Careers Education

The careers education programme at Marlborough College is integrated into many aspects of college life, including the curriculum, super-curricular and co-curricular activities. Careers education is about so much more than gaining access to world-class higher education or training opportunities. To thrive in school and approach the future with confidence, all young people must have a sense of their personal value, and positivity when considering their future direction. Indeed, careers education in many ways is a wellbeing activity.

All pupils, staff, parents, and Old Marlburians (OMs) have access to Unifrog—the Universal Destinations platform—which supports career journeys from the Shell through to the Upper Sixth and beyond. Unifrog collates, manages, and guides pupils with valuable resources. Additionally, our bi-weekly Insight publication, sent directly to parents and pupils, provides key information and opportunities related to applications, work placements, university trends, and more. Our Futures Directory offers a curated list of all communications we receive over time, categorised for ease of use.

At Marlborough, the Futures Department creates curriculum modules, offers personalised advising and application support, organises events and talks, and ensures that the College is ahead of the evolving trends in further education and careers. House staff, teaching staff, the Futures team, and many others provide additional expertise to prepare pupils for life after Marlborough.

The Shell

Shell pupils begin their careers education in the classroom through introductory sessions in the PSHEE and Careers Education curriculum. They log into Unifrog and start exploring their interests through quizzes and subject library activities. The focus at this stage is light and exploratory, becoming more significant during the Lent Term as they prepare for their GCSE option choices.

The Remove

The Remove continues with careers education through PSHEE lessons, gaining a deeper understanding of the skills and attributes valued across different careers and how these can be developed during their time at Marlborough. A highlight of the year for the Remove is the Mock Interviews held early in the Summer Term, a true milestone where pupils begin to understand the agency they have over their choices and actions.

The Hundred

In the Hundred, pupils focus on Sixth Form options. The support systems in place help pupils make informed decisions about their Sixth Form studies. In addition to house-based advising from HMs or tutors, every pupil in the Hundred has a 40-minute careers meeting with an independent, qualified careers advisor from Future Smart Careers. This meeting results in a report offering development suggestions and work experience information, particularly encouraged over the summer after GCSEs. Hundred pupils also have access to apprenticeship workshops, international university talks, a Sixth Form options fair, and support for creating their first CV.

Sixth Form: Lower Sixth

Pupils enter the Sixth Form with a sense of anticipation and sometimes feel pressure regarding university and career decisions. To support this, we offer a series of events for both parents and pupils. We begin with the Welcome to Sixth Form talk, setting out the Sixth Form timeline and emphasising the importance of focusing on academics while enjoying the enriching Sixth Form experience. The international university programme begins early with introductory sessions on US universities, SAT prep, and a meeting with our US university advisor. Pupils are introduced to Oxbridge, Medicine, Music, Art, and Engineering programmes, and they are reassured that it is entirely normal not to know yet what they want to pursue.

The Lower Sixth brings many events, including the Launch talk series in the Lent Term, where OMs and parents share insights from diverse career sectors. The Careers and Networking Symposium, also supported by OMs and parents, gives pupils a chance to practice networking and communication skills, key as they begin considering their future careers. Academic departments offer career-based talks and trips in STEM, DT, English, Modern Languages, Art, to name but a few. Pupils are encouraged to build their super-curricular profiles by attending talks, reading widely, and participating in essay competitions and Olympiads. Every Lower Sixth pupil will also have another session with an independent careers’ advisor from Future Smart Careers.

The AIM mentor programme is newly available for selected pupils in the Lower Sixth, providing valuable support and guidance. The EPQ programme thrives at Marlborough, offering pupils the opportunity for in-depth study. The Futures Day in early May focuses on CVs and personal branding, while the Gateway to Work series offers insight into the working world. The Higher Education and Gap Fair in June, with over 50 providers, is a key event. Oxbridge and international university support programmes also ramp up at this time, with clear deadlines set to ease the application process. 

Sixth Form: Upper Sixth

In the Upper Sixth, the focus shifts to application completion, with university applications taking priority in the Michaelmas Term. However, other career support continues, including access to careers advice, gap year preparation, scholarship opportunities, OM Business Network events, apprenticeship workshops, and Launch talks.

Applications are supported with great care. Every pupil is valued, whether applying to the world’s most competitive universities or seeking comprehensive guidance on a range of higher education or training options. Support extends through the Upper Sixth and continues even beyond A level results day in the summer. Marlborough’s commitment to its alumni endures—once a Marlburian, always a Marlburian—offering the same level of support to all OMs as they make their applications.