Destinations

Achieve acceptances at top higher education institutions

A university degree is hugely impactful in ensuring students have strong future careers.  We are committed to supporting students from across all levels to engage with universities and eventually progress to the best higher education institution possible.   

Our careers support considers the impact of GCSE choices and post-16 educational providers at both the Y9 and Y11 transitions when advising students across their secondary school careers. The school has a trained careers lead who both informs students about HE pathways and about how decisions made in secondary will impact future careers and university destinations.

Support for all higher education pathways

We support students to find the best university pathway for them by encouraging eligible students to apply to the Top Third of universities. These universities have been shown to have a strong impact on career success later in life.  All students have access to Unifrog and use it regularly to identify career and HE courses from Y7-11/13.  Students are encouraged to visit university campuses to help their research on different institutions. 

Support for super selective pathways

We help students prepare for admissions tests and interviews when applying for Medicine and Dentistry, and to Oxford and Cambridge universities. Every student applying to Oxford and Cambridge is offered the opportunity to be interviewed by an Oxford or Cambridge alumnus to prep for the real interview.  Ark also offers a day-long intensive workshop for Medicine and Dental applicants to walk them through the complex interview systems used by UK universities. Students in years 10 and 11 are invited to sessions with Oxbridge colleges to help build the skills they will need in sixth form to excel in the application. Ark also supports students applying for Law who are required to sit the LNAT with sessions to prepare for the exam. 

Partner programming

Students also benefit from a number of different partnerships that support applications to university.  Every year Ark partners with A list Education, an organisation supporting students to apply both for admission and financial aid to universities in the United States.  Several students are selected each year for free places on A list’s programme, a comprehensive system of support which includes the SAT and ACT admissions tests, writing application essays, and applying for financial aid. Normally this support costs several thousand pounds.  Ark also partners with Next Step, an organisation that supports disadvantaged students with their university application. Next Step offers free places to Ark students in their programme of mentoring and academic support and has helped Ark students progress to top university destinations. 

We support and encourage our students to apply for high quality apprenticeships which will support them in building a successful and sustainable career. Over the past few years, we have been consistent in placing Sixth Form students in competitive apprenticeships and continue to see increasing interest in apprenticeship pathways. 

We are increasingly aware of the demand for apprenticeships that exists from students. The apprenticeship landscape is fast competing with that of higher education and in September 2024, UCAS will be launching its apprenticeship application portal to sit alongside university applications. The UCAS apprenticeship search tool is already live, so students should use this, as well as Unifrog, to inform them about apprenticeship programmes.   

Ark schools work with students from primary upwards to ensure that they are aware of the potential of apprenticeships as an alternative destination to traditional university study. Schools also work with parents to improve their understanding of the apprenticeship information and guidance. From Yr10 onwards, students are exposed to a variety of information and guidance on apprenticeship pathways, ranging from assemblies, employer talks, apprentice alumni speaker engagements, workplace visits and apprenticeship insight sessions or workshops. Ark schools also host information sessions during National Careers Week and National Apprenticeship Week to parents and students. 

Ark have created a central directory for aspirational Post 18 apprenticeship pathways for Ark students who want to move straight onto employment rather than progress onto university. Most of the programmes in the directory start at Level 4 and progress onto Level 7 (degree and master’s level).  All pathways are with large employers where students will have early career opportunities that enhance their future employability prospects.