Employability Pathway Level 2

Applications Open - 20 November 2025 at 8am

Applications Close - 6 February 2026 at 15:00 (Except Beauty L2 which closes on the 22nd May).

General Entry Requirements:

Our level 3 Sixth Form entry requirements are five GCSEs at Grades 9-4 including Maths and English minimum Grade 4. However, please read the course information, which, provides specific details of course content and entry requirements.

For level 2 courses please read the course information.

Subjects: -

Level 3 - Enter your choices in order of preference for Level 3 courses. Students need to select the equivalent of 3 courses (Triple counts as 3), with 2 reserve options if selecting Level 3 courses. Year 12 are expected to study the equivalent of three subjects. Once we close to applicants on the 6 February the options selected will be reviewed and if required we will be in contact.

Level 2 - just add the course required, eg beauty, finance or fitness. However, please look up all entry requirements for individual subjects as some subjects require specific subjects and grades.

Timetable Blocks- Please read carefully: Level 3 Courses Please select 3 subjects and 2 reserve subjects by placing them in a ranked order/ or a Pathway. Once applications close we will review all subjects requested and may be in contact at this time to discuss your chosen subjects further.

Additional optional qualifications such as Arts Award (Gold),Core Maths, Further Maths and the EPQ are not applied for at the Kent Choice stage further information will be provided in the 6th Form induction if you would like to undertake this course in addition to your core qualifications.

How to Apply - Via Kent Choices or through link on our website https://www.hernebayhigh.org/sixth-form/how-to-apply

Further Information: We reserve the right to withdraw courses if insufficient numbers are attracted.

Any queries, please contact 6form@hernebayhigh.org

Herne Bay High School is offering a one-year employability programme which combines aspects of personal development, wellbeing and growth as well as understanding alternative course choices relating to life experiences.

This programme is aimed at student who are unable to access Level 3 courses. The purpose is to develop and enrich a student’s skillset and GCSE qualifications as well as a student’s emotional wellbeing. There is an opportunity to undertake Work Experience and resit GCSE Mathematics and English.

All students will select one of the following three courses:

Route One - based at HBHS

• Finance L1/2
• Personal Growth & Wellbeing L2
• Work Experience (to be sourced by the student)

& if required

• GCSE Resit English
• GCSE Resit Maths

Route Two – based at HBHS

• Fitness – Gym Based L2
• Personal Growth & Wellbeing L2
• Work Experience (Sourced by the Student)

& if required

• GCSE Resit English
• GCSE Resit Maths

Route Three – mainly based at The Whitstable Beauty School

• Beauty Therapy Diploma L2
• Including industry Work Experience (sourced by WBS)

& if required

• GCSE Resit English based at HBHS
• GCSE Resit Maths based at HBHS

Route One Agored LIFeC Level 1/2 – Finance Education

Based at HBHS this course allows students to engage with finance specific knowledge that is relevant to individuals and their personal finance decision making. Students will gain an understanding of how to maintain financial wellbeing, maintain financial sustainability and make the most of a budget. Students will also gain an insight into a range of career opportunities within the financial services industry and other industries in addition to an understanding of the job application process, whilst receiving guidance on methods for enhancing employability skills.

Unit 1: Your Personal Finances

Unit 2: Money Management for Your Generation

Unit 3 Financial Careers and Financial Sustainability

Entry Requirements - 1 Year Course –Normally 5 GCSEs Grades in the range of 9-2 (Including Maths and English at Grade 3 or above)

All students will study the Btec Level 2 – Personal Growth and Wellbeing – Compulsory (5 Units/Non exam)

This course allows a broad introduction to personal growth and wellbeing that will focus on specific, personally relevant

contexts that match individual learner needs, interests, aspirations and future progression plans. The following skills

are embedded across the five units to be undertaken in this qualification.

Communication – writing, speaking and listening to others. Using Body language to help communication and

using communication for different purposes.

Working with Others – Setting common goals. Showing Respect. Listening to others and being open minded. Taking on roles

and responsibilities.

Problem Solving - Identifying issues and being able to examine information. Dealing with change. Decision making.

Managing and Collection Information – Collecting and using information. Checking accuracy and using information. Organising

and presenting information.

Self-Management and Development – Setting goals and planning. Being flexible and planning ahead. Monitoring performance and devising strategies to improve.

Route Two VTCT Level 2 Certificate in Instructing Gym-Based Exercise

Based at HBHS, the VTCT Level 2 Certificate in Instructing Gym-based Exercise is a VRQ aimed at learners aged 16+ who wish to pursue a career as an employed fitness instructor of gym-based exercise. The qualification is based on the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) professional standards for instructing gym-based exercise.

