We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the Student Careers category of the Independent School of the Year Awards, in association with Independent School Parent magazine.

We are immensely proud of our pupils and staff who have shown true FHS spirit and risen gracefully to the many challenges faced by the education sector over the course of the pandemic, and we feel honoured to have been chosen out of a record number of impressive submissions. This is testament to the strength and innovation of our Careers department.

In a competitive world where anxiety is fuelled by headlines about youth unemployment and graduate debt, planning for life beyond Francis Holland has become ever more essential. In line with the school’s overall aims, our Careers Department focuses on ‘Preparation for Higher Education and the adult world’, whereby pupils receive tailored advice corresponding to their needs.

We aim to:

Foster ambition
Provide guidance of the highest quality
Raise awareness of the huge variety of careers available and the qualifications and qualities needed to pursue them
Organise off-site learning opportunities
Provide top quality resources to support the delivery of Further Education guidance at FHS
Help girls make sensible subject choices for A Level study
Our Careers and PSHE department work together seamlessly in pursuit of these goals, via a continuously evolving curriculum and events such as our annual Careers Fair, last year to which we welcomed renowned author and entrepreneur Jessica Huie MBE as a special guest speaker, and our Women of Influence programme, which has featured an incredible array of guest speakers including Diane Abbott MP and Baroness Estelle Morris, as well as members of our Alumni Network, Quondam, including Grace Beverley.

We look forward to finding out if we have reached the next round of the Awards when finalists are revealed in September!