Bablake Careers

Bablake students invariably ask about the advantages of studying particular subjects and of course certain disciplines/ professions may steer them toward definite choices/ future routes.

Inspired by an initial tweet from Mark Martin (@urban_teacher), however, I set about identifying 18 highly desirable skills in every subject on offer in the secondary school curriculum.

The list below means pupils can choose subjects they love and have an aptitude for, with the confidence of future-proofing their employability. Of course, co-curricular activities add even more punch to everyone’s skillset!

Public Speaking and Presentation/ Performance

Research Methods

Data Analysis and Tailored Reflective Report Writing

Project Management

Time Management

Attention to Detail and Professional Practice

Negotiation and Language Skills

Conflict Resolution

Creative Thinking

Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Calculated Risk-Taking

Failing… and Learning How to Improve

People Management

Effective Team Work and Supporting Others

Leadership Opportunities

Competition, Target Setting and Ambition

Impact/ Financial Planning and Reward

I am sure you would agree that the candidate who appears at interview with evidence of these assets would be immensely employable! And they may not be the all A* and As applicant either.

The 2017-18 series of interviews with #BablakePupilsEverywhere begins with Laura Needham, who runs a weekly yoga class for Bablake’s staff.

What did you study for A-Level? 

‘For A level, I studied Biology, Chemistry and Maths.’

What did you do next? 

‘Well, to be honest, I spent a lot of time making decisions that, although they resulted in me having a good job and relatively promising career prospects, were not making me happy or giving my life much meaning. It was probably all for the best in the end though, as this is how I found yoga.’

When did you decide to go for yoga? 

‘I started practising yoga when I was working in the corporate world. It helped me get through long, stressful days in a corporate environment followed by endless late nights and weekends working on my laptop to stay on top of my game for the next long and stressful day. I wonder how many of you can relate to this hamster wheel! 

Back then, I did yoga because I needed it just to get through my working week; it made me feel good. Little did I know it was gradually changing me, mentally and physically, until I realised I loved it so much I wanted to not only do it every day, but share it and teach it to other people. This is when I decided to train as a yoga teacher. 

I realised making a living doing something I love is important to me, so last year I took the plunge and, in a leap of faith, left the corporate world I was working in and flew to India to start my new life teaching yoga.’ 

How did you train or get experience? 

‘I decided to complete my yoga teacher training in India, the home of yoga where the practice originated. My training was intensive - 13 hours a day, 6 days a week... for four weeks. 

I chose this option, so I could immerse myself fully in the discipline and roots of yoga, absorbing and learning as much as I could. It was also a test for myself, as I didn’t want to make another ‘bad’ career choice. I figured, if I could live and breathe yoga in that intensive environment for four weeks and still want to do it, then I would know it was the right career choice for me.’ 

What do you enjoy most about teaching yoga? 

‘Everything! Literally, everything! I wake up every morning and come to my mat for self practice... well, almost every morning. This way, I continue to grow in my own practice as I teach others and I ‘practise what I preach’. 

I believe when you teach something you are so passionate to share, it reflects in the teaching and a student’s understanding. Yoga changed my life, so I guess what I most enjoy is sharing this with others, so they may also experience yoga enriching their lives. Sometimes I can literally see the difference in my students’ mood and energy at the end of class and it is a great feeling knowing one yoga class did that.’ 

What next?

‘I’m hoping to do further training in yoga, as there is so much to explore in the discipline. I am currently qualified to teach Aerial, Ashtanga, Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin yoga, but I plan to train in pre and post natal yoga, yoga for children and complete another ‘300 hours’ training course and advance my current teaching practice.

After that, who knows? Workshops, studios, yoga retreats, training to be able to teach people to become yoga teachers and hosting my own 200/300 hour teacher training courses…..the world is my oyster, so I’m dreaming big!’ 

What would you tell your 16 year old self? 

‘Forget about other people’s expectations of you, as that is their dream not yours. Do not worry about what other people think about your dreams, they are not you. Discover what lights you up and stokes your fire, then DO IT! Dream big and believe in those dreams, because limitation is only in the mind. Anything is possible, so go and live BIG!’ 

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Laura feels very honoured to have been offered the opportunity to teach yoga at Bablake and share her learning with the school that taught her so much as a pupil. 

