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Careers

Intent Statement

We strongly believe that the best way to prepare our pupils for the future is to ensure that we provide a stable Careers Programme from Key Stage 3 through to Key Stage 4. The Careers programme must provide our pupils with access to an outstanding educational experience that is tailored to individual needs.

We are working to fulfil the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks. In order to meet the Benchmarks, we pride ourselves on building a Careers Programme that is designed to meet the individual needs of students at our school. It is differentiated and personalised to ensure progression through activities that are appropriate to students’ stages of learning and development. The programme promotes equality of opportunity, diversity and inclusion.

In September 2021, we have started to enhance our aim to fulfil the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks by working with and utilising resources from the Career Development Institute. ‘The Career Development Institute has undertaken extensive research and consulted with career development experts and practitioners to identify the six career development skills that you need to have the career that you want’.

The 6 development skills are:

  • Grow throughout life
  • Explore Possibilities
  • Manage career
  • Create opportunities
  • Balance work and life
  • See the Big Picture

We have composed a working document of our internal and external career related activities, events, visits and curriculum content planned for 2021-2022. This has been colour coded against the 6 development skills (see timetable).

Through the Careers Programme,
the school aims to support and assist pupils to:

 

  • Discuss in depth and assess their potential of abilities, interests and needs/values.
  • Guide and support their ability to make an informed choices about further education/ employment that is achievable, realistic and sustainable for their future.
  • Be informed of a range of life and occupational opportunities in a context of social and economic change.
  • To support before, during and after transition phases and assisting our pupils towards the independence and resilience required to access certain provisions and institutions

Implementation

The above aims are delivered through a variety of methods, including but not limited to:

 

  • Curriculum delivery
  • Visits to colleges, universities, and training providers
  • Visiting speakers
  • Assemblies
  • Opportunities within the curriculum for enterprise
  • Work experience
  • Drop-in opportunities both with school-based staff and external advisers
  • Non biased, bespoke and relevant 1:1 Career Guidance
  • Pupil Voice
  • Parent Voice

Explore the Careers Learning Journey

Year 7 and Year 8

The Year 7 CEIAG programme is delivered through a topic focused approach. Discussions with pupils are embedded within the subject topics across a range of subjects and discussions about careers and occupations take place. For example, we have celebrated ‘European Day of Languages’ in Modern Foreign Languages and discussed different roles and jobs associated to learning an additional language.

Year 9

Pupils are taught CEIAG through careers sessions as they prepare to undertake the GCSE option process. These sessions inform the pupils about the local labour market and aim to give them a broad and balanced idea of which careers are realistic options for them. Pupils will begin to have specific experiences of workplaces and will experience at least one careers focused educational visit/ speaker per year from Year 9. Due to COVID-19 and national restrictions, this is being revised and more information will be available from our Careers Lead.

Year 10

Throughout Year 10 pupils will continue to be given CEIAG through a 1:1 careers guidance session. Pupils will continue to have experiences of workplaces both through one-off educational visits/ speakers and through work experience placements should pupils wish to do so. Due to COVID-19 and national restrictions, this is being revised and more information will be available from our Careers Lead.

Pupils will also begin visiting colleges and training providers from their locality to give them a full understanding of what opportunities for education and training are available. Pupils will also attend careers fairs and study the local labour market in depth, this is to deepen their understanding and help them to make an informed choice about future careers.

Pupils will continue to be provided with opportunities for all the above through:

  • experiences of workplaces
  • encounters with employers
  • advice from careers advisers
  • through their ever-developing knowledge of the local labour market
  • pupils will have the opportunity to experience mock interviews

Work Experience

The school works with parents and carers to organise work placement opportunities for its Year 10 students providing them with a great chance to experience working life and develop the valuable skills they’re going to need for the future.

The placements prepare the students for the transition from education to work and enable them to gain an insight into working life. The work experience provides practice in making job applications and going for interviews and it gives students the opportunity to collect a portfolio of evidence which they can show prospective employers highlighting skills such as team working, motivation, problem solving and communication skills.

Work Experience guide for parents and carers – click Work Exp – Info for Parents

Work Experience is where you will spend time on an employer’s premises undertaking tasks and duties as an employee, gaining valuable work skills to assist you in your future career path. Click for information to help you look for your own placement – Work Exp – Guide to find a Self-Placement

Year 11

In Year 11 pupils will begin the application process for the next steps in their education whether it be continuing education at college or with a training provider, through the apprenticeship scheme or securing suitable employment. This is supported through access to Xello: ‘an engaging online program that prepares pupils for post – secondary success in academics, career and life’

Our curriculum plan is based on the Gatsby benchmarks:

  • A stable career programme
  • Learning from career and labour market information
  • Addressing the needs of each pupil
  • Linking curriculum learning to careers
  • Encounters with employers and employees
  • Experiences of workplaces
  • Encounters with further and higher education
  • Personal guidance
Impact

Our Careers Programme will be reviewed annually through discussions with teaching staff, students, parents, and our local Governing Body.

