CAREERS NEWS & EVENTS
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AVA CAREERS NEWSLETTER
DIARY DATES
Tuesday 04 November: Brunel University Progression Day - Lecturers from Brunel University will taking post 16 lessons in Music, English, IT and Media.
Thursday 06 November: Year 13 UCAS Fair, Northampton - Year 13 students will visit the university to check out the opportunities available to them.
Friday 14 November: Alumni Visit - Year 7 students will meet an AVA alumni student who will talk them through his huge success in the world of Kickboxing.
Friday 21 November: NHS Stoke Mandeville Simulation Work Experience - Year 13 Health and Social Care students will go to the hospital for a day experiencing hospital life in a simulated environment.
Friday 21 November: Employability Workshops - All students in Years 7-10 will take part in a virtual employability workshop during period 5.
Friday 21 November: Farmers For Schools Assembly - All year 10 students will meet the farmers who will share the process of farm to fork.
Friday 21 November: SEND Transition Visit to Bucks College - A small group of Year 11 students will have the opportunity to visit Aylesbury college to support with transition to post 16.
UPDATES & NEWS
Career Opportunities with the NHS
From physio to pharmacy: book on local NHS after-school talks.
Want to find out about wider roles in healthcare? Students from Years 7 – 13 can book on Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s latest after-school talks:
Discover careers in the Allied Health Professions: Thursday 4 December 2025
- The NHS is not limited to doctors and nurses! Discover the 15 expert Allied Health Professions (AHPs), with a focus on: dietetics, music therapy, occupational therapy, operating department practice (ODP), orthoptics, paramedic science, physiotherapy, podiatry, prosthetics and orthotics, radiography (diagnostic), speech & language therapy.
- 5 – 7pm Thursday 4 December 2025
- Held in person at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury
Discover careers in pharmacy: Thursday 12 February 2026
- This critical area of healthcare is much wider than you might first think. You might be based in a hospital, participating in ward rounds to take patients’ drug histories and speak to patients’ families. Or you might be in a community pharmacy, GP surgery, health centre, clinic or nursing home. Find out the roles of a pharmacist, pharmacy technician and pharmacy assistant, and the different career pathways you can take.
- 5 – 7pm Thursday 12 February 2025
Apply over the Christmas holiday for work experience with Bucks NHS
Students in Years 12/13 (or college equivalent) interested in healthcare careers can apply for work experience at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust between Friday 19 December 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026 for placements during the spring term.
Plus there’s an additional 3-day, multi-role Allied Health Professions (AHPs) taster experience during February half-term based at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury – perfect if you haven’t yet made up your mind and want to explore further. Find out about 10 different roles including: dietitian, occupational therapist, operating department practitioner (ODP), orthoptist, orthotist, paramedic, physiotherapist, podiatrist, radiographer, speech & language therapist.
The links to apply will be posted on the Trust’s website over the school holiday: Find out more and apply for work experience at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – see ‘apply for work experience’
Clinical Psychology virtual career drop-ins
We always have significant interest from students interested in a career in Clinical Psychology. As there aren’t enough work experience placements to meet demand, the Clinical Psychology team at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer virtual career drop-ins to give students from Years 11 – 13 the opportunity to meet informally and put questions to them (teachers also welcome). The next dates scheduled are:
- Autumn term 2025: Wednesday 12 November, 4.30 – 5.30pm
- Spring term 2026: Wednesday 25 February, 4.30 – 5.30pm
- Summer term 2026: Wednesday 20 May, 4.30 – 5.30pm
How to register interest: Please share with teachers of psychology and heads of Year 11/sixth form and ask them to get interested students to email bht.brightfutures@nhs.net. We’ll then send an invitation to join on MS Teams.
Bucks New Uni- Game Design Opportunity
We’re excited to invite you to join the world’s largest game creation event – the Global Game Jam (GGJ) – hosted at Buckinghamshire New University!
When: Friday 30 January – Sunday 01 February 2026
Timings: Friday 30th (5pm – 8pm), Saturday 31st (8am – 8pm)*, Sunday 1st Feb (8am – 5pm). Students do not have to stay for the full duration on any day.
Where: The Brunel Engine Shed, Station Approach, Crendon Street, High Wycombe, HP13 6NE
Age Range: Open to students from Year 10 and above (14+)
STEM Competition
Interested in STEM? Want to boost your super curriculars and win prizes or mentorship?
The Scholarly Service Society, in partnership with Leaf, is hosting a STEM competition with £275 in prizes. Choose a future problem, research it in any STEM field, and present a solution through visual media and an abstract. The top prize is £75, plus mentorship opportunities and a chance to join Leaf’s 2026 Finalist Cohort.
Perfect for your personal statement or CV!
