We are committed to providing a well-structured Careers Education and Guidance Programme for all students in Year 7 to 13. We strive to ensure students experience a full, varied and interesting careers journey, having the opportunity to explore their own interests, skills, and passions; understanding the wealth of jobs and education available to them once they leave school.
Our programme is guided by the careers guidance and access for education and training providers and the eight Gatsby Benchmarks identifying the elements of good practice in career guidance.
The programme builds progressively and aims to provide students with the skills and knowledge they require to be able to make an informed choice about their future options. Our careers provision offers tailored support for all our students, meaning that every student, including SEND students’ individual needs are met.
Click on the Key Stage Links to discover how our Careers Programme is implemented across our year groups.
Key Stage 3 Careers Information
As early as Year 7, we introduce students to career resources, as they start to identify the types of jobs they are interested in, and the personal qualities and skills required to do each job.
Year 7, 8 and 9 students learn about personal development, planning, and decision making in their PSHE, English and RE lessons (although there is crossover into all subjects) and by accessing dedicated careers websites such as UniFrog.
Students start to identify the types of jobs they are interested in and the personal qualities and skills required to do each job.
The students are provided with opportunities to develop their self-awareness, identify their skills, strengths, values, aptitudes and personality as they begin learning about career management, and decision making.
As our students progress through the school, opportunities are developed and include talks and events dedicated to next steps.
As they progress through KS3 they continue to develop their awareness of the world of work as they review their sense of self and their particular skillset as they mature.
In the spring of Year 9 we invite members of local businesses to be quizzed by the whole year group through the game ‘What’s My Line?’ in preparation for them choosing their options.
In Year 9, students make their GCSE options choices and explore how to keep their options open; this is supported by a comprehensive programme delivered through assemblies, form time, PSHE and a parent information evening.
Key Stage 4 Careers Information
We encourage all students to consider the career possibilities throughout Year 10 and 11 and provide a wealth of impartial guidance and information on post-16 options.
All students in Key Stage 4 have access to features lectures, talks and webinars from motivational speakers and industry professionals.
We encourage all students to volunteer within the local community as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Our Year 10 Careers Day enables students to investigate a large number of different professions. Engaging with over 30 industry professionals based on their career interests through talks and sharing work skills for particular employment sectors.
Throughout Year 10 and 11 students are encouraged to explore all post-16 pathways and are supported in doing so for example. university, college, apprenticeships, Oxbridge, Year in Industry, Art College, Drama School etc.
During lesson time students make full use of a broad range of resources including software psychometric tests, job databases and platforms such as UniFrog to further inform them.
In Year 11 students are supported through the process of choosing what to do after their GCSEs. Well-planned information is provided about our own Sixth Form as well as external institutions.
One-to-one interviews and ‘drop-in’ careers clinics are arranged for all Year 11 students alongside assemblies lead by local further education providers.
Students attend our Year 11 into Sixth Form taster day where post-18 options are discussed and guidance given on subject choices to support career aspirations.
We provide students with the opportunity to undertake a day’s taster visit to a local technical college where they can find out more about the options available to them post-16.
Our open evening in October provides information for students and parents on post-18 options to ensure they are equipped to make the best post-16 choices.
All Year 11 students are offered the opportunity to undertake a week’s work experience.
All students studying vocational courses throughout key stage 4 have the opportunity to be ‘at work’ with a local employer in accordance with the course requirements.
Key Stage 5 Careers Information
Sixth Form students receive a wealth of information on post-18 pathways including higher education and careers opportunities such as apprenticeships, internships and lectures / events that support their aspirations.
We provide workshops, employer encounters and support which includes: writing personal statements; interview preparation; UCAS application completion; CV and cover letter preparation; support for competitive courses such as medicine and Oxbridge.
One-to-one guidance on post-18 pathways.
Students use UniFrog to support their journey planning and UCAS applications.
In the spring of Year 12 all students and their parents are invited to a ‘Next Steps’ evening where we highlight the wealth of opportunities available to them and encourage them to start thinking about their post-18 options.
In the summer of Year 12 all our students visit a University Open Day and are encouraged to attend university fairs and further open days independently.
In Year 12 students complete a week of work experience and are encouraged to find their own placement in a career sector that interests. Across the Sixth Form students are given the flexibility to partake in additional work experience or placement opportunities as they arise.
All Year 13 students attend a Mock Interview Evening where they experience a true-to-life interview before a panel formed from local businesspeople.
One-to-one portfolio and interview preparation sessions for art foundation, architecture, design and other creative courses.
Feature lectures and talks which include information on studying and working abroad, alternatives to higher education, gap years, CV writing, UCAS and work experience, motivational speakers and industry professionals.
All students studying vocational courses throughout Key Stage 5 have the opportunity to be ‘at work’ with a local employer in accordance with the course requirements.