She said this about her yoga class: ‘It has been amazing to watch everyone progress and grow in their own practice, particularly those new to yoga. Many congratulations to one student who has never done yoga before, but now stands on her head as well as her feet!

I’d urge other staff to come and try a class, as I love new students and teach to all ages and abilities. You don’t have to be flexible, strong or calm! You never know, you might find inside yourself a yogi you never knew was there!’

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Laura’s 5 Myths about Yoga

Laura wanted to debunk a few yoga myths in case you were intrigued about the benefits and were considering trying it, but were unsure whether it would be OK for you. ‘Don’t worry, yoga is for everyone, so don’t let 5 yoga myths put you off!’ 

1. Yoga is for flexible people

‘This is one of the most common reasons people think they cannot do yoga, but, honestly, it is absolutely irrelevant to your practice. It may be true when people practise yoga regularly, they become more flexible, but that’s exactly what it is - a result not a requirement. 

There are a number of options, modifications and variations of every yoga pose. For example, when you complete a standing forward fold, your hands may well touch the floor, or maybe they only reach your shins, or maybe even your thighs, but you’re still doing a standing forward fold and still gaining all the benefits of that pose. 

If you don’t want to be that person in class with your hands only reaching your thighs, then that is your ego talking, so release it and come to class! You will soon see that one of the first lessons of class is not to pay any attention to what anyone else is doing on their mat; it is only your mat that matters.’ 

2. Yoga is just for women

‘This is one of the ones I find the most ironic, as in India the traditional culture is almost reversed, for it is the men who are traditionally the ones encouraged to become yoga gurus and master teachers more than women, although these days, there is less of a gender divide. 

Yoga has amazing benefits for men and women, and I have many men come to my yoga classes now. My Saturday morning class regularly has more male than female students in attendance! So for all the guys out there thinking yoga is just for girls come and give it a try, you will soon see there is absolutely nothing girly about this practice!’ 

3. Yoga is for the young and skinny

‘OK, so I understand where this one comes from, with photos of advanced yoga postures all over Instagram, but the real life picture of a class is actually nothing like this. It is like comparing an airbrushed, photoshopped image of a model on the cover of a magazine, after editing, to a real photo with no filter.

The reality is... yoga is for EVERYONE! I have a 76 year old man in one of my classes, who started practising yoga after he retired and says it is the best thing he ever did! So no matter who you are, what your number is (scales or birthday) you can come to yoga if you want to!’

4. Yoga is too hard for me

‘Well yes, in a way, yoga is hard, but maybe not in quite the way you are expecting. If you were expecting to come to your first yoga class and wrap your legs around your head or hold a handstand, then, yes, you are probably right in thinking that it is too hard for you. In short, it probably is, but this is not what you will be doing in your first week, month or even year of yoga. 

Also, yoga helps open you up and clear your thoughts and vision. A lot of people find this hard because sometimes – well, we do not like what we see. It is amazing, though, when we release our expectations and accept what shows up it actually starts to become harder NOT to come to your mat.’

5. Yoga is for spiritual people/ Yoga is against my religion

‘Whilst yoga does draw upon some of the teachings and philosophies of Hinduism and Buddhism, due to its origins in India, it is a separate practice and not part of any religion. Yoga is an exercise of the mind, body and spirit and it can be whatever you want it to be. It serves your own needs – whether that is reflective meditation or simply a good workout.’ 

There are many mental and physical benefits of yoga, so see you on the mat!

Congratulations! You are no longer an U6th student; instead you have accepted a university place or have landed an exciting apprenticeship after acing a selection procedure just as tough as any application for a graduate scheme. 

Life as an adult now involves a student bank account and the High Street banks have all just announced their 17-18 season offers to entice the next generation of 18 year olds! I don't know the stats, but a lot of people sign up at 18 and stay with that bank for life, which is great news for the brand that wins your student dollar, euro or whatever you trade in! 

The Guardian has published its reflections on this year's offers and there will be much more media commentary on this over the next few weeks. We cannot be independent financial advisers, but you must look beyond the offers. What do you need most? A free railcard, free coach card, £60 Amazon voucher, high overdraft limit...? 

You don't need a super soaker or free inflatable - daft gifts from the past - but if you don’t travel by coach or train etc, that offer won't work for you either. Be wary - any free overdraft usually accrues interest soon after 'graduating' - check the period you have to pay it back before charges are incurred. 

