Introduction to Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance at Spalding High School
Careers Leader: D Bushell – [email protected]
Work Experience Manager and Careers Adviser: L O’Brien – lucy.o’[email protected]
Careers Curriculum Intent
Welcome to Careers Education at Spalding High School. We have a progressive programme which builds on prior activities, experiences and feedback.
Our programme is structured around key milestones in a student’s journey through education, in preparation for their best next steps and the world of work. This is achieved through the development of career management skills which are honed over the course of a student’s careers guidance programme. Our programme is planned and sequenced to prepare students for academic, technical or vocational ambitions.
In a post-covid world, it is increasingly important to give students the confidence to have ambitious aspirations for their future and to make the most of the multiple opportunities that exist both in and outside of school.
We also aim to provide timely, relevant and structured information to parents/carers to enable them to support their child.
Here is our vision for our students:
The careers programme aims to prepare and empower young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life, so that they can make and implement informed and realistic decisions about their future progression routes and career paths. Our pupils develop self-awareness and the confidence to aim high for the best possible outcomes for themselves and other stakeholders, including the school, businesses and employers, their communities and ultimately the economy.
Careers Curriculum Implementation
The Gatsby Benchmarks provide the framework around which our careers education programme is structured:
1. A stable careers programme
Every school should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.
2. Learning from career and labour market information
Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.
3. Addressing the needs of each student
Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
5. Encounters with employers and employees
Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities, including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.
6. Experiences of workplaces
Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and to expand their networks.
7. Encounters with further and higher education
All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.
8. Personal guidance
Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made.
Note: The term ‘career guidance’ is used to describe the full range of interventions that support young people to make choices and develop their careers. The term ‘personal guidance’ is used to describe the one-to-one support offered by a Careers Adviser.
Our Careers Programme Overview:
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Key Events and Experiences |
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Year 12 - Researching and managing next steps for after sixth form study whilst building on skills and achievements to develop an impressive personal profile.
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Year 11 - Preparing to move on to next steps in education, training or work. Researching and visiting providers.
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Year 10 - Exploring careers and vocational, academic and occupational pathways in greater depth.
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Year 9 - Focus on choices for the future, including the GCSE options process and introduction to work experience. CV writing is part of the process of understanding how to use personal skills and achievements for applications.
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Year 8 - Further reflection of work on skills and a focus on gaining experience to broaden options relating to future pathways.
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Year 7 - Introduction to the world of work and reflecting on soft skills and how they might link to future career decisions.
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We are supported and guided by our local Careers Hub and our Enterprise Co-ordinator, Donna Garrard. We are also fortunate to benefit from the support of two local Enterprise Advisers – Fran McNally, Operations Manager at Worldwide Fruit and Paul Tomlinson, Managing Director at Davis Worldwide.
Additionally, Ms Amanda Bailey is our Link Governor and offers her advice and guidance.
Careers Curriculum Impact:
All students at 16 and 18 move on to their chosen progression route, having taken on board the advice and guidance offered during their time in school from a range of people and sources of information. In their chosen progression route, students are well prepared and equipped with the transferable skills required to succeed. Destinations data and a growing alumni group indicate a very positive picture.
We complete a termly Compass Audit with our Enterprise Co-ordinator to assess our progress in meeting the eight Gatsby Benchmarks.
We seek feedback from all stakeholders after key events/transitions for inform future planning.
Unifrog enables us to see which students are engaging in careers activities and which skills they are developing. We also seek regular feedback from students to enable us to offer tailored support such as follow-up one-to-one guidance where required.