Careers Overview

Key Personnel

Careers Leader: Mr R Bond (Assistant Principal – Raising Aspirations)

Careers advisor: Mr G Palmer (Positive steps) [email protected]

Careers administrator: Mrs E Spencer (Administration Officer)

INTENT

Aims

Highly effective career guidance helps inspire students towards further study and enables them to make informed decisions whenever choices are open to them. It helps them to understand enough about the world of work to know what skills they need to succeed. It is important for social mobility because it helps open students’ eyes to careers they may not have considered. (www.gatsby.org.uk)

Our school is in an area of very low social mobility, so we focus on inspiring learners, raising aspirations, challenging assumptions and breaking down stereotypes. (https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education)

Commitment

Audenshaw School is committed to providing a planned programme of Careers Education and Guidance for all students in years 7 – 11, this is in partnership with Positive Steps. Audenshaw School endeavours to carry out its statutory duties under Section 42A of the Education Act 1997. The school is committed to providing staff with CPD training relevant to raising aspirations and developing a stronger culture for careers throughout the school and our curriculum.

Audenshaw School will ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access all students in year 7 to year 11 for the purposes of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships as outlined in section 42B into the Education Act 1997 section 42B into the Education Act 1997 and the new Provider access legislation (Jan 2023).

The Raising Aspirations School Improvement Plan contains strategic developments of CEIAG along with details staff involved, funding requirements, monitoring and impact. This plan will be reviewed by SLT and regular updates on its implementation will be discussed fortnightly with the Principal.

IMPLEMENTATION

Parents and Carers

The school is committed to providing parents and careers with continuous updates on careers related activities that their children take part in. Parents will be made aware of talks, trips and visits relating to their child’s future pathways through the schools communication networks. The school also provide parents with the option to contact the careers adviser directly, with contact details available via the website. We take every opportunity to gain feedback from parents and openly welcome any feedback on the Raising Aspirations programme.

Curriculum

Every curriculum area will take the opportunities to link learning with employability skills through their learning journeys, in particular the STEM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Displays in departments will highlight the range of careers opportunities/paths linked to their subject. The core LORIC employability skills of Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative and Communication are evident within each curriculum area and a display of these curriculum links is present where LORIC lessons take place.

Interviews

The school’s impartial careers adviser (Positive Steps) conducts careers interviews in a dedicated careers room. The careers adviser will meet with year 10 and 11 students on a rota throughout the year on a one-to-one basis. A record of the interview and its outcomes will be emailed to students by Positive Steps following the appointment. A copy is also retained in school to assist with tailoring each student’s aspirations to any career related activities taking place and the planning of additional activities. The service is available to years 7, 8 and 9 students via appointment or the drop in sessions on Wednesdays. Details of when Positive Steps are in school will be displayed on the careers room door.

Community and employer links

Audenshaw School is developing links with businesses in the local area and in Tameside, to provide students with inspiration and guidance on the local economy, where speakers can provide students with information, advice and guidance on the local career prospects. Employers and other external agencies will be invited in throughout the academic year (where necessary) to work with students across various year groups. Students are also encouraged to visit appropriate college and apprenticeship open events and information is displayed within the designated careers area of the school to raise their awareness of the options available to them.

We have been working in close partnership with Brother UK through our GMCA Enterprise co-coordinator to provide support for activities that contribute to all 8 Gatsby benchmarks such as; Staff training, workplace visits, encounters with employers/employees, virtual work experience opportunities, mock interviews, speed networking and student mentoring programmes. Regular meetings take place with our enterprise adviser at Brother UK to discuss our progress towards the benchmarks and plan additional collaboration to further strengthen our Raising aspiration programme.

If you feel that you can get involved and contribute to raising our students’ aspirations in this way please contact the school, it would be great to get you involved.

Labour Market Information

Providing students with continuous updates on Labour Market Information is fundamental to their career choice pathways. Working with key partners and other external agencies the school will provide students and staff with resources of factual knowledge on the local and national economy developments on education and employment opportunities. All students will have access to XELLO through their own personalised log in. XELLO is designed to provide personalised support for young people in planning their future and exploring the world of careers, training and further education. Training on how to use the site with students will be provided to key staff.

Year 7

Year 7 students will be given career related assemblies and will have the opportunity to listen to external speakers about interesting career choices during speed networking events. They will use the XELLO site during form time to begin exploring a wide range of careers options to better understand what they involve along with the skills and qualifications required. During life skills lessons year 7 will use the Cre8tive curriculum resources to help them improve their personal development skills (Careers and their future, Financial education and Transition points). The Cre8tive curriculum programme is mapped against the Gatsby Benchmarks and the CDI framework for Careers, Employability & Enterprise Education. Year 7 will have opportunities in form time with bookable access to ICT facilities in order to complete the PiXL Edge Apprentice level qualification, a specifically selected team of teachers will deliver this to maximise its success with achievement of the LORIC skills celebrated throughout the year during assemblies and at end of year celebrations. Students who complete the Apprentice level can progress onto Pioneer level and become a PiXL Edge ambassador where they support other students through the programme.

Year 8

Careers Education is implemented within the year 8 Life Skills curriculum (The Cre8tive curriculum programme will provide progression from year 7 and help students to work on their Employability skills, Careers choices, Careers interests and jobs, Labour market information and Exploring careers) and students are provided with opportunities throughout the year to develop their self-awareness and future prospects. Year 8 will be given appropriate career related talks from external speakers as part of our commitment to the Provider Access Legislation along with more opportunities to learn from employers about work through speed networking events. Year 8 will have opportunities in form time with bookable access to ICT facilities in order to complete the PiXL Edge award, with achievement of the LORIC skills celebrated throughout the year during assemblies and at end of year celebrations. Students who complete the Apprentice level can progress onto Pioneer level and become a PiXL Edge ambassador where they support other students through the programme.

