CAREERS EDUCATION

There is a comprehensive careers education programme which starts in Year 7 and carries on through to Year 13. The programme has three strands: self-awareness and development , career exploration and career management, All three strands are covered in each year group. As part of this, we are keen to engage with local employers in order to keep staff and students up-to-date with current labour market information. Students undertake work experience in Year 12 and we welcome employers from a variety of sectors into to schools to give talks and to provide opportunities for our students to network and make contacts.

CAREERS GUIDANCE

All our students have at least one careers interview with a professional, independent careers adviser who visits school twice a week. Careers interviews help students to put their career plans into action and give them a chance to ask any questions which they have following their careers lessons. As a school, we are keen to include local employers’ contributions to our careers programme. Local employers who would like to contribute in any way to any of the sessions below, or suggest alternative ones, should contact the careers co-ordinator, Rachel Gooding on 01704 879315

CORE CAREERS PROGRAMME TOPICS (CAREERS HOUR)

Year 7 – Lesson Topics

  1. Character Traits and Skills
  2. Careers and Your Future
  3. Transition Points and Your life (Careers and Options)
  4. Personal Qualities and Skills
  5. Visual CV
  6. Types of Jobs and Careers

Year 8 – Lesson Topics

  1. Understanding the Workplace
  2. Jobs and Opportunities
  3. Standard Occupational Classification
  4. Business Structures
  5. Exploring Enterprise and Employability Skills
  6. Interpersonal Skills

Year 9 – Lesson topics

  1. Careers Interests and Job Ideas
  2. Labour Market Information
  3. Making Decisions
  4. Choosing Subjects (Options)
  5. Qualifications and Pathways
  6. In the Workplace

Year 10 – Lesson topics

  1. Budgeting and The Workplace
  2. Saving and Managing Money
  3. Employability and Enterprise Skills
  4. Consumer Rights
  5. Diversity, Inclusion and Employment Rights
  6. Exploring a Payslip
  7. Employability: Presenting Yourself
  8. Options at 16

Year 11 – Lesson topics

  1. Next Steps After Year 11 (1)
  2. Next Steps after Year 11 (2)
  3. Applications and CVs
  4. Credit and Debit Cards
  5. Paying Tax

Year 12 – Lesson topics

  1. Transition to Sixth Form
  2. Options at 18 – Universities and Apprenticeships (1)
  3. Options at 18 – Universities and Apprenticeships (2)
  4. Degree Apprenticeships – outside speaker
  5. Employability Skills
  6. Choosing a University Course – outside speaker
  7. What can I do with a degree in…?
  8. Writing a Personal Statement – outside speaker

Year 13 – Lesson Topics

  1. Registering with UCAS
  2. UCAS Form and Personal Support / Apprenticeship and Employment Support (1)
  3.  UCAS Form and Personal Support / Apprenticeship and Employment Support (2)
  4. Interview Skills
  5. Employability Skills
  6. Student Life and Budgeting / Budgeting and Finance
Careers Across the Curriculum – all subjects
Block Work Experience – 5 days (Autumn Term Y11 and Summer Term Y12) Careers Fair (Years 7-10 – Summer Term)
Visit to UCAS Discovery Fair (Y12 – Summer Term)
‘Modern Work Experience Days’ (Y7-9) to be implemented by the end of academic year 2026-7
Departmental university visits
Departmental industry visits