Careers Education and Provision at St Mary’s RC High School

There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. The landscape of education, training and employment opportunities that students need to navigate is more complex and more challenging than that faced by previous generations.

Part of our mission statement is to prepare pupils for their future life in today’s world. In careers education, this translates as every student making the right choices for their progression.  We support students in making well-informed decisions by providing access to differentiated, impartial and independent information and guidance about the range of options (including academic, vocational, apprenticeships) that are most likely to help them to achieve their ambitions.  By helping students with decisions at crucial stages, informing them of all their options and introducing them to the world of work, we aim to prepare them for their future whichever pathway they choose.

 

Aims of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at St Mary’s:

• to raise students’ aspirations and to broaden their horizons
• to inspire and to empower students to make informed realistic decisions at key transition points in learning and work
• to provide good quality independent and impartial careers advice to students which inspires them and motivates them to fulfil their potential
• to provide advice and guidance which is in the best interests of the student
• to provide opportunities to work in partnership with employers, training providers, local colleges and others to provide opportunities to inspire students through real-life contact with the world of work
• to develop enterprise and employability skills including skills for self-employment
• to support inclusion, challenge stereotyping and promote equality of opportunity

 

The Gatsby Benchmarks

The careers programme at St Mary’s aims to deliver the eight Gatsby benchmarks which form the basis of the Government’s strategy to improve careers education nationally and now form part of OFSTED’s school inspection process.

Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme

• Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by Students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

Benchmark 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 the best use of available information

Benchmark 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.

Benchmark 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 careers paths.

Benchmark 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.

Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces

• Every Student should have first-hand experience of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing, and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

Benchmark 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.

Benchmark 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. They should be expected for all Students but should be timed to meet their individual needs.

 

Our Careers Team

• Colin Barrow – Careers Leader with overall responsibility for careers programme
• Sharon Turley – Careers Administrator
• Abby Pattison-Wake – Careers Adviser
• Kate Stephens – Head of HR at St Michael’s Hospice and Enterprise Adviser to St Mary’s under Local Enterprise Partnership scheme
• Contact: careers2@st-maryshigh.hereford.sch.uk

Telephone: 01432 850416

 

Careers Programme

Dedicated time for careers education is provided as part of St Marys Learning4Life Programme – a rolling series of lessons with the timetable suspended.

 

Year 7

• Subject teachers use real-life contexts and examples from the world of work to make their subject relatable and relevant to life. All teachers emphasise the importance of English and maths and science teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects.
• Introduction to online Careers resources.
• Pupils use Job Explore Database to identify and explore job sectors and research individual careers in each area.
• Representatives from 4 key job areas, e.g. health, engineering, finance/business, leisure/retail, will give a short presentation to highlight opportunities in their sector. Pupils will then meet with one visitor in a smaller group and be tasked with questioning them on their career.

 

Year 8

• Access to Careers Library and online resources.
• Further use of JED to explore career paths. Pupils tasked to research careers in a particular sector, e.g. engineering or NHS.
• Range of presentations and talks from representatives from various industries.
• 50 pupils to attend Malvern Festival of Innovation, Next Generation Innovators event. Lectures, workshops and interaction with businesses showcasing creative science, technology and entrepreneurship.
• Technology workshops with NMiTE outreach programme.

• Opportunity to attend events out of school, e.g. Malvern Festival of Innovation.
• Subject teachers use real-life contexts and examples from the world of work to make their subject relatable and relevant to life. All teachers emphasise the importance of English and maths and science teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects.
• Access to Careers Library and online resources.

 

Year 9

• Information on options for KS4, including a booklet with details of available courses and an Options Evening in February.
• Access to Careers Library and online resources.
• Subject teachers use real-life contexts and examples from the world of work to make their subject relatable and relevant to life. All teachers emphasise the importance of English and maths and science teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects.
• Access to Careers Adviser every Thursday lunchtime or by request.
• Targeted interviews for PP, LAC or RONI students.
• Inform and explore options post 16 and look at case studies of some former St Mary’s pupils.
• Use Job Explorer Database to build an individual profile of each student based on their interests, skills and aspirations. Research job suggestions and explore their potential by considering careers attainable with higher level qualifications.
• Introduce students to the Careers Library and use a range of sources to research careers.
• Use ‘eclips’, ‘icould’ and ‘JED’ to choose and view videos of personal stories of workers from a range of careers.
• Develop career decision-making skills, including the need for accurate and relevant information and the need for contingency plans.
• Explore the relevance of subjects being studied to possible careers and future lives and identify the range of skills they are developing.
• ‘Industry Day’ – all students participate in one whole day or two half days of activities led by visitors from a wide range of industries. They gain hands-on experience of the world of work and the opportunity to explore possible career paths with employers.

