Careers at SGGS

We do not believe that either external providers or teaching-staff solutions are enough on their own. We want to give students the flexibility to ask questions and investigate career thoughts as soon as they have them. In our recent ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted report careers was described as a ‘strength’ of the school. Students at this school are well prepared for life beyond school. Mrs Lardner, the school’s Careers & Work Experience Coordinator is always available on-site; ensuring individual, impartial, career discussions can be provided at any time. These conversations are not just reserved for older students. When we say we encourage enterprising young women, we mean it. This is why we were recently awarded the Quality in Careers Standard, to recognise the quality of planning and provision for all our students across all areas of the school. Click here to view our certificate.

SGGS regularly hold career events, organise trips to universities and invite speakers and Alumnae to share their experiences with current students through assemblies and talks, both physical and virtual. Students take part in multiple career-focussed activities. This academic year we are planning on focussing on a number of national career campaign events including Green Careers Week and Creative Careers Week in November, National Apprenticeship Week in February and National Careers Week in March; this will include students taking part in the National Enterprise Challenge.

Key contacts

Upcoming Events

We are very excited to be hosting our Post 18 evening on Thursday 23 January 2025 for Year 12 and their parents/carers. The event will include presentations on degree apprenticeships, Oxbridge and UCAS applications. The dining hall will also be full of exhibitors from Universities, employers from reputable companies, apprenticeships and Gap Year advisors and the armed forces!

We hold our careers fair event biennially. Our next careers fair is due to take place in March 2026. Our last careers fair was held on 7 March 2024, you can download the programme at the bottom of this page.

Additional Resources

The school is committed to careers education and has invested in ‘Unifrog’ as a careers platform which helps students from Year 9 upwards to explore all opportunities available to them at key points such as Year 9 options, Post 16 and Post 18 choices. The Unifrog platform also supports the administration process for work experience which students in both Year 10 and Year 12 have the opportunity to take part in every year. Unifrog has the capability to remain available to students until four years after they leave SGGS.

Please click on the e-magazines below to access further independent careers advice and information.

• Useful Websites
• Careers Programme
• Our Careers Policy

E-Magazines:

Careers In The Curriculum

We do not wait until students are reaching their final years with us to foster career thinking. The SGGS curriculum continually evolves to ensure students have the best possible foundation for their future. Students will learn about career opportunities within every curriculum subject area and understand the transferable skills that each provides. We are fortunate to have a great employer and alumnae network who support teaching staff by going in to lessons to help bring the curriculum to life. This has included a Marketing company delivering lessons to Year 9 students for their project on Marketing and a former student who is now a freelance illustrator going in to Art lessons to talk about their career journey since leaving SGGS.

Initially, career advice is broad so that each student is encouraged to explore different interests and discover new strengths. Every subject taught at SGGS is specialised but includes wider benefits that will develop overall employability skills, from public speaking and confidence in Drama to teamwork and strategy in PE. All students use a range of career planning tools, accessed through Unifrog, to focus on individual goals and achievements, designed to help them become ‘life-ready’, beyond their time in education.

PSHE

PSHE (Personal, Social, Health & Economic) prepares SGGS students for real-life experiences and covers a vast range of different topics, including career planning. Taught in lessons throughout the entire 7-year SGGS journey, our advice becomes more tailored to each student the further they progress through school. Insight is given into career choices, routes to specific jobs of interest, employment law, succeeding at interview, CV writing and more.

Employer Information

We are very keen to engage with businesses and employers to help us inform and educate students about their future. We provide many opportunities for businesses to interact with students including work experience, SGGS Speaker Programme, Careers Fair and workshops. If you would like to get involved, please email the Careers & Work Experience Coordinator Mrs Lardner, lardner.h@sggs.org.uk

Parent/Carers Information

A dedicated email account is set up for communicating about careers (careers@sggs.org.uk). All parents are given a briefing in Year 9 and Year 12 on Careers Information, Advice & Guidance, and Unifrog, and receive their own login to the site.