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Careers and Work Experience

Our award-winning Careers Department aims to equip every Oakhamian with all the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about life beyond School.

We are fully committed to providing exceptional careers advice to our pupils throughout their time at Oakham and achieve this by delivering an in-house Careers Programme to support students in:

  • Making well-informed decisions at key points of academic progression in Forms 3, 4 and 5.
  • Developing the skills and professional awareness needed to navigate the world of work in the 21st century.
  • Applying for opportunities post-Oakham, including UK university applications, overseas study and degree apprenticeships.

Pupils take part in taught sessions covering key topics such as interview skills and producing a CV, plus the numerous events we host each year, including a Careers Fair, a Higher Education Fair, UCAS events and workshops with external speakers.

The School works closely with its external partners and contacts, as well as its extensive alumni network, to introduce students to careers and work experience. Many of our students in Form 5 and above undertake work experience placements organised by the Careers Department during the summer holiday, gaining invaluable knowledge and experience in a range of competitive fields.

We are proud of the variety of opportunities our students take following their time with us, including studying at some of the most prestigious universities in the UK and abroad and Degree Apprenticeships with top employers. We also continue to support Old Oakhamians for three years after they leave School.

The Careers Department is led by a full-time Head of Careers and Progression, who is a qualified careers advisor registered with the Careers Development Institute (CDI). We also have a full-time UCAS and Careers Coordinator and a dedicated Work Experience and Apprenticeships Officer, in addition to further coordinators for Oxbridge and Clinical applications.

Leavers’ Destinations

The majority of our students go to top universities in the UK, Europe and the United States, including Oxford, Cambridge, other Russell Group universities, medical schools and many more high-ranking institutions worldwide.

In 2023

  • 86% of applicants are into a university of their choice.
  • 11 students have gone to what have become known as the ‘golden triangle’/G5/’Loxbridge’ universities (Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial and UCL).
  • 21 pupils are at international universities, including IE Madrid, Maastricht, Erasmus, Rotterdam, University of Toronto, Michigan State University, King University, Tennessee, and ESADE Law and Business School in Spain.
  • 6 pupils are studying specialist clinical courses, including Medicine and Veterinary Science.
  • 10 pupils are studying specialist Art and Design courses, among them four who scored a perfect 100% in their Art A-Level.
  • pupil is embarking on a prestigious Apprenticeship study programme in Hamburg, Germany.

 

Careers and Leavers' Support Team

Staff Rachael Pearson

Dr Rachael Pearson

Head of Careers and Higher Education

Dr Rachael Pearson

Head of Careers and Higher Education

I joined Oakham School in 2021 from Loughborough Grammar School, where I was the UCAS Co-ordinator. Before training as a Careers Advisor in 2018, I taught English at Nottingham High School for 14 years, during which time I completed my PhD.

I feel very lucky to be working with such an experienced and knowledgeable team in the Careers Department and am greatly enjoy working with Oakhamians as they make transitions between stages of their education here and as they move on to pathways beyond Oakham School.

Oakham School - Tim Silcock portrait photo

Tim Silcock

UCAS and Careers Coordinator

Tim Silcock

UCAS and Careers Coordinator

Tim provides specialist advice and support relating to UCAS applications

Caroline Atkinson

Work Experience & Apprenticeships Officer

Caroline Atkinson

Work Experience & Apprenticeships Officer

Caroline supports pupils with their applications for Degree Apprenticeships and work experience placements

Darren Sheppard - DJS_OS Staff048 Staff

Dr Darren Sheppard

Senior Academic Mentor - Oxbridge Applications

Dr Darren Sheppard

Senior Academic Mentor - Oxbridge Applications

Dr Sheppard supports pupils with their Oxbridge applications

Dr Andrew Nicoll

Teacher of Biology - Clinical Courses applications

Dr Andrew Nicoll

Teacher of Biology - Clinical Courses applications

Dr Nicoll is a Biology Teacher who supports pupils in their Clinical Courses applications

 

 

Academic classroom shot

Oxbridge

In the Sixth Form, we encourage all pupils with outstanding GCSE results to consider an application to either Cambridge or Oxford Universities. Some pupils’ ambitions will lie elsewhere, but for those who do wish to make an application, we provide a range of support and guidance.

Our aim is to help Oxbridge aspirants to demonstrate their academic potential in the most effective way possible in their applications. Each applicant is mentored both by a subject specialist in their chosen area of study and the Senior Academic Mentor.

Tom With pipette Biology

Medical/Clinical courses

Around a dozen Form 7 pupils apply for clinical courses – mainly medicine – each year. We have a busy programme of events and activities for students considering clinical courses, including the Royal School of Medicine Careers Day (held at Oakham), lectures, mock interviews, personal statement workshops and more.

There are Old Oakhamians training to be doctors, veterinary surgeons and dentists at Bristol, Imperial College, Nottingham and Sheffield, among many other UK universities. In addition, former pupils regularly receive offers to study medicine abroad.