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Beyond Sixth Form

Many of our students progress to higher education while a growing number enter prestigious apprenticeships and school leaver programmes. 

Our support programme in the Sixth Form is designed to equip students for every stage of their journey with the involvement of a range of external partners including universities and employers. This includes specific support for those seeking entry to competitive courses including Oxbridge. Students and their parents can expect a comprehensive programme to understand all aspects of higher education and assistance with choices and applications. 

We also have an impressive relationship with many employers evidenced by a highly successful annual Careers Convention, visits to Apprenticeship recruitment events, and a series of Career Insight talks in Year 12.

Year 12 students are also supported to seek a work placement. Together with our EDGE+ Award and employer involvement in mock interviews we are confident our students will make successful transitions to the worlds of work and higher education. 

Our links are further strengthened by the close involvement of our Old Cryptians with their wealth of knowledge and experience across many sectors.

We recognise that not all students are ready for higher education or employment. Tutors work closely with our dedicated Careers Adviser Helen Michaluk to support students with alternative plans including a gap year.

UNIFROG                 Careerpilot

 

Throughout the academic course of study, students follow a Careers Programme of study which can be found - careers guidance, predominantly accessed through our in-house careers adviser but also with external speakers through assemblies and workshops. In Year 12 in Terms 5 and 6 specifically, we offer students the opportunity to attend careers talks from a variety of backgrounds such as Banking, Architecture, Volunteering, Engineering and Art, offering students an invaluable understanding of the world beyond school, which includes a work experience week in Year 12. Sixth Formers can also complete their EDGE+ Award over their time spent with us which encourages the development of their human and social capital.

To supplement our academic provision, we aim to help and equip students with skills in wider academic research, debating and critical thinking. Ultimately, this is to help prepare students for the rigorous admissions processes that are used to gain entry to Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary science; and competitive courses at Russell Group universities. More so than ever before, universities are expecting students to possess a repertoire of core skills that are not only vital to succeeding at undergraduate level but are essential to creating adaptability in the ever-evolving twenty-first century workplace; therefore the opportunities we offer are designed to increase student confidence and scholarship.

As part of our EDGE+ Award [add link to the EDGE+ page], our students will embrace opportunities to develop their scholarship.  This includes completing activities from the super curricular booklet to broaden and deepen their academic interests - Super-Curricular’ booklet, alongside participating in our Thursday afternoon academic enrichment programme which includes EPQ, Core maths to name but a few.

Alongside EDGE+ Award we also support students in their Post-18 ambitions by providing:

[put these as bullet points]:

individualised
 preparation and support when applying for challenging and competitive university courses, including Oxbridge, Russell Group, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science.

regular group meetings to develop interview skills and subject knowledge including attending MedSoc (see further details below)

practice interviews with subject specialists and general Year 13 interview day

application support in our UCAS drop down days
ongoing personal statement guidance and support from tutors and in PeD lessons
advice on successful applications from Crypt alumni.
speakers invited to school from Oxford & Cambridge.
an annual Oxbridge visit.
Opportunities to participate in various access programmes from prestigious universities such as Bristol.
Opportunities for students to attend organised visits and conferences, including trips to the country’s leading universities.
specialised and bespoke talks by guest academic speakers.
debate society and to debate academic articles in tutor time.

Part of The Crypt School’s ethos is to support students in the fulfilment of their aspirations. One of these strands is the programme offered to those applying to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, as well as particularly competitive courses such as Medicine, Veterinary Sciences, and Law. The school has a longstanding tradition of successful applications to prestigious courses and institutions.

Within their academic studies, students are provided with a broad range of opportunities to extend themselves academically, ranging from participation in national challenges, debating leagues, and the Formula One in schools initiative. Additionally, each department has contributed to our  Super-Curricular’ booklet. Competitive courses and universities wish to see students engaging in what is known as ‘Super-Curricular’ activities – independently enriching their knowledge in their chosen subject through listening to podcasts, attending public lectures, and a whole host of other ways. It is important that students are considering from the start of Sixth Form as their university application will be completed in the autumn term of Year 13. 

As part of the programme in school, we run an Oxbridge Club for Year 12 students to support their super-curricular activities, advise them on courses and colleges, and facilitate discussion groups that pre-read articles in advance to critically engage with them. We arrange visiting speakers – including Dr Joe Organ from Brasenose College, Oxford - trips, and interview workshop practice days, as well as lots of advice and guidance on personal statements.

If you have any queries regarding our Oxbridge provision, please email our Oxbridge Co-ordinator, Sarah Parkin

MedSoc is an extra-curricular club aimed at students in year 12 who are considering a career in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing/midwifery, or allied healthcare (e.g. optometry, podiatry, etc).

We have talks from Old Cryptians and other members of the Crypt community, who share their life and career experiences as well as their journeys into healthcare jobs. We also examine: patient diagnosis and case studies; the practical aspects of applying to university to study medicine; life as a doctor and working for the NHS; and careers and pathways into other or allied healthcare professions. The number of sessions each year will vary slightly depending on the goals and ambitions of each cohort.

The date, time and location of MedSoc can change each year. Posters and emails are circulated in Term 1 to science A-level students. We have a MedSoc Google Classroom where links to upcoming talks, valuable resources, and work experience opportunities are posted. Please get in touch if you have any questions or if you can contribute to MedSoc in any way! - Henry Bowen - hbowen@crypt.gloucs.sch.uk 

 

Going to University - UK

98

Armed forces

2

Gap Year - then Armed Forces

3

Apprenticeships

16

Employment

4

Gap Year - Deferred Uni

17

Gap Year - Travelling

4

Gap Year - Employment/Volunteering

3

Gap Year - Looking for Employment/Apprenticeship

2

Other

13

  • A Future Star - advice and information for anyone considering opportunities overseas.
  • Fullbright - advice and information for anyone planning to study or work in the USA.
  • Erasmus - study, work, volunteering placements to encourage student exchange across EU.
  • British Council - summer work programmes abroad for students at year 2 or later in STEM and 

  • Princes trust - advice & support for young business start up.
  • Shell Live Wire - advice and support for business start up in energy renewal and conversation.
  • Do It - a searchable database of volunteering activities.

 

  • Not Going to Uni - everything on pathways other than Higher Education.
  • E-Trust - the leading year out placement programme for intending undergraduates.   
  • Year Out Group - structured year out programmes available through an association of year out groups.

  • iCould - Career ideas and information for your future.  
  • Prospects - developed by university graduate advisory services. Links to excellent website. Occupational bias to graduate & professional levels.
  • Sacu - intuitive graphics-based interest guide. May appear odd but worth persevering as accurate and well linked.

 

Training Partnership, Medical Section - Explore medicine conferences and work experience opportunities

Medic Mentor - Get into Medicine’ conferences, virtual work experience opportunities, and application mentorship

Med Mentor - Medical school guides, blogs on work experience and application advice, application clinics

Doctors Live - Interactive online work experience

UCL, Medical Sciences - UCL medical school runs talks on current medical research which may be of interest

Doctor Jakes - Occasionally runs life as a doctor talk (paid)

Doctors Academy - Interview and admissions preparatory courses

Allied Health Mentor - Virtual work experience in allied healthcare - programs running all year round

Medical Mavericks Academy Paid subscription for virtual work experience

The Medic Portal and their work experience section - The school pays for a subscription to TMP MedSoc, and uses the online courses to guide some of our sessions

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Sixth Form

"Teachers have high levels of subject knowledge. They understand what pupils need to know and when."

Ofsted Report March 2024 - ‘Outstanding’