All students will be given the opportunity to access information relating to technical qualifications and apprenticeships from a range of education and training providers. Year 8 students will have access to XELLO throughout the year.

Year 9

Students will use the XELLO site during form time to explore additional career options and to help support them during the guided pathways process. The Cre8tive curriculum programme will continue to provide progression from year 8 with modules on turning failure into success, Saving and managing money and Employment & Financial management.

We aim to provide every year 9 student with an opportunity to meet employees and employers from wide range of career backgrounds in small groups so that they have the opportunity to understand a range of career pathways and the skills that are valued in the workplace. Year 9 will also continue to hear from providers offering approved technical qualifications such as T-levels and higher technical qualifications.

Students will choose their options through the Guided Pathways programme, which will support their future outcomes post year 11 and allow the school to provide bespoke careers related activities for all students progressing on to Key Stage 4.

Students in year 9 will be given the opportunity to work more independently on achieving their PiXL Edge Graduate level accreditation; this will be supported by the careers coordinator.

Year 10

Students will take part in careers related talks towards the end of year 10 from external providers offering approved technical qualifications such as T-levels and higher technical qualifications along with apprenticeship providers and more traditional academic routes. They will attend at least one external and one internal careers fair so they get the opportunity to meet HE and FE providers. Scheduled independent careers appointments will begin in December/January and run through the year into year 11.

Year 10 will have the opportunity to take part in a one week work experience placement in May, students will be encouraged to find their own work placements as these tend to be more involving for students as they have to approach employers themselves. Placements are available for students who do not manage to find their own from a database of providers. Students are supported through this process via whole school assemblies, a parental engagement evening (virtual if necessary), form time activities before and after the placement. Staff will contact the placements during the week to check on how well the students. All placements will be subject to Health and Safety checks and must provide evidence of upto date Employer Liability Insurance.

During the summer term, all year 10 students will be involved in a week of career related activities, this involves a careers fayre where they meet a wide range of local employers, CV writing and job application skill. Additional to this the school will also provide students with an opportunity to submit a ‘mock’ application form and experience a practice interview with an employer. Students will then get feedback on this process.

Year 11

Students will again take part in careers related talks at the start of year 11 from external providers offering approved technical qualifications such as T-levels and higher technical qualifications along with apprenticeship providers and more traditional academic routes. Year 11 students will also attend a careers fair during term one where we invite in a range of local post 16 providers into school. One-to-one guidance sessions will continue with the careers adviser at times to best support the post 16 application process. They will also be provided with application support under the personal development tab on the school website, such as; information on Post 16 open choices, open events and guidance on how to write a personal statement. Year 11 students will work with XELLO in the first term to help raise their aspirations and guide and support them as they apply to colleges in readiness for the next phase of their education and training.

College applications will be tracked to ensure that students are provided with targeted support to help them achieve their full potential for when they move onto their next stage.

Record keeping

Audenshaw School will track each student throughout the Careers Education and Guidance programme to monitor their involvements and support each individual with the highest quality of guidance and resources for their future pathway choices. A database is maintained and monitored by SLT to track the aspirations of the students against their achievement at each assessment point. This database will help to provide a tailored programme of CEIAG to the students.

The school uses Compass+ to help manage, track and report on the school’s Raising aspirations programme and progress towards the 8 Gatsby benchmarks.

Staffing

• The Careers Leader has completed the level 6 CDI Careers Leadership qualification.
• There is a Character curriculum leader to help support the delivery of the school’s careers strategy.
• A dedicated member of the student support team has been assigned to raising aspirations.
• All staff training is to be monitored by a member of the SLT for quality assurance purposes.
• The Careers Leader will make new staff to the school aware of the school’s commitment to quality CEIAG during the new staff induction process.

Partnerships with external providers

Partnerships with external providers, such as Positive Steps, Brother UK, Findel, Greater Manchester higher, Bright futures trust and GMCA Enterprise Co-ordinator & Advisor Network will be reviewed on an annual basis against the needs of the students and the priorities of the school. Clear criteria will be used by the SLT to establish the rationale for any partnership. No agreements can be entered into without the authorisation of the Principal. The school has established an Alumni network to help raise the aspirations of our students and work with subject areas to bring closer their various career routes and our curriculum.

Quality Assurance

The Careers Education and Guidance programme will be monitored, reviewed and evaluated through:

• Form time observations of PiXL edge and XELLO sessions by Senior Leaders once per term
• Student voice on an ongoing basis by the Careers Leader and SLT as part of the subject area reviews
• Surveys (Students, Parents, Staff, External partners) Co-ordinated by the Careers Leader to take place once per term
• Reflection upon local and national strategies by the Careers Leader
• Staff CPD sessions to me monitored by the SLT whenever they occur
• LMI (Labour Market Information) resources will be checked and updated on a termly basis
• Student Feedback evaluation – Individual careers interview
• External provider Feedback – Audenshaw school Careers/Raising aspirations programme
• Parent/Carer Feedback – Audenshaw school Careers/Raising aspirations programme

IMPACT

• Students will have a successful transition from year 11 into post 16 and beyond school (NEET figures)
• The schools’ Raising aspirations activities are constantly evaluated and feedback is used to inform any changes required to improve impact.
• Students will develop the skills needed for them to be employable, whether that is voluntarily
  or paid

Destination data

Audenshaw School has a strong record of success with its CEIAG and has a measurable impact on student outcomes, demonstrated by consistently outstanding ‘destination’ data, which we are required to monitor as part of our CEIAG policy. The most recent figures are as follows taken from our moving on report; 2022.