Careers

Alumni Event

We will be announcing our annual Careers Alumni Event soon. For these events, former students come into school to chat to our students about their career path and what their role involves.

Ms Balchin, our Head of Careers, would love former students to share their career stories to inspire our current students. It doesn’t matter what your journey has been since leaving school – bank manager or basketball player, barista or barrister – come and let our students talk to you about your career path. If you’d like more information on how you can be involved in a future Careers Event, please email admin@fearnhill.herts.sch.uk

Careers Education

‘The best way to predict the future is to prepare for it.’

At Fearnhill, our vision for careers education is to widen horizons, challenge stereotypes and raise aspirations. We aim to provide young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to make successful transitions into the next stage of their life, to connect learning to the future and in so doing, motivate young people to understand and navigate a clear pathway to rewarding future jobs and careers.

Careers education is an integral part of the PSHE programme, with specific programmes for each year group. The careers education programme aims to prepare students for working life after school and help them develop to their full potential. Activities are aligned with the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks, which are current, best practice delivery for careers education and guidance in schools.

For more information about the support offered by Services for Young People, visit the jobs & careers section of their website.

To request an appointment with the personal adviser, students should speak to Mrs Balchin or their form tutor.

We compile and send out a fortnightly newsletter, Careerfile, which is packed full of the latest careers advice and opportunities. You can find the latest issue on our homepage.

We are always looking for ways to engage our students in work-related learning experiences and through employer interaction. If you feel you could offer work experience, a talk or a number of sessions regarding your business, employability skills and/or how to be successful in the workplace, please get in touch by emailing admin@fearnhill.herts.sch.uk and writing ‘employer engagement’ in the subject line.

Please see below for details of our whole school careers programme.

National Apprenticeship Week

For information relating to National Apprenticeship Week 2026, please see the following:

Apprenticeship Magazine

The Apprenticeship Guide

Apprenticeships

Amazing Apprenticeships

Amazing Apprenticeships Parents’ Zone

Sixth Formers Guide to Degree Apprenticeships

YEAR 7

In Year 7, students experience Enterprise Day, developing their personal skills and qualities, exploring the JED careers software, investigating future careers and qualification routes, as well as taking part in an ‘Apprentice’ style hat design competition.

YEAR 8

In Year 8, students take part in ‘Take your Sons and Daughters to Work Day’. This helps to grow links between work and school. Students also benefit from Services for Young People personal advisor interviews.

YEAR 9

Year 9 focuses on Key Stage 4 options preparation, looking at future routes, learning styles, decision making and of course options evening. There is a trip to the University of Hertfordshire as well as Services for Young People personal advisor interviews.

YEARS 10 & 11

Students prepare for one week’s work experience in March (WEX). This involves looking at what employers want, expectations of the workplace, health and safety, application forms, Link 2 database search, LMI and writing letters to employers. There are also RAF talks, trips to careers events and access to the Barclays Business mentors scheme. Services for Young People personal advisor interviews are also available.

In Year 11 support is offered around Post 16 option choices and routes-college, sixth form, apprenticeships, and Labour Market Information (LMI). CV writing and interview skills are covered, as well as options evening and Enterprise Day. For this, students set up a business to tender for the school prom. There is an Interview Day with external employers, a sixth form buddy scheme to support learning, apprenticeship talks and the Barclays Business mentors scheme. All students have the opportunity for a Services for Young People personal advisor interview.

Student Pathways in Hertfordshire – post 16

Year 10 Work Experience – This is in the calendar for the Summer Term 2026 in order to give students a taster of the world of work. Over the coming months, in the build up to Year 10 going into the workplace, we will be providing sessions to help them set goals and know what is required of them in the work place in order to have a successful week of work in the summer term. We also encourage students to seek work experience through family and friends during their free time in order to gain knowledge of the work place. We pride ourselves on our work experience successes over the years and the invaluable opportunity that serves to develop their employability skills. In whatever format work experience takes, it will continue to be an experience that opens the students eyes to the opportunities available, the skills required of them with the evidence of participation being a crucial addition to their cv.

YEARS 12 & 13

Students continue their Careers, Education and Guidance programme within their PSHE lessons in the sixth form. Information and advice on options after 18 is available in the Sixth Form Study Area.