Careers CEIAG

Lead: Mrs Claire Matthews - Contact via this form

At Bredon Hill Academy, we offer a wide ranging and exciting careers programme in partnership with our Worcestershire Council Careers adviser. We offer impartial, well-informed, up-to-date advice and guidance on the full range of opportunities available. As well as providing a large selection of careers activities throughout the year which are tailored to the needs of each pupil, we also take a whole school approach to careers education. All staff, local employers and Worcestershire County Council representatives help to drive forward a programme which raises aspirations, challenges stereotypical thinking and promotes equality and diversity.

The careers programme at Bredon Hill Academy goes beyond helping pupils to figure out what their next steps should be; it helps pupils to continually develop the essential employability and life skills to make successful applications to their chosen pathway. We recognise the changing face of the working world. More people change careers throughout their working life. Factors beyond our control influence the jobs available such as globalisation, technological advancements and the environmental crisis. Our pupils need to be prepared for the evolving working world and so, at the heart of our careers programme, is a focus on building up essential lifelong employability skills.

Our approach helps pupils to see the value in everything they do for their wider careers and teaches the philosophy that careers education is a life long journey.

Below is the plan for our careers programme, mapped to the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Careers Guidance (https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/goodcareer-guidance).

Gatsby Benchmark 1: A stable careers programme

Bredon Hill Academy will measure and assess the impact of its own careers programme using the Gatsby Benchmarks and the Compass and Tracker tool. We will also annually evaluate our programme using opinions of providers, pupils, staff and parents.

The Senior Leadership Team and Board of Governors support the programme and we have a dedicated Governor, Austin Bailey, who is also our PSHE and Safeguarding Link Governor, and our Headteacher backing the Careers Programme and supporting the designated Careers Leader.

A dedicated area of Bredon Hill Academy’s website details useful and up-to-date information for use by pupils, parents and teachers.

Gatsby Benchmark 2: Learning from careers and labour market information (LMI)

Pupils will be informed of updated LMI information through their PSHE lessons, assemblies and form time activities.

A dedicated LMI section on the school website is updated annually.

A LMI display in school will be updated annually.

Staff will be kept up-to-date in CPD careers sessions.

Employers visiting the school and trips to providers help to contribute to the delivery of LMI information.

LMI information will be disseminated to parents through the school’s website.

Gatsby Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each pupil

Our Careers Programme is designed to support our pupils to consider different career pathways of their choice.

We aim to raise the aspirations of all of our pupils informing them about different routes after school such as Higher Education and apprenticeships as pathways that will keep their career options wide open for the future.

We challenge career stereotypes through our PSHE programmes as well as setting examples through our visiting employers.

The school will keeps an accurate record of all of our pupils’ careers experiences and will use this to tailor and target future support.

Our SEND pupils receive appropriate support in lessons and during careers activities and we are working to create supportive workplace experience opportunities for them.

Gatsby Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers

We have a whole school approach to careers where careers staff, teachers and pastoral staff help to support our pupils as they navigate their career pathways.

Careers learning is embedded into PSHE, English, Maths and Science with careers learning included in their schemes of work.

National Careers Week ensures career links are included in many activities such as lessons, form times and assemblies ensuring accessibility for all pupils.

Each classroom has a dedicated careers poster and some departments have dedicated displays.

Subject departments are encouraged to develops links with local employers and use these to create new opportunities for pupils within lessons or for educational visits to work places or higher education providers.

CPD sessions for all teaching staff are dedicated to careers.

Each year group has a series of PSHE lessons dedicated to Careers which are tailored to the different stages of their career learning.

The school has a dedicated STEM lead providing opportunities for pupils such as trips, speakers and activities.

Gatsby Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees

We are building up a network of local employers to support the school each year.

All pupils will have attended at least one Careers Fair by the time they leave Bredon Hill Academy.

All pupils have opportunities to take part in sessions by various visiting speakers.

Trips to employers are arranged throughout the year.

Gatsby Benchmark 6: Experience of workplaces

Pupils have many opportunities to take on leading roles within school that give them a taste of a working dynamic e.g. Prefects, School Council, Young Leaders Programme.

Visits to employers are arranged throughout the year for small groups.

Experiences of workplaces are also provided in our curriculum and in extra-curricular activities. For example, in enrichment lessons, pupils have an enterprise unit of work creating an innovative product. This provides experience of creativity, problem solving, presenting, aiming high and listening skills. Food Technology lessons mimic teamwork done in a commercial kitchen.

Gatsby Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education

PSHE sessions help pupils to explore available options. Outside speakers may address smaller groups about particular courses/and or experiences of further and higher education.

Gatsby Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

Bredon Hill Academy will be working with Prince Henry’s High School to ensure a successful transition for all pupils in their careers guidance and preparation for options choices in Year 9.

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