Careers Leader: Joanna McEwen
An outline of the provision of education, information, advice, and guidance for further study and careers beyond CMS is available on the CMS Careers Policy. A summary of some of the activities that our students can expect to engage with during their time at CMS can be seen on our CMS Careers and Progressions Timeline.
Our philosophy
Working out what your next steps are and finding a career can be challenging. Many people struggle to find what it is that will make them feel fulfilled in their future careers. At CMS we want to help you to explore some options and we also want you to be aware that your career will evolve as you progress during your working life. You don’t have to have all the answers at the start of your journey.
The world of work is evolving, and we want to equip you to be adaptable and innovative to prepare you for our changing world. Our curriculum and careers plan does just that. We work with our university and corporate partners to show you possibilities and interesting fields that you could be part of one day. Getting into the most interesting work is competitive but you should be confident, as a Cambridge Maths School student, that you can aim for the field that interests you the most and that you have the capacity to get there.
We have a structured careers programme which is interwoven through the CMS curriculum and super-curriculum and further supported by tutor group sessions and one-to-one support sessions with pastoral tutors. We regularly have talks and lectures by mathematicians and scientists who talk about their work and how they reached their chosen careers.
Some examples of speakers and lecture titles that we have had are:
- Sir David Spiegelhalter, Cambridge University “Using maths and statistics to explain Covid, get on game shows, and catch serial murderers”.
- Jade Alglave Arm Computing “Herding Cats” (How multiprocessors work in tandem to perform their computation more efficiently)
- Matthias Dorrzapf, Director of Mathematics at St John’s college “Symmetries, Groups and Particles – and how does the energy get into the light bulb?“ (Quantum Mechanics)
Unifrog
All students at CMS and their parents have access to Unifrog, an award-winning online platform which brings together information about all post-school options.
The Careers Library contains up-to-date labour market information for over 1000 different career profiles. The Subjects Library contains subject profiles for all the different subjects that can be studied at university which include advice for applying to study the subject and information about where the subject could lead you next. The UK universities tool allows you to search all courses available and filter by various criteria. The Apprenticeships tool advertises live vacancies and is updated daily.
These are just a few examples of the vast array of tools that Unifrog provides. We support students throughout their time at CMS to gain the maximum benefit from the various tools available to them on Unifrog.
There are a range of options that are open to you to continue your learning journey once you progress from CMS, including:
Heading to University
You will apply to university through the University and Colleges Application Service (UCAS).
- ucas.com
a thorough and up-to-date guide to university admissions. - university.which.co.uk
a guide to universities – includes a useful budget calculator. - thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk
a guide to universities that shows ranking by student satisfaction and graduate prospects. - opendays.com
a calendar of university open days. - university.springpod.com
Explore subjects and universities.
Higher and Degree Level Apprenticeships
Degree level apprenticeships have grown in popularity in recent years, providing the opportunity to gain a full undergraduate or master’s degree while working and earning a salary. Overall, you spend about 20% of your time studying and 80% of your time working.
Applications for apprenticeships are normally made directly to companies/providers. You can apply to traditional university courses (via UCAS) and apprenticeships simultaneously.
Companies and providers have their own application windows during year 13. These differ between providers and from one year to the next. We will share opportunities we receive, but the application process for these opportunities is competitive and you will need to be proactive in seeking out this information and expressing interest with companies directly.
- gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
Sign up for apprenticeships here. - apprenticeships.gov.uk/influencers/resources-for-parents
Monthly Packs to help your child search for and apply for apprenticeships. - ucas.com/further-education/apprenticeships-traineeships
Alternative paths to university on the UCAS website.
A few examples of higher and degree level apprenticeships that you might find relevant are:
Further links to explore your options
A good place to start researching possible careers paths is online. Here are some websites to get you started:
Career Options
- mathscareers.org.uk
Full of interesting articles – try searching the careers profiles to get some inspiration. - stem.org.uk/secondary/careers
From articles in their Catalyst Magazine, to career profile interviews with STEM professionals, find out more about various careers in STEM. - neonfutures.org.uk/resource/all-routes-into-engineering
A guide to different routes into Engineering.
Work Experience (In Person or Remote)
An increasing number of organisations are creating virtual work experiences and using platforms to run them, such as:
Study Abroad
- fulbright.org.uk
a guide to American universities including the application process. - eunicas.co.uk
a guide to applying to universities in Europe.
Other Alternatives and Additional Resources
- notgoingtouni.co.uk
Information on alternatives to university, including apprenticeships. - nationalcareers.service.gov.uk
The National Careers Service. - gov.uk/government/publications/higher-technical-qualification-overview/higher-technical-qualification-an-introduction
Find out more about the new Higher Technical Qualifications. - ucas.com/undergraduate/student-life/gap-year/gap-years-ideas-and-things-think-about
Gap years can be used to enhance your CV, travel, learn new skills, and much more. Find out more and get some inspiration on the UCAS website.
Many studies have shown that parents and carers are the most influential figures when it comes to young people making decisions about their future. It is important that you are able to access the right information to help you support your sons and daughters in planning their future. As well as the websites highlighted above you may want to look at the following sites specifically designed for parents:
- talkingfutures.org.uk
Talking Futures host a range of resources to support you in holding career conversations with your children. - skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/parent-advice-and-resources
a Government website with links to information and resources - youthemployment.org.uk/careers-advice-for-parents/
Youth Employment UK host a wide range of resources to ensure that parents understand the options available.
If you have any questions about the support your child is receiving, or if you are able to support our careers programme please contact our Careers Leader.
To ensure that our careers programme is brought to life and rooted in the world of work we depend upon the support of our local employers. If you are interested in engaging with our students please contact our Careers Leader.
The need to support our students to ensure that they are able to become managers of their future lives is a shared responsibility among all staff in our school. This involvement may be through specific careers tutorials, the delivery of the school curriculum or even words of encouragement and positivity when needed.
We will support all of our staff to develop their understanding of the options our students have and they can seek help from the Careers Leader at any time.