 

Year 10

• Analyse job advertisements and job descriptions and write a formal job application letter.
• Subject teachers use real-life contexts and examples from the world of work to make their subject relatable and relevant to life. All teachers emphasise the importance of English and maths and science teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects.
• Access to Careers Library and online resources.
• ‘Careers in the Modern World’ – explore the meaning of ‘career’ and what is involved in managing a career throughout life.
• Examine the factors that cause jobs and the demands of the labour market to change and research the local labour market.
• Ensure students understand the meaning and value of networks, identify their own support networks and plan to extend these.
• Students discuss their views on gender roles and look at the effects of occupational segregation on the gender pay gap.
• ‘Key Skills and Enterprise Day’ – Delivered by a team of professional presenters with experience of business a day of activities to develop communication, team working and problem solving skills with an emphasis on promoting Enterprise.
• Targeted interviews for PP, LAC or RONI students.
• Research opportunities for work experience and make informed choices.
• Presentations by Director of Studies of HSFC to each form group.
• Careers Convention attended by all local colleges and training providers plus representatives from a wide range of industries to provide information and guidance.
• All students visit a University for a day. They will have a tour of the campus and an introduction to higher education, focusing on personal and academic development. Students will have a choice of venue; typically one of Aston University, Birmingham University or University of Gloucestershire.
• Attend ‘3 Colleges Taster Day’ to experience study at Hereford Sixth Form College, Hereford and Ludlow College or Hereford College of Arts.

 

Year 11

• Motivational speaker

• Prepare for work experience by contacting placement and making necessary arrangements.
• Undertake one week of work experience. Keep a daily diary of activities and tasks and use logbook to reflect upon the experience and analyse what skills have been developed.
• Develop an understanding of how a CV is used, the different styles of CV depending on their purpose and produce a high quality CV which can be updated as required.
• Subject teachers use real-life contexts and examples from the world of work to make their subject relatable and relevant to life. All teachers emphasise the importance of English and maths, and science teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects.
• Access to Careers Library and online resources.
• Students and parents are informed of Open Events at local colleges.
• Prospectuses from all local colleges are made available in school with a selection of prospectuses from colleges in a wider area.
• Talks from range of post16 providers, including apprenticeship trainers, during assemblies, lunchtimes, etc.
• Students complete questionnaire to ascertain their initial ideas for post 16 education or training and intended destinations.
• All students have a 30 minute interview with experienced and qualified careers adviser. A written Action Plan is produced and given to student and is made available to staff who are mentoring individuals. Follow up interviews are offered where appropriate.
• Targeted interviews for PP, LAC or RONI students.
• Careers Convention attended by all local colleges and training providers plus representatives from a wide range of industries to provide information and guidance.
• Prepare students for college or job interviews by guiding them through the different stages from the research and preparation before the interview to performing well on the day and reviewing performance afterwards.
• Mock interview with an experienced professional from a wide variety of industries. Students complete a sample job application form and are matched carefully to their preferred career ideas. Both verbal and written feedback is given.
• Assembly and recruitment drive from National Citizenship Service.
• Careers advice at Parents Evenings.
• Support of Careers Adviser following GCSE results day.

 

This programme will be reviewed in July 2020.

 

Employer Links and Partnerships

St Mary’s has strong partnerships with a wide range of educational institutions, training providers and employers who contribute to our programme. Parents are also very keen to bring their particular skills and experience into school to support students.

Through the Local Enterprise Partnership St Mary’s has secured the support of Kate Stephens as Enterprise Adviser.

The careers team are kept fully informed of the latest developments in careers provision both locally and nationally through involvement with the Hereford Careers Advisers hub.

 

Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Throughout St Mary’s careers programme the opportunities available to young people through apprenticeships and technical education are made clear. All local training providers and colleges are welcome to talk to pupils from years 8 to 11. This most often occurs during assemblies or Learning4Life time. Local FE colleges and training providers contribute to our Y9 Industry Day, Y11 mock interviews and the Y10 and 11 Careers Evening.

St Mary’s has invited speakers from the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge for Schools project (ASK) to talk to years 10 and 11 to increase their awareness of apprenticeships. Recently Hereford Group Training Association gave a presentation to Y11 which included a contribution from a former pupil who has successfully embarked on a career in engineering via apprenticeship.

Students who are considering applying for an apprenticeship are supported by the Careers Adviser who will assist in the search for an employer and a dedicated session is held at an appropriate time during year 11 when assistance with applications is available.

 

Meeting the Needs of All Students

The careers team work closely with the school SENCO and Heads of Year to provide targeted support for vulnerable and disadvantaged students. The Careers Adviser interviews selected students upon request in years 9 and 10 and offers additional support in year 11.

St Mary’s is working with the National Collaborative Outreach Programme (NCOP) to raise expectations and increase participation in Higher Education from youngsters from under-represented groups. Funding has been made available for a range of activities, including provision for a motivational speaker and study skills workshops for year 9 and 11.

Students without a family history of participation in HE are encouraged to attend Summer Schools at West Midlands Universities through the Aim Higher Unifest programme.

 

Measuring the Impact of Our Careers Programme

St Mary’s progress towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks is evaluated using the online Compass tool provided by the Careers and Enterprise Company. The effectiveness of our careers programme will be reflected in the numbers of students progressing to positive destinations such as sixth form, further education, apprenticeships or employment. Destination data is used to assess how successfully students make the transition into the next stage of education or training and to inform future provision.

 

Useful Links/Resources

The Careers Enterprise Company	https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/
National Careers Service	www.natonalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk
Hereford Sixth Form College	www.hereford.ac.uk
Hereford and Ludlow College	www.hlcollege.ac.uk
Hereford College of Arts	www.hca.ac.uk
Hartpury College	www.hartpury.ac.uk
Heart of Worcester College	http://www.howcollege.ac.uk/
Hereford Group Training Association	www.hgta.org
UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)	https://www.ucas.com/
Gatsby Foundation	http://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/goodcareer-guidance
Apprenticeships Guidance	www.notgoingtouni.co.uk
Apprenticeship Applications	www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
Russell Group University Guide to A Levels	www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices.aspx