The Flagpole

Thank you to all those who attended the workshop last Thursday.  The presentations from the evening can be accessed by clicking the links below:

• General information including UCAS timeline - Ben Collie and Jacqui Quinney
• Unifrog parents' guide - Jacqui Quinney
• Student finance - Rebecca Ayres, Warwick University
• Degree apprenticeships - Harri Tatnell, Aston University
• UCAS application process

Students should now be busy using Unifrog to search university courses and also apprenticeship opportunities to make sure they are making informed decisions. University open days start very soon and we highly recommend that students visit a university before making an application. Time off school will be granted for these – please just email Mr Collie for permission.

If you have any queries regarding university applications, Unifrog or careers in general please email me.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers and UCAS Co-ordinator

It is time for students to think about applying for 2018/19 student finance.

Students starting a full-time course at university or college in 2018/19 can apply now for their finance online at the Student Finance England website by following the steps below: 

• Set up a student finance online account.
• Log in and complete the online application.
• Include details of your household income and get your parents to support your application, if needed.
• Send in proof of identity, if needed.
• Sign and return the loan declaration, which you should receive within 6 weeks.

You should apply as soon as you have decided on your firm and insurance courses to make sure your money is in place at the start of your course. It's quick and easy and you don't have to have a confirmed place - you should use your first choice for the application and change it online at a later date if you need to. Do not wait for your exam results before you apply - it will be too late!

Click here to be taken to the Student Finance England website to start your application.

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers, UCAS Co-ordinator 

The careers team are keen to involve parents as much as possible in assisting with the decisions your children will be making when choosing a career and their next step. As such, I will be passing on information that might be useful to you.

Please see the articles below for information regarding the following:

• University of London Taster Courses
• National Healthcare Careers Weekend

Exciting job opportunity for a school leaver with a local property firm: 

• Are you in Upper Sixth and looking to go straight into work?
• Are you interested in the property and estate agency business? 

If this sounds like you and you have a methodical approach to problems, are good at talking to people and are keen to learn then this might be the chance you've been waiting for. 

Please email or come and see me in G10a for more information. 

Jacqui Quinney
Head of Careers and UCAS Co-ordinator

The University of London is running taster courses in the following subjects this April/May:

Accounting and Finance
Actuarial Science
Banking and International Finance
Business Management
Criminology
Computing: Video Games
Design
Economics
English
Finance
Health and Social Care
History
History of Art
International Politics
Investment and Financial Risk Management
Journalism
Law
Radiography
Media and Communications
Music
Music, Sound and Technology
Nutrition/Nutrition and Dietetics
Politics
Pharmacy
Sociology
Speech and Language Therapy

Click here to access links to each individual taster course.

Further University of London taster courses can be found by clicking here.

The National Healthcare Weekend on 14 and 15 July 2018 is taking place in London, at the University of East London, Stratford.

Over two hundred healthcare professionals form across the UK will be volunteering to present and network with students who are interested in:

• Medicine
• Veterinary Medicine
• Dentistry

These conferences provide a valuable opportunity for pupils to network with a variety of healthcare professions, learn about work experience opportunities and how to make a successful application.

Registration is £25 for pupils on the Saturday conferences and there is an optional UCAS lecture available on Sunday for each specialty.  Please note that these events are likely to fill up quickly.

Pupils can register on the Medic Mentor website and find out more about events here.

All proceeds from the weekend will be used to support UK's healthcare students with scholarships, elective bursaries, free training and educational initiatives.