Careers Clinic

In each addition of the blog we intend to include some questions sent to us via email or asked directly while out on school visits. Perhaps you have dealt with similar questions/issues in your work. This is an opportunity for you to feed back to us any suggestions or ideas you would have to help address the questions put forward in this section of the newsletter. We will acknowledge any contributions made by you in future issues.


Q. My daughter intends going to Newcastle University to study medicine. She is the first one in the house to go to university and I don’t see why she can’t go to Queens University, Belfast. At least we are familiar with the reputation of Queens. We know nothing about Newcastle and would like to know if she is making the right choice in deciding to go to Newcastle.

Q. Our school has introduced Key Skills (CCEA) level 2 in Communication and Numeracy at Key Stage 4 as an alternative to GCSE English and Maths. The Construction Industry Training Board will accept level 2 as a prerequisite for entry to plumbing and electrical instead of a GCSE ‘C’ grade. Does DE accept level 2 as a valid grade C for school statistical purposes? In other words, will a level 2 be counted as part of the total number of GCSEs at C grade or above for which the school is accredited when the GCSE results come out?