PREPARING EVERY STUDENT FOR LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL

Futures Programme

Our Futures Programme is a carefully structured, whole-school initiative that guides every student from Year 7 to Year 13 on a journey of self-discovery, mindset development and confident decision-making. It is embedded in the life of the school — running through tutorials, PSHE, assemblies, workshops, enrichment events and dedicated one-to-one guidance.

Grounded in three progressive themes — Explore, Develop and Realise — the programme builds the knowledge, practical skills and personal insight that students need to thrive in a rapidly changing world, and to make the most of the extraordinary opportunities available to them. Every student, regardless of their intended destination, is supported to make ambitious, informed and confident choices.

At every stage, students use Unifrog — the world-leading careers and destinations platform — to research pathways, log experiences and skills, and compare opportunities. Parents are closely involved through a rich calendar of evenings, webinars and written communications, and our extensive network of alumni enriches the programme throughout the year.

Key Stage 3: Years 7–9

The Explore phase introduces students to the world of work, broadens their understanding of career pathways and develops the financial literacy and self-awareness they will need in later years.

Year 7 — Introducing the World of Work
Students begin their Futures journey by distinguishing between jobs and careers and starting to understand how the choices they make at school connect to outcomes in later life. Delivered through tutorial sessions and our Year 7 PSHE programme (World of Work), this year lays the foundations for everything that follows. Students are introduced to Unifrog, begin building their profile and start to explore the breadth of career pathways available.

Year 8 — Exploring Work and Money
In Year 8, students look more closely at the relationship between financial literacy and career planning. Dedicated PSHE sessions cover budgeting, saving, banking and Labour Market Information (LMI) — helping students understand how the economy shapes opportunity. Tutorial sessions bring the world of work to life through structured projects and exploration of different industries.

Year 9 — Exploring Pathways and Choices
With GCSE options on the horizon, Year 9 is a pivotal year. Students connect their emerging interests to subject choices and begin to consider their longer-term aspirations. A series of Unifrog tutorials supports this process, with dedicated sessions on careers, logging activities and skills, and the differences between career paths, degree courses and other post-18 options.

Key Stage 4: Years 10–11

The Develop phase builds students’ sense of identity, employability and ambition. They begin to look beyond school and to understand the full breadth of pathways available at 18 and beyond.

Year 10 — Developing Self-Awareness and Employability
Year 10 marks a significant step up in the breadth and variety of Futures provision. A structured programme of assemblies, tutorials and Unifrog sessions runs throughout the year, helping students understand their strengths and begin researching future pathways.

Year 11 — Planning for Post 16 and Beyond
As students approach the end of their GCSE programme, the focus shifts to sixth form preparation and early awareness of what lies beyond. All students benefit from a one-to-one meeting with an external careers professional. Students attend the annual Careers Convention — a highlight of the school’s Futures calendar — giving them the opportunity to meet representatives from a variety of employers.

Sixth Form: Years 12–13

The Realise phase is where the programme’s foundations bear fruit. Our sixth form Futures provision combines personalised one-to-one guidance with a rich calendar of events, specialist support strands, visiting professionals and outstanding outcomes.

Every Aspiration, Fully Supported

Futures guidance at The Perse is not built around a list of familiar destinations. It is built around the individual. We have helped students navigate applications across the full spectrum of post-18 options in both the UK and overseas. Whatever the destination, we know how to help students get there — and get there well.

The strength of our support lies in the people who deliver it. Our Futures team brings together specialists in university admissions, careers education, subject mentoring and pastoral guidance, working in close partnership with academic departments across the school. 

We are not generalists offering generic advice. We are a team that takes the time to understand each student’s individual blend of strengths, passions and goals, and builds an application strategy around exactly that.

The breadth of The Perse’s alumni community means that, wherever a student wants to go and whatever they want to study, there is very often someone who has already made that journey and is willing to share their experience. We connect students directly with alumni who have been exactly where they want to go — so that guidance goes beyond what any handbook or website can offer.

We are proud that our students leave The Perse with ambitions that are genuinely their own — shaped by curiosity, self-knowledge and a clear sense of their values, not by league tables or convention. Our role is to understand each student deeply, to broaden their horizons where that is helpful, and then to support them with the same commitment and expertise wherever they might be applying