Careers & Work Experience

​Welcome to Careers at Downlands

There is a lot of information in these pages.  Take some time to have a look & inform yourself.

Remember that Ms Hollingdale is available EVERY afternoon after school or you can email her on careers@downlands.org if you have any questions.

At Downlands Community School we are committed to providing all of our students with a comprehensive carers programme. This provides students with information on the options available to them after they leave our school.  Career planning is an ongoing process.  We support students by giving them up-to-date advice about work/apprenticeships as well as supporting them in their choices and applications to Sixth Form College and Further Education.  We encourage students to conduct their own career research and provide students with impartial careers advice.  Students are also supported by tutors, subject teachers and pastoral staff over their career choices.

If students, parents, carers, teachers or employees have any comments, feedback, suggestions or would like to get involved in our career programme, please contact Liz Hollingdale on careers@downlands.org or 01273 845892.

Click HERE to visit our LinkedIn page

We would love to hear from our Alumni, please click on the image and like our LinkedIn page and check back regularly for updates on what’s happening at Downlands.

Careers Curriculum Ambition Statement

General Careers Information

Post Year 11 Pathway and Support

After year 11 all of our students at Downlands will need to find themselves a further education or training provider as there is a legal requirement to stay in full time education or training until the age of 18.
Here at Downlands we offer lots of support to our students to help them make the very best decisions for their future.
Information on when colleges are open to visit can be found on the college open events tab.
Applications are made direct to providers on their websites during the Autumn term of year 11. The list below shows which providers have opened their applications for September 2026 entry.

College Applications 2026 – Entries now open

Our Find your Path event gives students and parents a chance to meet with providers and have their questions answered about the application process, and we are enabling students within their tutor times to have access to computers to be able to complete applications.
We would always encourage students to apply to more than one college.

Every year we host a careers fair for our Year 11 students and their parents/carers to meet all the local college and FE providers along with a range of local businesses offering apprenticeships. This year this event takes place at Downlands in September and runs from 6-8pm.  All year 11s are expected to attend, along with their parent or carer.

Please take the time to read through the attached booklet as it provides a wealth of information regarding the process of applying for place and the opportunities and choices that are available

Find Your Path Evening 2025 presentation

Find Your Path booklet 2025

Remember: Ms Hollingdale is available every day after school and in the library hub Monday to Thursday breaktimes, for any questions you may have. You can also email careers@downlands.org

College Open Events

 

Students and their parents/carers are encouraged to visit colleges during their open events in order to get a feel for the college, visit departments, speak to tutors and have any questions about specific courses answered.
 
Some colleges offer open events in the Spring term (mainly aimed at Year 10s), and all offer events in the autumn term ( mainly aimed at Year 11s).
 
In the Summer Term the majority of college also offer a Taster Day (only for Year 10s) where students can attend the college and sample actual lessons. Here at Downlands we are happy for students to attend these Taster Days. Bookings are taken on the colleges own website, and places are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment. Students will be advised via the school bulletin, and this page will be updated when we are aware that bookings have been opened.
 
Parents must inform school in the usual way if their child has been given a place on a Taster Day, so that we are not expecting them in school.
 
 

 

 

Specific Career Fields

Accountancy and Banking

ICAEW Apprenticeships
Food Technology
www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/news/5-reasons-to-undertake-a-food-apprenticeship
Horticulture 

Police

https://apprenticeships.ant3.org/
Education & Childcare
Hairdressing

Work Experience

Here at Downlands we enable our Year 10 students to take part in in-person work experience in July as an important part of our careers curriculum.
 
The dates for 2026 will be forthcoming.

Springpod are also offering a wide range of free virtual work experience opportunities covering a wide range of sectors, including Law, Journalism, Engineering, Politics, Accountancy and many more.Apply direct via: https://www.springpod.co.uk/virtual-work-experience-programmes

 
More FREE virtual work experience opportunities at Young Professionals.
They are running virtual work experience programmes and also insight events – take a look at the opportunities in Law/ Technology / Business and more
For more information and to sign up: https://young-professionals.uk/events/
 
Please let Ms Hollingdale know if you apply and are successful in any of these programmes – simply email her at: careers@downlands.org
Good luck and happy researching!

 

 

Upcoming Careers Webinars

Webinars on UNIFROG 

Click on the links below to view the webinars.

 

Apprenticeships & T Levels

  • Are you interested in finding out more about apprenticeships?  Check out the Introduction to Apprenticeships for Students video below and have a look through the two apprenticeship presentations.

    You can search for apprenticeship vacancies at:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

Rewards Training – Apprenticeship Vacancies -Keep Me Informed

Apprenticeship Presentations –

T Levels:

Are you interested in finding out more about T Levels?  Check out the links below for more information.

 
 
Online Resources and Webinars
 
Unifrog has an online webinar with key employers – look for the orange webinars box on the front page of your account
 
Amazing Apprenticeships – main website:
 
 
 
Global Technology
 
Audit, Actuarial & Accounting 
 
National Trust
 
Electrical Engineering
 
 
KPMG – Finance, Law & Tax
Food technology
 
GAS, Oil, Electrical, Plumbing & Renewals
 
 

Local Apprentice Providers information:

 
In person Apprenticeship Events
 
 
 
 

Careers Education, Advice and Guidance

careers@downlands.org

Careers Speed Networking

Our Year 9’s take part in a Careers Speed Dating Event during Character day in January. Students have the opportunity to speak to a number of volunteers from a range of different careers including healthcare, banking, construction, uniformed public service, media, hospitality & aviation to name a few.  It is a fun and useful event and the students and volunteers report equally enjoying it.

This is part of the Key Stage 4 Option process and helps students enormously in making their GCSE choices when the time comes.

If you or someone from your place of work are interested in taking part, please email careers@downlands.org

Job Vacancies & Competitions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please contact Ms Hollingdale if you have any questions regarding these vacancies, careers@downlands.org

JOB OF THE WEEK – ANALYTICAL TEXTILE TECHNOLOGIST

Our Communities

All students at Downlands belong to one of 4 Communities, all named after areas of natural beauty in Sussex

  • Beacon
  • South Downs
  • Weald
  • Wolstonbury
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