We will measure our impact annually through:

 

  • The Careers Lead is responsible for ensuring that all year 11 pupils have completed application forms and are then responsible for tracking this through to interview and offer of a place.
  • Pupils will have had an interview with a Level 6 Careers Advisor, providing independent careers advice and an action plan on next steps.
  • Pupils will make an informed decision about Post 16 options and destinations.
  • Pupils will have an in-depth knowledge of opportunities available in Industry within their local and surrounding area(s).
  • Comparative National data of the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks through Compass Plus.
  • Pupils will have completed familiarisation visits to their identified Post 16 provider and have developed links with key staff that will support them when they begin.
  • Pupils will have developed independence skills in completing applications and having interviews, preparing them for further applications and interviews.
  • Pupils will have an in depth understanding and knowledge of all Post 16 providers and their offer, allowing them to be able to identify their own career path.
  • Pupils will have had workplace encounters; they will understand what it is like to work in a variety of settings and expectations.
  • Pupils, Parents/Carers and our School staff will have worked collaboratively to ensure collective approach to supporting our pupils’ journey through to Post 16 providers.
  • Pupils will regularly provide feedback through student voice opportunities.
  • Careers Lead is responsible for the management of data to ensure NEET figures are reduced and provide support working with external agencies/ FE Providers for up to 12 months after a learner has left roll.
  • Employer and Visiting partners feedback
  • Work experience/placement evaluations
Labour Market Information

To consider labour market information when career planning is very useful. It provides data for job availability in different sectors.

Our school plays and important role in developing young people, however, as a parent/carer, you are best placed to support your child to recognise the potential skills that will contribute to their wider learning and aspirations. Hobbies, interests, community connections and activities at home can all help to build essential skills your child needs now and for their future success.

Cick here for Labour Market information by sector:

Lmi Business, Finance

LMI Creative_Digital

LMI health_and_care

LMI Hospitality

LMI Logistics

LMI Manufacturing

LMI Retail

Work Experience

 

The school aims to instil a work-related curriculum that connects school and its pupils to the world of work, enabling pupils to make well informed choices about their futures.

We aim to offer students high quality career support and guidance, of which employer engagement and work experience opportunities are vital. Alongside our whole school curriculum offer, the opportunity to engage in work experience, links with higher education providers, further education Institutions, and employer engagement activities we offer a multitude of ways in providing advice and guidance to best support our pupils. As well as advice and guidance being provided through our curriculum offer and liaison with external providers, we also provide independent and impartial advice and guidance through the recruitment of an onsite Careers Advisor. By understanding possible career paths and educational routes, we believe students are motivated to do well.

 

Work Experience Protocol

 

  1. Prior to going out on work experience, in the Autumn Term a letter is sent out to all parents introducing work experience.
  2. There is an assembly in the Autumn Term outlining expectations and requirements for work experience.
  3. At the assembly pupils are given a self-placement form and asked to hand it back to their form tutor or the work experience coordinator, along with a copy of their employer liability insurance.
  4. Once the self-placement form is handed in a letter of confirmation is sent out to parents detailing the work experience placement for their child.
  5. A confirmation letter is sent to the employer thanking them for agreeing to take the student and explaining that a member of staff will be coming out to visit them.
  6. Two weeks before the students go out there will be an assembly to reiterate expectations and to hand out the work experience diary. Students are expected to complete the diary every day whilst on their placement.
  7. Every student has a visit or a call from a member of staff whilst on their placement.
  8. The employer is given an evaluation form to complete for the student.

St Paul’s Catholic High School’s Work Experience programme is supported by Our Futures Ltd.

Our Futures WebWex Portal

The WebWex portal contains Our Futures information for Parents.

Please contact the school for replacement login information

Work Experience Guidance for Parents and Carers

Useful documents pertaining to Work Experience from the Health and Safety Executive

Employer – Work Experience
Employer – Law
Young Workers
Organisers

Our Team

Senior Lead – Mrs Cropper (a.cropper@st-paulshigh.net)

Saint Paul’s Designated Careers Lead – Ms Hitchen (s.hitchen@st-paulshigh.net)

Careers Advisors – Cassandra Haskey and Roseleen Ireland

Email: Careers.Connect@st-paulshigh.net

Contact Number : 0161 499 0000