Some of you may already have a bank account, so you now have the option of changing allegiance, asking for the student 'gift' or talking to your bank.

 #TopTip (1) - a lot of banks offer you a free savings account alongside your standard one. This is great as you can transfer any student loan etc into that and then work out your weekly allowance - all transferable online or via a mobile app. (You could spend £200+ in the first few days of Freshers' Week/ Fortnight, so a major chunk of your money can go very soon unless you ration it carefully.)

We say it every year, but the moment you open your A levels results, you are the same dynamic person you were the night before - great at sport, drama, music, volunteering or whatever you, your friends and family know you are brilliant at. 

Employers want you! They want your bright personality, your guts, your innovation and your belief in yourself. Universities - although it is increasingly your market and your choice - have to make judgements from exam results. An exam system that increasingly tests your memory recall, rewards a fair element of good fortune on the day of the exam - if the questions are what you wanted - and crucially does not tell the whole picture about who you are.

The majority of Bablake students will not be in Clearing, but for those who are (and maybe some now questioning their direction), it is not an end game. 4 years ago, Will Hine had his original university dreams shattered by grades that were, however, more than good enough to get him a place at the University of Manchester to read Geography, where his best friend in the drum’n’bass world, Keeno, was also studying. He graduated last year with a 2.1, has dabbled with architecture and is now a drawing technician... and, by the way, he has just released a brilliant debut album ‘Talisman’ on Hospital Records, rated as an A* for certain. He is living his dream and Clearing played a large part in that!

If you encounter Clearing personally or know someone facing it, these are our top tips:

PRE PREP

Have UCAS/ Track numbers and passwords safely at hand.

Find your original Personal Statement and pencil in what you have done since applying.

Have a look at alternatives you like (unis or alternative options).

Charge your phone and check you’ve got the mobile data you might need for Results day.

Have pen and paper, and some comfort food and drink, packed ready.

Believe in yourself.

Write down a quick summary of why you wanted to study your degree subject and what you have to sell yourself to a university.

Just have a look at the official University listings via UCAS or specific uni/ department websites for places in Clearing.

Try and sleep... be warned it is like the night before Christmas though!

ON THE DAY

Still believe in yourself! Grades don’t define you. Seriously they don’t. You are still dynamic and have not let anyone down.

Go and get your results as soon as you can from school/ college.

Check Track asap, since many universities will still honour your offer, if you are close to your grades, and you sometimes find out good news on Track before seeing your results.

Speak to your Head of 6th, Head of Departments about remarks, if an exam or two have gone wrong.

Stay calm, but act quickly and ring some university departments offering courses you would like to enrol for. 

‘Fight’ online, by email, on the phone, in person if you really want that one place. Don’t take no for an answer without a courteous pitch!

Ring, ring and ring again - don’t give up if a phone line is engaged, as someone will answer in time.

Scour the official University listings via UCAS or specific uni/ department websites for places in Clearing.

Look at the other 2/3 offers you may have rejected when you keep your Firm/ Insurance offers.

Twitter (and Snapchat) are being used too to advertise places.

Don’t accept an offer outright without checking course content, university location, facilities etc - just like when applying originally.

Be willing to attend a Clearing Open Day.

Back yourself and remind yourself you are a dynamic, brilliant person. You really are still!

AFTERWARDS

Remind yourself of what you are brilliant at... sport, drama, music, volunteering, being creative, being kind etc.

Have no regrets.

Think about whether you want a gap year, should re-sit and re-apply or study abroad, should consider a Higher or Degree Apprenticeship...

You still have time to change your mind - one of the only binding financial concerns to watch out for is signing your accommodation agreement, esp. if it is with a private company rather than the university.

Relax! 

Clearing is not a pleasant experience, but it is often over in minutes or a couple of hours. A few days, months or years later, 99% of people look back and have no regrets about how their path mapped out or changed.

If you need us on Results Day, be reassured we will be here to assist, listen, advise, feed you, make cups of tea or just offer tissues to mop a few tears. 

USEFUL LINKS

Clearing Survival Guide

Clearing Telephone Call

Adjustment - if your grades are better than your offers. 