For details and to sign up: https://scholarlyservicesociety.org/comps/stemcomp.html
Careers Updates
The Open University, in partnership with the Russell Group, presents "Jump Start," aimed at assisting students in their transition to university life.
This program provides free online courses, articles, and activities designed to offer a comprehensive understanding of university life and study.
www.open.edu/openlearn/jumpstart-university
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY OPEN DAYS
Click on the button below to find out when Universities and Colleges are hosting Open Days this year:
Bucks Skills Hub
For careers guidance and information, visit the Bucks Skills
Hub where you will find many opportunities advertised and a wealth of careers information and guidance available.
Pathways for Year 7 and 8
At the Aylesbury Vale Academy, we support our parents with all the difficult decisions their children need to make regarding their future pathways and careers.
If you feel unsure about the different options your child will have after Year 11, please watch the YouTube video clip we shared with our Year 7 and 8 learners, which you can find here.
The Bucks Skills Hub also has a vast amount of information available for learners and parents.
Unifrog
Unifrog is an innovative online platform designed to streamline the post-secondary education and career exploration process for students at the Aylesbury Vale Academy, offering a comprehensive "one-stop shop" experience for parents and learners alike. This platform serves as a centralised hub where students can explore a multitude of opportunities, including university courses, apprenticeships, college programs, and career pathways, all within a single, user-friendly interface.
For parents, Unifrog provides invaluable insights into their child's educational and career journey, allowing them to track progress, access resources, and support decision-making. From researching different pathways to organising application materials and tracking deadlines, Unifrog empowers parents to actively engage in their child's academic and professional development. With its wide range of features and resources, Unifrog is an indispensable tool for parents looking to navigate the complexities of post-secondary education and career planning alongside their child at AVA. Every learner in the school has been given a unifrog login.
If learners cannot remember their login details, please contact Mrs Proud vproud@theacademy.me
Army Careers
If you are considering a career in the army, please have a look the flyers below to find out more about routes in to the service, including apprenticeships and qualifying college courses.
Pro:Direct Academy Bucks
The Pro:Direct Academy Bucks is a one or two year programme where footballers will train, play and study full-time.
Players will train to compete in the Tactic League & Cup & ESFA Superleage Cup with exceptional players will receiving opportunities to highlight their ability through our partners Pro:Direct Academy – PDA Eleven and PDA Regional squads all of whom receive the chance to play against professional academy teams, and showcase games with scouts in attendance. Exceptional players will also be signposted to to semi-professional club at Step 2 – 5.
Players will study with a Level 2 or 3 BTEC qualification alongside their football.
You can find out more here.
Certificate of Commitment for the Careers Standard
We are delighted to announce that Aylesbury Vale Academy has been awarded the Certificate of Commitment for the Careers Standard, demonstrating our dedication to providing exceptional careers guidance and opportunities for our students.
This prestigious recognition underscores our ongoing commitment to preparing our students for their future careers by offering comprehensive support, resources, and experiences to help them make informed decisions about their pathways beyond school.
Through this commitment, we aim to equip our students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. We are proud of this achievement and remain steadfast in our mission to empower our students to achieve their full potential.
We will continue to work hard and ensure we obtain the full certificate of the careers quality mark standard.
General Careers information
At the AVA we strive to provide our learners and parents with as much information as possible about careers and the different options young people have when they leave secondary school. As part of that provision please find belows articles that can support you, as a parent, with the important decisions your child faces regarding their future career. If you have any questions or if you would like to
arrange a meeting to discuss future options, please feel free to contact Mrs Proud:
vproud@theacademy.me
- If you are interested in upcoming events, for example IBM Apprenticeship opportunities webinar, for KS4 and 5 students and parents on the 12th of October, follow the link below: https://bucksskillshub.org/events
- Explore your education and training choices here - https://bucksskillshub.org/career-seeker/resources/explore-your-education-and-training-choices
- My career path to a technology degree apprenticeship – https://bucksskillshub.org/career-seeker/resources/my-career-path-to-a-technology-degree-apprenticeship
- Careers for Creatives – article - https://bucksskillshub.org/career-seeker/resources/careers-for-creatives
Careers Newsletter
Monthly Careers Newsletter
To all parents, especially those of whose children are in Key Stage 4 and 6th Form, the link below is of a comprehensive careers monthly newsletter for parents and carers. You’ll also find events, activities and on university, work experience, understanding the job market, skills, Labour Market Information (LMI) and everything you need to help prepare young people to enter the fast-changing world of work. The important events for your attention are: South Central Ambulance Services virtual recruitment open day, PwC Flying star degree programmes, KPMG Apprenticeships, The Bucks Skills Show and a National Apprenticeship Week event.
2025-2026
Classroom to career Parent Newsletter - November 2025