Careers Guidance – The Southover Partnership

Work Experience

The Government’s careers strategy aims to make sure that all young people in secondary education get a programme of advice and guidance that is stable, structured and delivered by individuals with the right skills and experience.

At The Southover Partnership we use the Gatsby Benchmarks to measure the quality of our provision.

gatsbybenchmarks.org.uk

The Gatsby Benchmarks

Gatsby Benchmark 1	Every school should have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of governors, the headteacher and the senior management team, and has an identified and appropriately trained careers leader responsible for it. The careers programme should be tailored to the needs of pupils, sequenced appropriately, underpinned by learning outcomes and linked to the whole-school development plan. It should also set out how parents and carers will be engaged throughout. The careers programme should be published on the school’s website and communicated in ways that enable pupils, parents and carers, staff and employers to access, and understand it. The programme should be regularly evaluated using feedback from pupils, parents and carers, teachers and other staff who support pupils, careers advisers and employers, to increase its impact.

Gatsby Benchmark 2	During each Key Stage, all pupils should access and use information about careers, pathways and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options or next steps. Parents and carers should be encouraged and supported to access and use information about careers, pathways and the labour market to inform their support for pupils in their care.

Gatsby Benchmark 3	A school’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge misconceptions and stereotypical thinking, showcase a diverse range of role models and raise aspirations. Schools should keep systematic records of the participation of pupils in all aspects of their careers programme, including the individual advice given to each pupil, and any subsequent agreed decisions. For pupils who change schools during the secondary phase, information about participation and the advice given previously should be integrated into a pupil’s records, where this information is made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition. All pupils should have access to these records and use them ahead of any key transition points to support their next steps and career development. Schools should collect, maintain and use accurate data for each pupil on their aspirations, intended and immediate education, and training or employment destinations, to inform personalised support. Schools should use sustained and longer-term destination data as part of their evaluation process and use alumni to support their careers programme.

Gatsby Benchmark 4	Every year, in every subject, every pupil should have opportunities to learn how the knowledge and skills developed in that subject helps people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers. Careers should form part of the school’s ongoing staff development programme for teachers and all staff who support pupils.

Gatsby Benchmark 5	Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer.

Gatsby Benchmark 6	By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful experiences of workplaces. By the age of 18, every pupil should have had at least one further meaningful experience.

Gatsby Benchmark 7	By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful encounters with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and ITPs. By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying to higher education should have had at least two visits to higher education providers to meet staff and learners.

Gatsby Benchmark 8	Every pupil should have at least one personal guidance meeting, with a careers adviser by the age of 16, and a further meeting by the age of 18. Meetings should be scheduled in the careers programme to meet the needs of pupils. Information about personal guidance support, and how to access it, should be communicated to pupils and parents and carers, including through the school website.

The Baker Clause

The Baker Clause stipulates that schools must allow colleges and training providers access to every student in years 8- 13 to discuss non-academic routes that are available to them. The Southover Partnership will achieve this by working in partnership with local providers so that all pupils can access information as applicable, from years 8 – 13.

The ways in which providers will be granted access may include:

Assemblies
Engagement events
1:1 introduction for students and their parents
Virtual or live class discussions
Open Days
College trips

Careers Programme

At The Southover Partnership careers guidance is embedded into our curriculum during our PSHE sessions, in assemblies, during off timetable days, during subject teaching and during form time.

Pupils who can, will participate in a work placement programme. This may be as a group visit out in the community or specific work placements for specific period. Students who are not on placement participate in a programme of study to develop skills that develop their confidence and prepare them for transition and the world of work. This includes discussions about work experience, encounters with employers, higher education providers, interview techniques, CV writing, personal research in areas of interest and post 16 opportunities/pathways.

Recent research from South Midlands Careers Hub has shown that if a student has 4 meaningful encounters with an employer, then they are 86% less likely to become NEET. We will gather and analyse feedback from questionnaires from students, parents, and external agencies on the Careers provision. This will be carried out at least once every three years. In addition to this, pupil and parent views are gathered on a regular basis through EHCP meetings and 1:1 meeting to discuss opportunities and courses available to pupils post 16. The success of our career’s guidance program will be judged on how well our pupils can talk about their aspirations, different jobs and roles within career paths and also on how many pupils continue with their studies and are accepted on the courses that will help them to progress towards their chosen career path.

Employment Pathway

In form times we use specific careers programmes and government websites to gather up-to-date information and learn about and explore live job, college and apprenticeship opportunities.

We encourage and support all Key Stage 4 and 5 students to visit open days and arrange bespoke Post 16 visits for parents and students so that they can get information about future study options.

Different Needs

Students have different amounts of career guidance at different stages of their time with us. Opportunities for advice and support are tailored to the needs of each student and our careers programme promotes and supports equality and diversity considerations throughout. Aspirations are discussed with all pupils at the end of each term, and they are also discussed as part of the annual EHCP review process.

Linking Curriculum To Careers

All subject teachers are keen to highlight the relevance of their subjects for future career paths and suggested career pathways are discussed in lessons. Where possible, visits to local businesses linked to subject areas are made.

Employers and Employees

At The Southover Partnership we invite employers and employees into school to deliver workshops and talks to our students.

We also encourage parents to take their children to open days, careers events and host enterprise activities to inspire, motivate and teach our pupils core skills relating to the world of work.

We invite past students to talk to our current students about moving on, career choices and life experiences since leaving Southover.

Further and Higher Education

Our careers programme is designed to ensure that all students understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational/volunteer routes and learning in schools, colleges and in the workplace.

Personal Guidance

This is provided in school and by an external career and workforce agency named CER Education Recruitment who are commissioned to provide impartial advice and guidance to our students.

More information can be found on the following websites

Career Opportunities

UCAS