Careers at Malvern
The principal aim of the Careers Department at Malvern is to guide and support pupils who are making important decisions about their future. Pupils are encouraged to work closely with the Head of Careers, their tutor, housemaster or mistress and subject teachers who all provide a network of support in terms of information, resources and advice. Our careers staff recognise that pupils can feel overwhelmed when making career decisions and university course choices.
Malvern is a member of ISCO - the Independent Schools' Careers Organisation - and makes full use of its Morrisby profiling, Futurewise website and professional careers advisors to help each pupil make the choices that are right for them. It is recognised that in an ever-changing international climate, careers advice is essential on an on-going basis and pupils are welcome to continue to seek our help until they reach the age of 23.
Work Experience
Malvern College encourages Work Experience which introduces young people to the world of work. These placements should be for a minimum of one week and a maximum of two weeks during which time the pupil should be exposed to the routine working day demands and disciplines of the organisation in which they have secured a place. Work Experience is an integral part of the Lower Sixth year. Such is its educational value (e.g. for University references, etc.) that it is in the pupil’s best interest to undertake a placement. During the school vacations occurring between completion of year eleven (Malvern College’s Hundred year group) and commencement of the Upper Sixth year, your child will need to take part in at least one Work Experience placement.
The pupils should consider the following criteria:
1. They are placed in a working environment of their choice.
2. Their placement is near their home or other family accommodation.
3. Their placement takes place during the school holidays.
Universities and Gap Year Choices
Gap Years
A number of students now take a gap year between school and university and the process of organising such an undertaking can be a little daunting for pupils. The well-stocked Careers library has information about many organisations which offer gap year programmes and the accumulated experience of past years of pupils enables the Career department staff (together with a pupil’s Sixth Form tutor) to offer advice about the opportunities available and appropriate choices that a particular pupil might make.
University Applications
The great majority of pupils at Malvern decide to continue their education at university. In the increasingly competitive environment of higher education we believe it is critical to manage the university application process effectively as well as provide thorough and comprehensive advice about what courses and institutions might suit a particular student. Throughout the Lower and Upper Sixth years a carefully managed programme of information and advice is provided by the Careers department in tandem with Sixth Form tutors and, as a result of this, the majority of students gain places at the university of their first or second choice. The Careers department maintains comprehensive written and electronic resources regarding universities and Careers staff are on hand throughout the decision and application process for informal chats or more in-depth discussions.
While the majority of pupils apply to UK universities through the UCAS application process, students seeking to apply to international institutions are fully supported through both aptitude tests such as SATs and the application process for particular universities. Over the past few years, pupils from Malvern have successfully applied to universities in the US, Canada, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Holland.