UCAS

Guardian Clearing Guide

You need to be determined to reach Aberystwyth, but my goodness once you arrive, you are royally rewarded and may never want to leave. Weaving across the Cambrian ranges from Shrewsbury may well take a good 2 hours and you wouldn’t wish to attempt it in inclement weather, but the coastal charms are clear after negotiating the drive.

My first live experience of Aberystwyth University - no 1 for student satisfaction in Wales and an impressive 4th across the whole UK - has come via the 2017 Higher Education Advisers conference, but a steady stream of Bablake students and teachers (mostly Geographer/ Earth Scientists) had made a compelling case for its merits over a good number of years. Being the alma mater of my in-laws too, I already had a strong emotional attachment to it!

Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Professor Elizabeth Treasure - formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Cardiff University - opened the HEA conference with a compelling commitment to preserve Aberystwyth’s established, successful USPs. Rapid expansion of undergraduate student numbers is not an osmosis that attracts Professor Treasure. Her vision might see more courses, in time, embed a year in industry, but her priority will be to ensure the ‘typical’ Aberystwyth student is catered for. Whether you are looking forward to intensive study, playing to your individual, specific course choice, or looking to enjoy the full student social scene, her impressive University will be a very good fit, with staff-student ratios a strong benefit.

Day 1 of the conference attended to UCAS updates, with Alan Jones fully on point with his presentation re examination reforms and insight into data trends. As a fellow delegate stated, 'a virtuoso performance’, especially so allowing for the nature of the subject material!

My decision to sidestep the conference dinner and explore the town proved exhausting and exciting. The stroll downhill in summer sunshine was no hardship. With camera in hand, the charms of North Beach, the Pier, castle and Old College were soon captured just as the photographer’s true boon, the golden hour before sunset, arrived. Please check https://twitter.com/bablakecareers/status/885647450115112964 for a quick visual compilation.

It would have been wrong to have ignored a hostelry such as the impressive Ship and Castle, and another evening there will be a chance to sample some of the impressive cuisine on offer across the town that would suit any palate.

With school holidays approaching, one suspects the town will soon cast off the hiatus between students leaving for the summer and tourists descending, but for now the town was charmingly deserted.

The final challenge of the evening - tackling the hill that Kate Bush most certainly was not contemplating when she composed 'Running up that Hill’ - was a fine twilight workout, tho’ one wonders how many students would really contemplate the upward journey without the assistance of a £2 taxi ride.

In summary, all promotion of Aberystwyth’s charms has proved fully justified and I very much look forward to unlocking more info about the university’s strengths.

I have just returned from the 2017 Mock Interview Morning and the performance of our L6th students has made me so proud yet again. Those students now approach their final week of term and an exciting summer with much excellent practical advice from their interviewers and a boost in their confidence.

Preparing for the event, completing paperwork on time, investigating the interviewers’ professional backgrounds, rearranging diary clashes, waking early on a Saturday, preparing mentally for the interview and stepping into the EDM Foyer are crucial elements of this exercise. Every student who reaches that stage is a winner already.

The interview itself - either with a panel or individual - is a separate part of the morning. Inevitably, there is always something candidates can do to improve her or himself, but everyone excels. Every year, the interviewers are amazed at how much every student does and how well they express this... and 2017 was no different.

Students learn to sell themselves, and as well as receiving advice on how to sharpen their interview performance, they are given pertinent instruction on how to turn a silver performance into one that is golden. 

Bablake students are modest, humble, exciting to talk to and so clearly going to achieve in the future. In my 30 years at the school, that has always been the case and it is a delight to work with such impressive young people.

More will be said and discussed about this year’s event - LinkedIn is still a resource very few are using yet - but today was once again a very proud moment for me as Head of Careers seeing our interviewers - 60% of whom were former pupils - and current students interact so brilliantly and all stand out.

University league tables for 2018, recently revealed by The Guardian, reinforce the rise of Coventry University (12th) and consistent excellence of the University of Warwick (8th).

We were delighted to support 2017’s ‘International Education’ week by hosting our 3rd Study Abroad Fair. Prestigious universities from Europe, Australia, Canada and the US enjoyed discussing the advantages of higher education outside the UK with students and parents from our Fourth Year and above.

Studying abroad for the whole or part of a degree increases employability opportunities for future graduates and, in the age of ever-increasing tuition fees in the UK, can offer a very viable alternative route.

(Photographs from the evening are available on the Bablake Careers Facebook page.)