December 20th 2022
The Careers Team at Sherborne School is devoted to helping each boy find the best pathway for him as an individual.
There are an infinitive number of possible pathways: university in the UK; university overseas; an apprenticeship; a degree apprenticeship; a traditional training in the arts; a more contemporary training in the arts; employment; self-employment; gap year etc. The possibilities are endless. We want the boys to be informed about what is out there, and also to be filled with the self-belief and confidence to know that with hard-work and ambition they could access the very best pathways in the world.
We are very fortunate to have a skilled, informed and dedicated team of five colleagues in the Careers Team at Sherborne School, and a wider team of supportive Tutors all working together to care for the boys and their families. We have staff focused on the following areas: UK university applications; Global university applications; Specialised university applications (Oxbridge/ Medicine/ Veterinary Medicine/ Dentistry/ Law); Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships and Careers. This breadth allows us to provide bespoke guidance and coaching towards finding and achieving the very best pathways for each pupil.
When discussing pathways with pupils, we stress the importance of accepting this golden rule: They may not have yet heard of the best pathway for them. Similarly, when talking with parents, we want them to be open to the idea that they may not have yet heard of the best pathway for their son. Most of our UK-based pupils and parents will be aware of a number of UK universities. Most of these will probably be part of the Russell Group, and all very good in their own way. However, it is important for pupils and parents to be aware that there are around 170 university institutions in the UK – including many outstanding institutions, with very high student satisfaction scores, that are not part of the Russell Group, and thousands more overseas - and so it is well worth making time to do the research and find out what is out there, even if this means dipping one’s toes into unfamiliar territory and stepping onto roads less travelled.
We want to give all of our pupils time to think long and hard, not just about what they might want to do after school, but also, very importantly, where they might want to do it. For example, if their home address is in Dorset and they want their university to be no more than two hours away from home, it makes no sense to be looking at universities in Scotland. Similarly, if they want to be in a vibrant, multi-cultural city with banging nightclubs, it makes no sense to be applying to study at small university towns. In addition, we want the pupils to think about the geography of their pathway environment and how these factors might really enhance their wellbeing: if they really love surfing, why not apply to coastal institutions which will allow them to enjoy surfing, and be part of a surfing community, throughout the year? With this bespoke tailoring in mind, we very much encourage pupils and families to make time to visit potential destination locations. Choosing where to live/ study/ work is an important heart and head decision. It costs a lot of money to study at university/ art school etc. and so it is well worth putting in the hours to make an informed and deliberated decision.
In the past, conversations regarding pathways often did not take place with pupils until their very last year of school. Now, we want our youngest boys to be thinking about a pathway which excites them, from their very first year at Sherborne. This is not to create undue anxiety or pressure, but rather to help the boys find their own self-awareness, self-belief, and place in the world. Through helping the boys become more informed about the many potential pathways out there - and giving them time and space to talk through their interests and passions with the Tutor and Housemaster - we can help each and every pupil find a sense of purpose and a pathway which both excites and motivates them. Finding this sense of purpose can have a transcendental impact on the boys’ enjoyment of school.
We believe that this individually centred approach, enables our staff team to be responsive to what excites and fires the irresolute clay of our pupils. In addition, this skilled guidance empowers our boys to find out interesting and eclectic routes towards exciting destinations. This level of support makes all the difference with regards to pupils accessing the very best pathways, which then, in turn, enables them to make the very best positive contributions to the world.
Alex Boyd-Williams, Deputy Head (Sixth Form)
