At JCoSS our students, achieve, are enriched and inspired to go on to the next part of their career journey. The careers team constantly work with teachers, parents and students to ensure that every student has access to the very best guidance to make well thought through, informed decisions, allowing them to excel in whatever career path they choose to pursue  

JCoSS has a careers team lead by the Head of Careers, full team information below:

Head of Careers – Mr Michael Sawyer msawyer@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk
Head of UCAS and Destinations – Tamar Burman tburman@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk
Careers Adviser – Samira Ahmed sahmed@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk
Careers Adviser – Sharon Doe sdoe@jcoss.barnet.sch.uk

JCoSS meets the requirements of the Baker Clause by ensuring that all students from Years 8–13 have meaningful access to impartial careers guidance and regular opportunities to learn about technical education, apprenticeships and vocational pathways alongside academic routes. A structured programme of provider encounters is delivered across key stages, including assemblies, careers fairs, employer talks, mock interviews, workplace experiences and targeted sessions with further education colleges, training providers, apprenticeship organisations and employers. External providers are actively invited into school and are given access to students, facilities and promotional opportunities in line with the school’s published provider access policy. Information about technical and vocational routes is shared through lessons, form time, careers events, the school website and individual guidance interviews, ensuring students and parents are fully informed about the full range of post-16 and post-18 progression pathways.  If you are an external provider of vocational courses we would love to hear from you! To discuss further how this can be delivered please contact the Head of Careers.

Provider access policy

If you are a parent or carer and would like to contact the careers department please do so by contacting the Head of Careers.

For a copy of our Careers Education policy, please click here.

Please click here to view information regarding our JCoSS careers and future learning journey 

Please click here to view information regarding Inclusion and Careers

Please click here to view information regarding Applying for University

Please click here to view information regarding Apprenticeships

Considering a Gap Year?

A gap year is a planned year out after completing Level 3 qualifications (A Levels or equivalent) before progressing to university, an apprenticeship or employment. When structured well, a gap year can help students develop independence, gain meaningful experience, build employability skills and make more informed decisions about long-term career pathways.

At JCoSS, gap year guidance forms part of our progressive careers programme and contributes to Gatsby Benchmark 2 (Labour Market Information), Benchmark 7 (Encounters with Further and Higher Education) and Benchmark 8 (Personal Guidance). Students are supported to explore whether a gap year will strengthen their future applications and align with their individual career goals.

How JCoSS Supports Gap Year Planning

• Year 12 Gap Year Fair with providers covering volunteering, travel, internships, apprenticeships and structured programmes
• Access to impartial careers guidance to discuss whether a gap year is the right pathway
• Use of Unifrog to research opportunities, record reflections and plan next steps
• Support with UCAS deferral decisions and progression planning
• Opportunities to explore labour market trends and skill development

This ensures students make informed, well-planned and aspirational decisions about their next stage, in line with statutory careers guidance and Ofsted expectations.

Is a Gap Year Right for You?

Students should consider:

• What skills, experience or clarity do I want to gain?
• Will this strengthen my university, apprenticeship or employment prospects?
• Do I have a clear and productive plan?
• How will I fund it?
• Should I defer university or apply after my gap year?

Students are encouraged to discuss their plans with the Careers Team and log their research and reflections on Unifrog.

Planning Your Gap Year (Using Unifrog)

Students use Unifrog to:

• Research gap year options and structured programmes
• Compare university, apprenticeship and employment routes
• Record careers activity and guidance meetings
• Reflect on skills gained and future plans
• Track progression towards post-18 goals

https://www.unifrog.org

Gap Year vs University vs Apprenticeship

Students should choose the pathway that best fits their goals, learning style and career ambitions.

Things to Consider

• Cost and budgeting
• Safety and planning
• Staying productive and developing transferable skills
• Maintaining momentum for future study or employment
• Application deadlines (especially UCAS deferral)

Student Feedback

“We visit many schools across London, and JCoSS students stood out for their thoughtful and informed questions. Students were keen to understand how gap years, apprenticeships and university pathways compare, and how they could build experience for their future careers. A very proactive and engaged group.”

— Multiverse

Useful Gap Year Websites

Best Gap Year – Jobs, volunteering, travel and skills programmes

https://www.bestgapyear.co.uk

Masa Israel Journey – Structured gap year programmes including internships, volunteering and leadership

https://www.masaisrael.org

Prospects – Gap Year Options – Advice and opportunities for planning a productive gap year

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/gap-year

National Careers Service – Gap Year Advice – Planning guidance and ideas

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/gap-year

UCAS – Taking a Gap Year – Deferring university, pros/cons and planning tips

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/student-life/gap-year

The Complete University Guide – Deferring Entry – Information on applying and deferring

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/after-you-apply/taking-a-gap-year

JCoSS perform extremely well year on year, showing resilience in trying circumstance to secure a wide range of impressive destinations for the next step in their careers journey – this included universities, apprenticeships and the IDF.

We wish all students the very best in the next step of their careers, whatever their destination and stay in touch to provide ongoing support as and when needed.

Click here to view our destinations 

Labour Market Information (LMI) is an important part of the careers advice and guidance that young people should receive.  There is no one stop shop for LMI as the list below will show.

Click here for the latest statistics about the labour market in Barnet.

Click here for the latest statistics about the labour market nationally. 

Below (in no particular order) are other sources of LMI

Graduate & Postgraduate Outcomes
The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data helps students understand what happens after university by showing real employment and earnings outcomes for graduates and postgraduates over time. It tracks how much people earn and whether they are in work at different points after graduating, using actual tax and employment records rather than surveys. This allows students to see how subject choice, qualification level and career path can influence future job prospects and income, helping them make more informed decisions about university, apprenticeships and long-term career planning.

Earnings by region
This lively infographic uses earnings data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and breaks the data down by local authority.

Earnings by occupation

This tool allows you to compare the pay of different occupations. It also forecasts the growth of that occupation. It is part of the LMI for all project.

Unifrog

Unifrog is the school’s careers and progression platform where students record and manage all of their careers activity in one place. It helps students explore career pathways, compare university courses, apprenticeships and other post-16 and post-18 options, and build key skills such as CV writing, personal statements and applications. Students also use Unifrog to research labour market information, track their progress against careers goals and reflect on employer encounters, work experience and guidance interviews. The platform allows staff to record and monitor careers interactions, including one-to-one guidance notes, ensuring students receive personalised support and are fully prepared for their next steps beyond school.

icould
iCould is a careers exploration website that helps students understand different career paths through real-life job videos, personal career stories and up-to-date labour market information. It allows students to explore a wide range of occupations, see the qualifications and routes people took, and understand typical salaries, progression and future demand for jobs. By linking career pathways with real experiences and labour market data, iCould helps students make more informed decisions about subject choices, post-16 and post-18 options, and long-term career planning.

Glass door
This is a job site where you can look for job vacancies. Glassdoor is unique in that it also includes current and past employees reviews on companies they have worked for including salary data.