The College’s Careers Programme is delivered by a team of five staff, led by the College’s Director of Progression, Ellen Walkinshaw.
In December 2022, the College was re-accredited for ‘Investors in Careers’ – with the highest possible grading of “Fully meeting all the accreditation criteria incorporating the Gatsby Benchmarks”.
Situated in E102 on the first floor of the Enhancement Centre, the Careers Department is open from 9.00 – 4.30pm every day in term time, with staff offering a range of help and advice, including:
- Ensuring students are aware of the range of pathways open to them after leaving college, both academic and vocational. See the College’s Specialist Career Pathways below.
- Supporting students through the university application process (UCAS) and helping with applications to specialist colleges, such as Art and Performing Arts Colleges
- Ensuring students have access to up-to-date Labour Market Information to help inform their decisions.
- Helping students to gain experiences of the workplace
- Assisting with applications for employment, CV writing and mock interviews
- Arranging lunchtime talks that provide students with a range of encounters with further education, higher education, employers and employees
In the Spring Term the College’s Get Ahead Day for Lower Sixth students is attended by around 90-100 universities, employers and Gap Year organisations. Students also attend a programme of talks and workshops run by College staff and visiting speakers to help them consider the range of pathways open to them after leaving college.
See Get Ahead Day Overview film.
In the Upper Sixth students join a tutorial pathway that will support them in their progression after they leave Reigate College, whether this be into higher or further education, an apprenticeship or employment.
During the Spring Term parents are invited to an event outlining various progression routes and explaining how the Colleges’ Careers Programme supports students.
A further Careers Fair is held in June and at the end of June Lower Sixth students attend Progression Day, during which they attend talks about career opportunities relating to the subjects they study and receive advice on making successful university or employment applications.
In the Upper Sixth students join a tutorial pathway that will support them in their progression after they leave Reigate College, whether this be into higher or further education, an apprenticeship or employment.
See Careers and Progression information for current students, and also visit that page if you are a former Reigate College student wishing to apply to university.
To contact Ellen Walkinshaw or a member of the Careers Team, please email careers@reigate.ac.uk.
In their Lower Sixth year, students can select from one of thirteen Specialist Career Pathways, that they’ll attend through to the Upper Sixth, as timetabled tutorial periods.
The thirteen Specialist Pathways are currently (in alphabetical order):
- Applying for Apprenticeships
- Architecture
- Biosciences/Chemistry
- Careers in Health
- Computer Science and IT
- Creative
- Humanities and Languages
- Law
- Music
- MVD (for aspiring Medics, Vets and Dentists)
- Oxbridge
- Performing Arts
- Psychology
Whether or not students are following a specialist pathway, in the Upper Sixth ALL students join one of two generic pathways that they follow during weekly tutorial time. These are the:
- University pathway, and
- Apprenticeship and Employment pathway
Students can also do 6 week programmes in Digital Skills and Carbon Literacy, and 2 year courses leading to qualifications in Ancient Greek and the Gym Instructors Award.
Offering targeted support, that’s finely tuned each year, results in more and more Reigate College students being offered places at the most competitive universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, and on the most competitive courses, such as Law, Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry.
Increasingly, students are being drawn to some really exciting apprenticeship and employment opportunities direct from College, that are being facilitated via the dedicated Upper Sixth Career Pathway option.
The College has an excellent reputation for helping students secure places on university courses related to these pathways. For more information please email: Liz.sanders@reigate.ac.uk