to learn and develop.
  • Be mindful of any unconscious bias based on our own beliefs and experiences of careers advice we may or may not have received at school, or our personal opinions of the 'right' education path.

Practical ideas to help your child:

  • All Year groups:
  • Attend the annual careers fair – plan which stands to visit with your child and prepare relevant questions. Help instigate discussions with the ‘exhibitors’. Due to COVID restrictions, this fair may also be online.
  • Research opportunities on the Brooke Weston careers pages with your child
  • Discuss the careers activities that take place at the school with your child
  • Book an appointment with our Careers Advisor if there is specific information you require
  • Contact the National Careers Service if you would like specific advice https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/contact-us

  • Year 9

  • Attend the Options Evening with your child or alternatively watch all the online subject presentations by Heads of Department and Subject Leads. 
  • The Which University Guide explains how important GCSE choices are when it comes to university and gives helpful tips on 'how' and 'how not' to choose GCSE Option subjects.

  • Year 10

  • COVID-19 permitting, attend the Brooke Weston Careers Fair (March / April)
  • COVID-19 permitting, participate in our work experience activities or participate in the online 'Speakers for Schools' virtual work experience activities in Term 5.

  • Year 11

  • To help simplify the options available to your child after GCSEs, The Department for Education has created this 2-minute animation, showcasing and explaining each choice in a simple, dynamic and visual manner. 
  • At Key Stage 5 students have the option of studying A levels; BTEC Level 3; Cambridge Technicals and T Levels.  With regard to the latter, the Government website provides more information on T levels. 
  • The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) provides a good interactive guide to help you and your child understand the different post 16 options now available. UCAS - further education 
  • In addition to the Brooke Weston Sixth Form Open Day, attend other local Colleges and Sixth Form events. 
  • Apprenticeships have been revolutionised in recent years and typically consist of 80% on-the-job training, and 20% studying. Stricter rules have been put in place regarding what an apprenticeship can consist of and have helped to increase the prestige of apprenticeships. 
  • Discuss your child’s Pre-Careers Meeting Questionnaire prior to meeting our independent Careers Advisor, who will provide impartial information, advice and guidance.
  • COVID-19 permitting, attend the Brooke Weston Careers Fair (March / April)

  • Sixth Form

  • Visit the Russell Group website, which offers advice and guidance on which subjects open up different degrees, particularly at Russell Group universities.
  • Apprenticeships have been revolutionised in recent years and stricter rules have been put in place regarding what an apprenticeship can consist of, This has helped to increase the prestige of apprenticeships. 
  • Help find a work experience placement for your child (and potentially offer to other students in our Sixth form)
  • Help your child edit their personal statement and CV
  • Help your child edit their application forms (University/apprenticeship/employment)
  • Help research and discuss possible next steps (University/apprenticeship/employment)
  • Concerned about the financial aspects of going to university, then please see our attachment below by MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis: Students Loans Decoded.

In terms of career choice, we should:

  • Aid, but not dictate, the decision-making process
  • Support our child’s decisions
  • Give our children freedom and time to discover their skills
  • Provide the motivation to develop and achieve
  • Provide encouragement to pursue interests and ambitions
  • Try to instil a responsible attitude and mature outlook
  • Instil an attitude of self-belief by being positive and never critical – as responsible adults, our words are likely to have the biggest effect on our children.

Subject related career links:

Data Sharing Agreement with University of Northampton

Brooke Weston Academy's Data Sharing Agreement with University of Northampton is as follows;

The University of Northampton and Uni Connect have a data sharing policy with Brooke Weston Academy. The University of Northampton is working to raise aspirations and application rates to Higher Education in students identified by OfS (Office for Students – HE regulator within the DfE) from targeted areas in the county where progression into higher education is lower than expected. The purpose of this program is to provide students from these targeted areas with a range of opportunities which will develop their motivation, knowledge and resilience to consider applying for higher education courses.

The data that may be held for the young person in their school name, 1st name, surname, DOB, postcode, ethnicity, disability, and gender. This information sharing agreement will be reviewed annually every December by the University of Northampton to ensure that it is still legally compliant. Data may remain on systems supporting this programme until the end of the academic year in which the student has reached their 30th birthday. Or if they enter Higher education within this time, until 15 years after they graduate.

We review & add content to this page on a regular basis. The next full audit will take place in December 2023

  1. Parent Guide to Apprenticeships pdf
  2. Parent Guide to T Levels pdf
  3. Martin Lewis Student Loans Decoded pdf

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