Our Careers Co-ordinator, Esta Leawal, can be contacted by email: s201eleawal@alderbrook.solihull.sch.uk
At Alderbrook School, high quality, impartial careers guidance helps students to make informed choices about which courses suit their academic needs and aspirations. They are prepared for the next stage of their education, employment, self-employment or training. This starts in Year 7, and supports students through to leaving us in Year 11 or Year 13 after their Sixth Form years.
Alderbrook has collaborated in the design of the Life Ready Programme (Solihull) which provides a framework designed to develop independent, life ready young adults. The programme is based on evidence from the Gatsby Foundation and the Confederation of British Industry.
The shared vision of the Life Ready Solihull Programme is that ‘students leaving Alderbrook will have the skills, knowledge and dynamism to reach their full career potential, to meet the needs of employers and to contribute to the economic growth of the borough’. All students will log their employability skill development, leading to the production of a professional profile as part of their Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Economic education programme.*
Year 7 students will have lessons on their timetable called ‘Aspire’, which aims to provide them with the opportunity to understand what employability skills are and how they can develop them in school. They will be encouraged to take part in a Life Ready Award, using a passport to gather evidence of these skills in action.
Year 8 students will have independent advice and guidance about their futures through discussion and assemblies. Life Ready days will enable them to reflect on their employability skills and work on projects with local employers. Students will prepare for their option choices for Key Stage 4 examination study.
Year 9 students Students will have independent advice and guidance about their futures at Parent Consultation Evenings and assemblies. Life Ready days will enable them to think about their pathways and work in more detail with employers to experience solving real business problems.
Year 10 students will have abundant opportunities to work with local employers, considering a wide range of career pathways taken by local companies, parents, teachers and ex-students. They will be invited with parents to our annual Autumn Careers Convention.
Year 11 students and their parents/carers will be invited to a Post 16 Careers Evening launch at the start of Year 11 led by our independent careers advisor, Mrs Tracey Cross. They will be invited to our annual Autumn Careers Convention. Students will focus on their success in examinations, and will have the opportunity for a 1:1 careers meeting.
Year 12 and 13 students will have the opportunity to visit numerous universities, participate in work experience, and work with various employers and motivational speakers to support their post Sixth Form choices. They will have independent careers advice and will be supported to make the right Post 18 decisions for them.
To find out more about Career Guidance in the Sixth Form please visit our Destinations page.