Pupils at the London Nautical School are encouraged to take ownership of their own learning. In Y9 they choose their GCSE options, while at the end of Y11 they must decide what type of higher education will be most suitable for them. The Careers Department at LNS encourages pupils to focus on their achievements and strengths, allowing them to make informed decisions about their future.

At Key Stage Three, pupils are given the booklet, Getting Started, to help them:

check out what they are like – qualities, likes and dislikes, how they learn

know what they are good at – key skills and other skills

spot their successes – important learning experiences, achievements

know what they want to achieve – changes, improvements, goals

decide how they can achieve – action plans, SMART targets

stay in control – keep a record of their achievements, review progress and plan next steps.

will be able to up-date their working file to show what they have achieved in all their different activities in and out of school, (may include sporting or musical achievements, Duke of Edinburgh Award, Millenium Volunteers).

In Years 12 and 13, pupils will begin to plan their future. They are encouraged to research institutes of further education they may wish to attend and courses they are interested in. There are a wide variety of resources available which provide information about different career paths, writing an effective CV and interview skills This aims to:

build up confidence and help them to understand themselves better, set goals and targets, develop study and other skills, keep a record of all achievements and ‘widen your horizons’

make the most of opportunities – manage their learning, make successful applications to further or higher education, or employment with training

make their experience count.