Key Stage 3

During Year 7 the focus is on careers exploration and students complete several activities within Life Skills to enable them to explore their interests and foundation employability skills. Year 8 builds on this with a more in-depth consideration of skills linked with particular careers, and there is also the opportunity to think about GCSE options. In Year 9 students consider career options in the context of their upcoming GCSE options and post-16 and post-18 opportunities.

By the end of Key Stage 3, all students will have:

• A better understanding of the full range of 14-19 opportunities for progression
• A better understanding of their strengths and areas for development, and support to evaluate how these might inform future choices in learning and work
• An understanding of some of the qualities, attitudes and skills needed for employability
• Used online careers resources to research information about opportunities and use their findings to make informed choices for Key Stage 4 options
• Received appropriate advice and guidance on Key Stage 4 options
• Prepared an individual Action Plan on our careers platform, Grofar, and kept it updated with new achievements and careers activities

In order to achieve the above outcomes, all students will follow a programme of careers activities as follows:

• Life Skills programme – Autumn term 2 (Life Beyond School) and Summer term 2 (Living in the Wider World)
• Assemblies from external visitors when available – apprenticeships, employers, post-16 providers
• Year 10 GCSE Options Evening
• Tutor time activities – World of Work Wednesday
• National Apprenticeship Week – assembly/activities
• National Careers Week – assembly/activities
• British Science Week – activities/visiting speakers
• Big Bang Fair trip (Year 8) – focus on STEM careers

Key Stage 4

By the end of Key Stage 4, all students will have:

• Enhanced their self-knowledge, careers management and employability skills
• Used online resources and other sources to investigate and explore future choices and progression routes
• Been given direct access to employers, colleges, training providers and universities
• Been given guidance to help identify a range of post-16 options and support networks that they can use to plan and negotiate their career pathways
• Been provided with the resources to complete the post-16 application procedures, including CVs, personal statements and preparation for interview
• Produced a challenging but realistic action plan for their future learning and work, by relating their abilities, attributes and achievements to goals they have set themselves
• Been offered at least one 1:1 careers interview with an external Careers Adviser

To achieve these outcomes all students will follow a programme of careers activities as follows:

• Life Skills programme – Autumn term 2 (Life Beyond School) and Summer term 2 (Living in the Wider World)
• Assemblies from external visitors when available – apprenticeships, employers, post-16 providers
• Parents evening – careers appointments available (Year 11)
• Tutor time activities – World of Work Wednesday
• National Apprenticeship Week – assembly/activities
• National Careers Week – assembly/activities
• British Science Week – activities/visiting speakers
• Trip to National Apprenticeship Show
• Apprenticeship talk and workshops
• Application support ‘drop in’ sessions
• Careers adviser ‘drop in’ sessions