IN THE THIRD TERM
University open days begin in the summer term and continue until the autumn. If university is their first choice, these are a great way to get a feel for different institutions’ courses, facilities and campuses. Visit page 52 for more information about getting the most from open days.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Your child can also seek advice from:
• Careers advisers at their school / college.
• The National Careers Service, which offers advice by phone, webchat and email. For details visit nationalcareersservice. direct. gov. uk
SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD POST-18 DECISIONS
Arm yourself with as much information as possible so that you’ re ready to support your child when it comes to discussions about their future.
• Careerpilot www. parentzone. careerpilot. org. uk / parent
In addition, there may be careers / higher education events for parents or carers at your child’ s school or college, and special parent / carer sessions at UCAS exhibitions, so go along if you can.
DISCUSSING THE OPTIONS
• Support your child to make informed decisions, rather than deciding for them. Putting pressure on your child to follow the path you think is best is likely to be counterproductive.
• When you talk with your child about the future, be positive and focus on what they do well, what they are interested in and what they want to achieve. School reports, parents’ evenings and grade predictions can be useful reference points for your discussions.
• Encourage them to get some different ideas and perspectives by talking to teachers, careers advisers and other family members.
There are numerous sources of advice and guidance online. The following are a good place to start.
• National Careers Service nationalcareersservice. direct. gov. uk
• UCAS www. ucas. com
• Prospects www. prospects. ac. uk
• The Uni Guide www. theuniguide. co. uk
• The Complete University Guide www. thecompleteuniversityguide. co. uk
• Apprenticeships www. apprenticeships. gov. uk
• Southern Universities Network www. sunoutreach. org
• UniExplorer www. uniexplorer. org
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