My Burford - Mrs Sarah Landa-Font

Sarah, our Careers leader, looks at the passion and dedication behind Burford’s careers programme, helping students discover their strengths, explore their options and feel confident about their future.

I joined Burford in the spring of 2025. I was attracted to the school because it balances strong academic performance with a “whole child” ethos, creating a wonderfully nurturing environment. As a state boarding school, it has a unique culture, and I was intrigued to find out more.

Before joining Burford, I worked at Cirencester College as a Pastoral and Progression Tutor. I have spent three decades working across universities, colleges and schools, supporting young people with their personal development. I particularly enjoy helping students who need additional guidance and seeing them achieve their goals. Their energy and achievements continually inspire me!

As Careers Lead, I oversee Burford's progressive careers programme, working closely with colleagues to provide students with impartial, up-to-date guidance. This includes work experience, careers fairs, apprenticeship events, mock interviews, workshops, guest speakers and one-to-one guidance on post-16 and post-18 options.

Our partnerships with employers, universities, colleges and training providers are an important part of the programme. They bring the “real world” into school, helping students develop employability skills and understand the wide range of pathways available to them.

University events, such as UCAS Discovery Day, help to raise aspirations and allow students to start mapping out their academic future. Local colleges and training providers also play an important role. From Year 8 onwards, they visit Burford to talk to students about technical pathways, post-16 options and apprenticeships, helping them to make informed choices about their futures.

I really enjoy engaging with our student community as they progress on their career journeys. It is highly rewarding to see students mature, grow and realise their potential as they prepare for life beyond school. I feel that I can make a difference and am valued by our students.

Burford is a special place to work because students are supported by a strong community and a dedicated team who are all on hand to help everyone achieve their best. From my perspective, it is fantastic to have careers education as a key focus, helping students successfully bridge the transition from school to higher education and employment.

One of the highlights of my year has to be when the last Year 10 student emails me to confirm that they have secured a work experience placement. It is no mean feat to support around 250 students in finding placements with local businesses and organisations, so it is incredibly satisfying when everyone has one!

I particularly love organising and running our annual Careers Fair, held in collaboration with the West Oxfordshire Schools Career Partnership. Students from Years 10–13 are invited to attend, giving them the opportunity to explore possibilities and speak to representatives from more than 60 local businesses, apprenticeship providers and universities. There is a great buzz at the event, and it is rewarding to see our students exploring the opportunities available to them.

For students who have no idea what they want to do when they leave school, my advice is simple: it is completely normal to feel this way. Many successful adults had no idea what they wanted to do at 16 or 18.

Rather than trying to choose a job title for the next 40 years, I encourage students to focus on their immediate next step. In the long term, they can always change their career direction. I also advise them to think about their strengths, interests and values, rather than focusing solely on job titles.

Instead of asking, “What do you want to be?”, I encourage students to ask, “What am I naturally good at, and what do I enjoy doing?” The range of personality and skills quizzes available on Unifrog, our careers platform, can also help. These quizzes suggest careers based on an individual's personality, values and strengths. I would also encourage students to come and have a chat with me to explore ideas they may not have previously considered.

Outside school, I enjoy helping to organise the Fairford Festival. I have been involved for more than a decade, helping to plan and run this three-day community-based music and literary festival, which aims to raise money for local charities. It is a wonderful event for the town where I live.

I also love spending time with my family and friends and, of course, I enjoy my holidays – whether they are on the beach or the ski slopes!

I am currently working with Mrs Brown, Head of Sixth Form, to develop a careers day for Year 13 students. The day will focus on developing transferable skills, such as interview techniques, and will involve interaction with local business professionals, giving students valuable insights into the world of work.

If I had to describe Burford in three words, they would be: Unique. Ambitious. Nurturing.