Futures Department

SAT Exam Information

Shrewsbury is usually available as a centre for the SAT when the school is open; available dates can be found at the Collegeboard website: www.collegeboard.org.

Registration is open from 7.45am until 8.00am, at which point it will be closed and testing will commence. Please read the rules carefully of what to bring (including photo ID and a charged device) and note that late arrivals cannot be admitted.

Please see our Directions page for details on how to find the School and a site map

1. Explore

Through a comprehensive Tutorial, PSD and Futures programme, Third and Fourth Form pupils will have multiple opportunities to explore a range of careers options, reflect upon and improve their employability skills.

2. Develop

Fifth Form pupils will access one to one guidance interviews with qualified professionals to form an action plan to inform post-16 choices, to develop their understanding of their future options. They will also undertake a range of psychometric tests to aid self-awareness, as well as attending relevant events.

3. Compete

Sixth Form pupils will access a range of support from the Futures Department to enable them to compete for positions that are reflective of their post 18 plans. These are anticipated to include places at top Russell Group Universities, Degree Apprenticeships, School Leaver Programmes, employment roles and meaningful gap year programmes.

As the world of work and recruitment processes continue to evolve, it is vital that Futures Department provides students with insights about what to expect in future application processes. This is why we are proud to run a Mock Assessment Centre Challenge, on site, to support our Lower Sixth as they navigated through a series of recruitment-based challenges.

How should I choose my GCSEs or A Levels?

This is probably our most common question and there is actually a very simple way to go about this. You want your choices to be ACE, in that they reflect your Abilities, your Career ideas and what you Enjoy, with the last point being the most important. If you study subjects you are interested in and have a passion for, you will be motivated to do the required work both inside and outside of the classroom to be successful. To enable positive choices, it is important to spend time talking to subject teachers and reading through course information to help you finalise your plans. The choice must be yours though!

Why should I do work experience during school when I don’t need it for university?

For a number of reasons. It can help provide you with careers insight to actually help confirm your university plans, it can enable the creation of employer networks and it can help build skills that are required for workplace performance, such as communication, teamwork, decision making and leadership. Alongside this, research confirms that your future employers are equally (if not more) interested in your employment experience as they are your academic qualifications. If both of these are strong, your chances of gaining a good position will only increase.  

How will I learn more about different jobs and different options?

In a number of ways. Throughout the academic year, there is a rolling programme of events where we welcome industry specialists (many of whom are former pupils) to talk about their experiences, organise careers and Higher Education Fairs, deliver PSD lessons on decision making and option choices, etc. We can arrange one to one discussions with employers and sixth formers will have access to an employer mentor to help them with their planning. You can book an appointment with a staff member from the Futures Department, as well as access some incredible careers based platforms to help shape your ideas. It is absolutely fine to have no idea about what to do, and you are very fortunate to have many ways now of finding out.

How do you work with external partners and alumni?

We are incredibly fortunate to enjoy outstanding support from both our alumni and parent body. Given the range of activities and events that the Futures Department offers, it is essential that we are able to utilise the incredible expertise that exists within these groups, whether it be the offer of a careers insight talk, a work experience opportunity, or mentoring, we work closely with a range of individuals and organisations to ensure we continue to offer the high-quality provision to our pupils. If you are keen to contribute to our programme, the Head of Futures would be delighted to hear from you. 

In March 2022 we hosted an in-person mock assessment centre where 50 professionals, including Salopian families and Old Salopians, conducted competency-based interviews as part of National Careers Week, raising awareness among pupils of potential recruitment processes.