Higher Education
Thoughts of life after Sedbergh are encouraged from day one at the School, with a particular emphasis on university options and the opportunities offered by careers experience courses during later Sixth Form years.
For the vast majority, life after Sedbergh means at least three more years of education at university after the Sixth Form. In the last decade, approximately 95% of Sixth Form leavers have gone on to university and a third of these have preceded further study with a gap year.
Information and advice
Serious consideration of what is entailed in planning next steps begins in earnest in Year 11 when all pupils spend time with a professional careers guidance officer from the Cumbrian branch of the Connexions service, based in Kendal. The officer visits the school once a week throughout the year and explains future options and the importance of choosing the correct A-level combinations to open the doors to relevant career paths.
The School Library has prospectuses from all UK universities and further material on a wide range of careers. There is also a dedicated School careers library on the main campus. In addition to this information, there is a range of University Open day materials and application forms for many gap year opportunities.
Via our networked computers, pupils can run helpful decision-making programs such as those offered by Higher Ideas and UCAS (Universities & Colleges Admissions Service) as a source of additional advice, information and guidance.
Aptitudes and abilities
Sedbergh is a member of ISCO (The Independent Schools' Careers Organisation)
and all pupils are invited to take the Morrisby tests which help match skills
with careers. ISCO offer a large number of careers experience courses for sixth
formers in fields ranging from Careers in the City to Particle Physics at CERN
and Physiotherapy as a career. All sixth formers are encouraged to attend at
least one of these or alternative courses offered by The Royal Academy of Engineering
or The Workshop courses at Nottingham University.
Visiting lecturers from local universities come to the School to talk to the sixth formers and guide them on choosing universities and making applications. This includes help and advice in the process of writing personal statements.
Our academic high flyers are encouraged to apply to Oxford or Cambridge and guidance and practice interviews are given as part of the application process.
Armed Services connections
The school has regular visits from careers officers associated with the Army, Navy and RAF and all pupils are invited to interview, particularly members of the school CCF.