Entry Requirements - 1 Year Course –Normally 5 GCSEs Grades in the range of 9-2 (Including Maths and English at Grade 3 or above)

All students will study the Btec Level 2 – Personal Growth and Wellbeing – Compulsory (5 Units/Non exam)

This course allows a broad introduction to personal growth and wellbeing that will focus on specific, personally relevant

contexts that match individual learner needs, interests, aspirations and future progression plans. The following skills

are embedded across the five units to be undertaken in this qualification.

Communication – writing, speaking and listening to others. Using Body language to help communication and

using communication for different purposes.

Working with Others – Setting common goals. Showing Respect. Listening to others and being open minded. Taking on roles

and responsibilities.

Problem Solving - Identifying issues and being able to examine information. Dealing with change. Decision making.

Managing and Collection Information – Collecting and using information. Checking accuracy and using information. Organising

and presenting information.

Self-Management and Development – Setting goals and planning ahead. Being flexible and planning ahead. Monitoring performance and devising strategies to improve.

Route Three Whitstable Beauty School (WBS) Level 2 Qualification – VTCT Diploma in Beauty Therapy General

Based at WBS in Chestfield, the VTCT Skills Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Beauty Therapy General is a substantial vocational qualification for learners seeking a career as an employed and/or self-employed beauty therapist. This qualification is based on the beauty therapy National Occupational Standards (NOS) and is recognised by the UK's leading professional bodies (The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) and the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT)) as being fit for purpose for preparing learners for a career as a junior beauty therapist.

Entry Requirements - 1 Year Course – all students will be interviewed by the beauty school and whilst GCSE qualifications are desirable, they are not essential. However, the willingness to be dedicated and have a strong work ethic is essential.

All students will undertake Work Experience

All students will be allocated time to enable them to find and engage in a work experience. The DFE guidance states that every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work shadowing and or work placement (physical or virtual) to aid student exploration of career opportunities and expand their knowledge of the workplace and networks.

Work experience aims to provide all young people with an opportunity to:

• Obtain a wider awareness of the world of work as part of their general education.

• Learn outside the classroom.

• Increase their economic understanding.

• Relate their studies to the world of work and training.

Work experience enables as student to develop excellent employability and transferable skills such as:

• Listening: The receiving, retaining and processing of information or ideas.

• Speaking: The oral transmission of information or ideas.

• Problem solving: The ability to find a solution to a situation or challenge.

• Creativity: The use of imagination and the generation of new ideas.

• Staying positive: The ability to use tactics and strategies to overcome setbacks and achieve goals.

• Aiming high: The ability to set clear, tangible goals and devise a robust route to achieving them.

• Leadership: Supporting, encouraging and developing others to achieve a shared goal.

• Teamwork: Working cooperatively with others towards achieving a shared goal.

Students studying the beauty course will be provided with a WEX placement by the Whitstable Beauty School.

Students studying the Fitness or Finance course may take this opportunity to continue in their own paid employment to develop their skills further or to locate work experience.

We ask that ALL students complete Unifrog to document their work experience as follows:

We are using Unifrog (www.unifrog.org) to manage the administration of the self-placement work experience programme – for example collecting information from the employer about their Risk Assessment and Health & Safety policy, as well as getting agreement from yourselves for the placement to go ahead.

How does this work?

• Students / Families need to agree the placement with the employer first, and then students will get the ball rolling by adding the placement to their Unifrog account (they’ll find the Placements tool on their Unifrog homepage).

• The Unifrog system will then email the employer, the parent / carer, and the school, to collect the necessary information and permissions. For the process to work, it is essential that students add the initial information about the placement accurately.

Finding out more:

Unifrog have created a set of guides about placements which you can find here.

• Within this set of guides, this is the best one to start with (it includes a short animation of how the whole process works).

• Next, we recommend looking at the virtual work experience offered on Unifrog through the webinars and courses.

Next steps:

• Please read the placement guides on Unifrog and then start contacting possible hosts (places of work / employers) for the placement.

The work experience placement information needs to be added to the Unifrog placement tool via your son/daughter’s Unifrog account and completed by all parties before the placement commences.

The coordinator contact name will be 6form@hernebayhigh.org

If required - Level 2 Resit Functional Skills/GCSE Mathematics and English Language

Students who have not yet achieve a grade 4 or above in GCSE Mathematics and/or English Language they will continue to study this qualification in line with the Department for Education guidelines.

Assessment will be a mixture of debate, discussion, presentation, portfolios and examinations.

Please refer to the individual page for each route on Kent Choices.

We encourage our students to look at all pathway options, College Courses, Apprenticeships, Traineeships, 6th Form Schools and direct employment. It is important that students enquire about entry criteria for all courses they wish to apply for.

Please note there is no automatic pathway to HBHS Level 3 courses upon completion of the Level 2 course, and we highly encourage students to make their applications for their onward destination by December.