Careers Education Information, Advice and Guidance Policy

Introduction to policy
Careers education, information and guidance is an essential part of the support we offer to students at Woodbridge Road Academy. High quality careers guidance can help prepare young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences needed to make a successful transition to adulthood. As options for young people become more diverse, it is important we support them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices for their future.

The careers programme is a whole-school responsibility, designed to complement the school curriculum and support the wider agendas of attainment, achievement and participation in learning. This policy sets out how career activities are delivered at school and explains what students, parents/carers, staff and Directors can expect from the careers programme.

Aims
Woodbridge Road Academy careers programme aims to support students, through careers and work-related activities and employer interventions. Woodbridge Road Academy follows the eight principles of the Gatsby Benchmarks (The Gatsby Benchmarks Of Good Career Guidance Published 2014)

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

 

Student entitlement
All students are entitled to be fully involved in the schools careers programme and can expect;

● The support they need to make the right choices in Y11.
● Access up-to-date and unbiased information on future learning and training, careers and labour market information.
● Support to develop the self-awareness and career management skills needed for their future.
● Career sessions from Y7 to Y11 covering options after school, the world of work, the job market and personal skills needed for the future.
● To hear from a range of education and training providers, including colleges, universities and apprenticeship organisations; this could include visits and taster days, assemblies, workshops and meetings at school.
● The opportunity to talk through their career and educational choices with all staff and the careers lead.
● Support from the careers lead and key adults with applications for post-16 choices.
● Access to one-to-one guidance with a trained, impartial careers adviser, available to students of any year group.
● Access to careers sessions for Y5 and Y6 covering a variety of workplaces.
● Appropriate work experience

 

Parental involvement

Young people do not make career decisions alone and parents/carers are encouraged into the school to help support the careers programme. Parents are involved in this through the EHCP review process, moving into adulthood planning and appropriate careers events.

Parents/carers are kept up to date with career-related events and activities via letters and texts home, the school website and social media.

Delivery of the careers programme

Years 7, 8 and 9
Key Activities –
Access to communication, PSHE and Duke of Edinburgh where readiness for work skills are developed; listening, speaking, problem solving, resilience, ambition, leadership and teamwork.
Employer encounters, STEM and enterprise challenges and careers related trips and workshops.
Career sessions embedded in the curriculum which may include what work is, how salaries relate to different jobs, stereotyping around jobs, how to find out about jobs, the skills needed for work, jobs in the future and local job opportunities.
Y9 options choices – research and support throughout the options process.

By the end of year 7, 8 and 9, all students will have had the opportunity to:
● Be introduced to career resources to help them understand their preferences and the options open to them
● Develop their self awareness
● Experiences of employers and the world of work

Year 10
Key Activities – preparing for work experience and mock business interviews. Employer encounters, STEM and enterprise challenges and career related trips and workshops.
Careers sessions in base group or PSHE may include preparing to find and carry out work experience placements, CVs, making job applications and interview techniques. Exploring post-16 options and researching the world of work.

By the end of Y10, all students will have had the opportunity to:
● Develop their self-awareness and career management skills, including writing a CV
● Experience a working environment
● Be interviewed by an employer or other relevant professional
● Experience a taster activity in a Post-16 provider
● Learn about the different Post-16 pathways

Year 11
Key Activities – Research and consider Post-16 providers and make applications. Multiple applications are encouraged at Woodbridge Road Academy. Participate in career sessions, external workshops and assemblies discussing the different post-16 pathways.

By the end of Y11, all students will have had the opportunity to:
● Use a range of sources of information (with support, if required) to explore Post-16 options
● Attend events in school and out of school where they can speak to universities, employers, colleges, apprenticeship and training providers.
● Develop their self-awareness and career management skills
● Apply for Post-16 options and back-up plans, as necessary
● Continue to develop the skills needed for a successful transition
● Have at least one meeting (small group or one-to-one) with a careers adviser.

In keeping with the SEND Code of Practice 1.39 which states that, “With high aspirations, and the right support, the vast majority of children and young people can go on to achieve successful long-term outcomes in adult life”, students in Years 10 and 11 receive support with their post-16 pathway. The staff team liaise with post-16 education providers to ensure that all key inclusion information is shared and relevant support is in place to give pupils the best chance of succeeding in post-16 education or training.

Post-16 and Careers Activities
Each year, the school gives students of all year groups a chance to meet and talk to employers and learn more about what work is like and what it takes to be successful in the workplace. There are also opportunities to interact with local colleges, sixth forms and employers to see which courses are on offer. School staff will support students in attending post-16 evening events where needed.

Career guidance meetings
Students are entitled to appropriate guidance to meet their individual needs. All students at school can request an appointment with the careers lead however, all KS4 students are expected to attend a personal guidance session with the careers advisor. Access to the careers advisor is also available by arrangement.

The outcome of all these activities allows the careers adviser to prioritise students for interviews, helping to ensure that pupils of all abilities can access the support they need.

For those students identified as being at risk of NEET, further interventions are arranged as appropriate for each student. This support could include visits to colleges and training providers, contact with parents, support from other agencies and ongoing contact as the student leaves school.

Career information
Career information is available from the library, AP office and is disseminated via class teachers. The library includes a range of post-16 prospectuses, career guides, apprenticeship and employer information, as well as guides on job-search activities.

External providers
A range of external providers are invited into school to support the careers programme. These might include local colleges, universities, training providers, apprenticeship organisations, employers, school alumni, or staff from various projects. In all cases, such staff and organisations will be vetted for suitability by the relevant staff at school.

Management and staffing
The principal is responsible for taking a strategic lead and direction for careers work in school. Due to the whole-school responsibility of careers work, the range of staff involved in supporting careers activities includes all teaching and support staff.

Staff Development
The principal keeps up to date with best practice and legislation. All classroom based staff receive training in how to embed careers guidance into the curriculum.

Employer links
Woodbridge Road Academy has links with the local community, employers, and external agencies.

Statutory duty
Ensuring students have sufficient access to independent and impartial career guidance. This will include support from a trained specialist in career guidance (qualified to at least Level 6 in a Career Guidance qualification) as well as a range of FE, HE and other training providers, employers and employer engagement providers.

Publishing the arrangements for training providers to access students on the trusts website.

Publishing details of the careers programme that will be updated annually.

Board of Directors
In line with Section 42A of the Education Act 1997, our board of directors are aware of its statutory duty to:

• Ensure all registered pupils of the school are provided with independent careers guidance from year 8 onwards.
• Ensure careers guidance is presented in an impartial manner
• Ensure careers guidance includes information on the range of education or training options
• Ensure careers guidance promotes the best interest of the pupils to whom it is given.
• Provide clear advice and guidance to the head teacher on which they can base a strategy
• Ensure arrangements are in place to allow a range of education and training providers to access all pupils from year 8 onwards, to ensure students are aware of the routes available to them at transition.

Equal opportunities
Woodbridge Road Academy is keen to promote equal opportunities, challenge stereotypes and address limiting beliefs. All students can access advice and guidance tailored to their needs with support to explore options that suit their preferences, skills and strengths. The team works on early-identification of students requiring additional support, with no limit placed on how many times a student might see a careers adviser. The careers adviser works with SENCO and pastoral leads to support Education, Health and Care planning.

The destinations of school-leavers will be closely monitored and reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team.

Monitoring and evaluation
The careers programme is evaluated in a number of ways, including:

• Student feedback on their experience of the careers programme and what students gained from it
• Staff feedback on careers lessons, mock interviews etc
• Gathering informal feedback from external partners and from parents/carers
• Student destination figures post-16 (from 2024 onwards)