In all years, students are given a wide range of opportunities to gain an insight into the world of work and investigate career pathways, following the key themes of our comprehensive and progressive Careers and Skills programme.

The careers programme provides students with information, education, advice and guidance and opportunities for them to have experiences to learn about themselves and develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills to prepare them for future learning and the world of work.

The school collaborates with the Enterprise Advisor Network, a national network that connects schools and colleges with employers and careers programme providers to work together to create meaningful encounters with the world of work for young people. The network is based on evidence that a young person who has four or more meaningful encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training and can earn up to 22% more during their career. 

There are dedicated sections on the Careers section of the school website for students, parents, teachers, and employers, providing information about the Careers & Skills programme.

There are opportunities for a range of education and training providers to access all students in Year 8 to 13 for the purpose of informing them about approved further and higher education qualifications and apprenticeships. Details of these access arrangements are set out in the Provider Access Policy.

Please note: the Provider Access Policy is currently being updated to reflect the new statutory guidance. The updated provider access legislation specifies schools must provide at least six encounters for all their students during school years 8 - 13. Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend, and two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend. Providers must include the following in their encounter:

• Information about the provider and the approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships that the provider offers.

• Information about the careers to which those technical education qualifications or apprenticeships might lead

• A description of what learning or training with the provider is like.

• Responses to questions from the pupils about the provider or approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

Year 7: Knowing Yourself and Being Inspired

By beginning careers education early, students can make better informed decisions at transition stages and are more motivated to follow a particular pathway. 

Students take part in tutor time activities for personal development and PSHE lessons, using Unifrog. Students are introduced to careers resources and informed how to use them and are encouraged to explore careers matched to their interests, strengths, and skills. Students have opportunities to explore the local labour market and to be inspired by engaging with a range of businesses, FE and HE. Students take part in Skills days which help prepare students for employability and support their development through self-awareness, self-determination, and improvement as a learner. Students have optional access of a personal guidance interview via a referral system.

Year 8: Aspiration and Ambition to Achieve

Students are encouraged to be ambitious, broaden their horizons explore their own aspirations. Students self-assess and build on personal strengths and skills through completion of Unifrog activities and are encouraged to think about what they might like to achieve after school. They are introduced to the world of work and how it is changing and consider how they can access and use Labour Market Information.  Students use careers software and websites to investigate careers and pathways and have opportunities to engage with local businesses, FE and HE. Students have optional access of a personal guidance interview via a referral system. 

Year 9: Exploration of Life, Work and Learning Options

We encourage students to re-assess their personal strengths, weaknesses and interests when considering a future career.  A programme called Unifrog is used by all Year 9 pupils to assist with their career planning for KS4.  The programme can be accessed at home by parents to see the suggestions or comments made that are specific to their child. 

During the year, students will have opportunities to take part in many work-related activities and explore and research different careers to find out about subjects, qualifications, skills, and training needed and how their curriculum learning links to different careers. They are encouraged to use a wide range of careers resources to investigate different jobs and careers and LMI and what they mean in terms of lifestyle, budgeting and a good work/life balance and are encouraged to challenge stereotypes within the world of work. Students have opportunities to engage with a range of local business, FE and HE.

One of the key decisions in Year 9 is when the students are asked to choose their GCSE options.  Students receive help and guidance so that they can make well informed and realistic decisions about which GCSEs to take and how their choices can enable their long-term career plans and goals. Students have optional access of a persona guidance interview via a referral system.

Year 10: Action by Preparing for the World of Work

Students prepare a CV and covering letter and take part in a variety of work-related learning and enterprise activities which develop skills relevant to the world of work.  Students will take part in the work experience programme in which spend a week with an employer, learning about a particular job or area of work.   Before the placement, students learn about workplace behaviour, expectations and responsibilities, health & safety in the workplace and the impact of their online appearance. During the placement, students will be able to find out what skills, qualities and attitudes employers look for when they are recruiting staff. Work experience is a valuable learning tool as it develops the skills and qualities needed for future employment and helps students make progress towards achieving their goals for the future. Students assess the learning from their work experience through a reflective, debrief session with their tutors.

Students are provided with a wide range of opportunities to engage with local businesses, FE and HE and explore possible career choices and can attend local careers fairs and take part in events held throughout the academic year which provide inspiration and broaden their awareness of opportunities available to them. There may also be the opportunity to take part in a mentoring programme.

Students will take part in tutor time activities which raise their awareness of the world of work and supports skills development and character building. This helps them build up a portfolio of evidence to support their CV and use in Sixth Form/college/job interviews. Students have access to a personal guidance interview via a referral system.

Year 11: Action for Future Pathways

Students are supported with post 16 choices and encouraged to consider all their options including further study and apprenticeships, so they have the confidence to take their next step in their learning and career.

During the autumn term, students attend information sessions, which are supported by a wide range of local employers, colleges, training providers and universities, to help them make informed decisions about how best they continue in education or training up to the age of 18 and are encouraged to attend open days.  They are encouraged to use careers resources, including Unifrog, to find out more about specific courses and careers and consider how current trends in the labour market are relevant to their post 16 options and long-term plans.

Students have a personal guidance interview with Laura Andrews to set personal objectives and goals and help give them skills to manage their future education and career pathways, including agreeing an action plan and encouraging them to make contingency plans should GCSE results be better/worse than expected.

Additional programmes are available to students who require further support in making the transition to Post 16 choices. There may also be the opportunity to take part in a mentoring programme. 

Students will take part in tutor time activities which raise their awareness of the world of work and supports skills development and character building. This helps them build up a portfolio of evidence to support their CV and use in Sixth Form/college/job interviews.